Turning 50….Lessons I’ve Learned…
Thinking about the number 50 when it comes to how many years you have been on this earth is pretty amazing!
50 sounds BIG……..50 sounds IMPORTANT…….50 sounds like a MILESTONE…..
The reality is….it is all of those things ESPECIALLY IF…..you take the time to reflect on what it is you have LEARNED so far.
Isn’t that what life is all about?
Life hands us these experiences and we are left to sift through them and store the moments and LESSONS in our brains,
Now I know many of you reading this blog may not be close to 50 yet but my hope is…..whatever age you are….you will be inspired to evaluate your own lessons from your life thus far
On the morning of my birthday (July 6th) I woke up for the sunrise and really tried to drink in every moment of this special day. I remember thinking to myself….”I am grateful that today I am PRESENT in all that will happen throughout this day” I really wanted to test my ability to STAY IN THE MOMENT for as long as I could. I knew that if took it all in…..I may be able to write some things down in hopes to one day share with my daughters and perhaps with you on this platform.
I took out my journal….laid on my carpet in front of my fireplace and asked myself this question…
“What would you tell your daughters about life so far?…….you have seen a lot…..you have felt a lot of emotions…. you have lost some relationships and you have sustained some for many years of your life……What is it that you pulled out of all this in the past 50 years?”
Then….I journaled these thoughts…………..
50 Lessons for 50 YEARS
Some are simple and some are reflective but ALL of them have mattered to me in my life🌞
1.✨Stay where the energy feels good-if a relationship or a friendship does not FEEL GOOD….trust the energy and gracefully move away from it. Your instincts are always spot on and energy never lies.
2.✨Phasing out of relationships is NORMAL and NATURAL-some friendships are only there for a season of your life. Just because you do not remain close forever does not mean that it was not AMAZING or IMPORTANT! People will continue to come in and out of your life and each person you encounter will teach you something about life but more importantly something about yourself.
3.✨Cherish the first moments you open your eyes in the morning……REMEMBER that each day is a GIFT and that there is someone out there who is not as fortunate as you.-for me…….waking up to a sunrise and then my first cup of coffee are my 2 favorite ways to put a stamp on my morning and take a moment to say THANK YOU for all that I have!
4.✨Tell the people in your life that you love them-it is pretty straight forward but it is one of the BIGGEST lessons I have learned. If someone makes a difference in your world….. tell them…… you never know if you will get the opportunity again.
5.✨Always say THANK YOU-no matter where you are or what you are doing…..thank people who are in your experience. If someone holds the door….. say thank you, when your waitress serves you….say thank you, when the mailman delivers your mail….say thank you. With each interaction….smile and say THANK YOU. Good energy and gratitude for others continues to bring good experiences into your life.
6.✨Wash your face and moisturize every day and night….it makes a difference-this one sounds silly but it is important. You only have one face and and it needs attention! This is your billboard to the world….this is where your smile lives…..take care of it….you will thank yourself later.
7.✨Write in a journal-taking time to write in a journal will ensure that you learn how to express yourself……how to reflect……how to work through thoughts…..it is one of the greatest forms of therapy and self growth…….not to mention it will help you remember who you were in different stages of your life.
8.✨Cherish really good friendships-respect, nurture and appreciate the beautiful friendships in your life. There will only be a handful that make it through the entirety of your adult life……hold on to them. These friendships are the ones that are there in the good times and the bad…..(not just the good times). These friendships cheer you on……communicate feelings both good and bad AND…… these friendships make you smile from the inside out. If you are lucky enough to have a few of these human beings in your life….hug them tight….love them up and most importantly be the same friend to them that you expect in return.
9.✨Love your kids the WAY THEY ARE-our children are given to us BUT they are not OURS to form the way we feel they should be formed. They have their own thoughts…their own dreams….their own visions for their happiness. We are here to guide them to their path even if it doesn’t look like the one we imagined it to be.
10.✨If you have a spouse……pour everything into that relationship-what I have learned throughout my 21 year marriage is….without that relationship being STRONG and INTACT…..everything else is hard to keep in a happy and secure state. As partners…..your spouse needs attention…. and sometimes we can unfortunately fall into a lazy cycle. When we represent happiness and teamwork to our children…they will go out there and seek that in their own mate.
11.✨Consider having a dog in your lifetime-there is some kind of magic when you are loved by a dog…..if you have one….you know what I mean.
12.✨Take care of your parents-our parents are the ones who brought us into this life……when they get older….spoil them as much as you can and as often as you can. They are the people who unconditionally loved you…..your love and time in return is ALL they need.
13.✨Fully listen to people when they talk to you- it is so natural and easy to get distracted or form opinions as someone is talking to to you….but the art of listening is TRULY an art. The people in your life will appreciate you listening to what they have to say without you planning what your response is. True listening and validating someone’s experience, no matter what your view or opinion may be, is a true act of love and kindness.
14.✨Truly enjoy eating the foods you love-I have found when I am eating out or eating something I really enjoy, I try and think to myself “I am so grateful for this food”. The simple act of awareness when eating is very rewarding.
15.✨Make your your bed before you leave your room in the morning.-when your room feels organized and your bed is made….you are giving yourself the gift of a peaceful place to fall at the end of the day.
16.✨Stay organized throughout your day to relive stress-when you clean your space after you eat or put away your clothes after you take them off….these little acts of organization keep you feeling organized and in control. It’s easy to to drop things where they lie…..but the real gift is when you have your belongings in order…life gets very peaceful.
17.✨Love yourself-love yourself through every phase and every age. This is easier said than done but when you love the good parts and your flaws….you are free. There is no one out there who is perfect…..everyone wishes they were taller, thinner….prettier….or maybe funnier….. The real mastery to self love is to love the body, soul and personality you were given. There is always room for self growth and self improvement but ALWAYS treat yourself with kindness….you only have one YOU!
18.✨Always say sorry when you are wrong-when you do something wrong and you feel the energy shift because of maybe something you said or did…..apologize! Even if it was not intentional…..it is easy to see when you may have hurt someones feelings….if you care about that person…say you are sorry and mean it.
19.✨Learn from your mistakes-if you mess up……guess what….its GOOD NEWS FOR YOU! We can ALWAYS learn from our mistakes. Mistakes happen to help us grow as people. A mistake is actually a gift in disguise if you turn around and LEARN how to do better the next time. I have found some of my biggest mistakes propelled me into being a better listener and a more empathetic person and a better human being. Celebrate your mistakes and remember to not beat yourself up over them….they will serve you in the future if you let them
20.✨Don’t gossip or talk negatively about other people-I know it is human nature to be upset with someone or hear a story that may have shocked you and you just want to call someone and talk about it. I’m not suggesting that you will never do this but what I am suggesting is that you try to take a pause……and think about 3 things….
Is it true?
Will it hurt someones feelings or reputation if it is repeated?
Does it directly affect your life that you need to even give it life and discuss it with others.
Again…it is human nature to vent…or to be mad at someone and need to get someone else’s opinion….but…as a general rule….try not to talk negatively about others.
21.✨Don’t judge people-we are ALL given a life to live as WE SEE FIT. If someone makes different choices in who they love….what they wear…..or how they choose to earn a living….that is their life to live the way they want……and it has nothing to do with anyone else. The goal in everyone’s life is joy and happiness and each one of us has a different definition in that.
22.✨Be thoughtful to others-that is self explanatory. Being thoughtful is one of the greatest traits in a human being. To think of others before yourself is pure love at its best.
23.✨Binge TV when you need a time out-sometimes its just good to shut it all down and chill as long as its not all day, every day…..binging is really fun.😍
24.✨Listen to the birds-sometimes we are so busy, we miss hearing the birds all together…… when you really tune in….it’s a treat!!
25.✨Take a lot of pictures as often as you can- documenting your days will be a treasure when you get older. There is so much we can forget and a picture truly is worth a thousand words.
26.✨Sit still and in total quiet when you can-it is amazing what a battery charge to your mind and body silence can be. 5 minutes in silence a day can decrease stress significantly.
27.✨Breathe in deeply when you are stressed-I have found that in the exact moment when something stressful occurs….I take a GIANT deep breathe in and blow it out slowly……this TRULY helps me get grounded in the moment and begin to problem solve instead of spiraling further into my stress and thoughts.
28.✨Put your phone down often-so many moments are missed and so many conversations are not heard in full because we are so distracted by our phones. PUT THEM DOWN…..the people in front of you at dinner or sitting next to you on the couch are more important than a social media feed.
30.✨Spend alone time with yourself and enjoy it-learning to be alone and ENJOYING your own company is one of the KEYS to living a peaceful life. Sometimes we have to be our own best friend.
31.✨Make a FEEL GOOD playlist of all songs that invoke good memories or lift your spirits-I have created a playlist called “My Happy Playlist” and it is perfect to continue to add to over time. Every time I hear a song that makes me happy or sends me back to a perfect time in my life….I add it.
32. Hang up your wet towels-that one just makes sense…..As teens or young people…being neat and orderly may not be a priority….but make it a priority to pick up after yourself…..it shows respect for others and more importantly respect for yourself.
33.✨Treasure moments with your friends-spending time with friends on the phone…over coffee…on a car ride….with Face Time… is all so special. Moments with friends are priceless because they are the family that you actually choose to be in your life.
34.✨Drink A LOT of water each and every day.-do you know that the human body is made up of at least 65% of water? WE NEED IT! Water is good for your brain…..overall hydration….as well as ALL the other health benefits. So drink up….your body will thank you for years to come💦.
35.✨Wake up on the earlier side if you can-if you set a time to rise each day (it doesn’t have to be really early but shoot for a consistent time)…..you will help your body establish a circadian rhythm as well as gain more hours in your day. Once you establish a routine……you will feel the benefits and see that you can use those morning hours for time WITH yourself and FOR yourself.
36.✨Visualize good things happening for you and the ones you love-one amazing tool I’ve learned about creating a future for yourself…..is to….VISUALIZE it . Sit quietly or write in your journal what you want to attract in your life. The practice of seeing it or writing it down will attract the future you desire because you will be wiring your brain to move towards those goals and dreams.
37.✨Be in the moment as often as you can-it is SO EASY for days…weeks….months or even years to go by on auto pilot. Each day is a new day to experience love, happiness, struggles and joy. The little things are actually the BIG things in life….so practice some pauses throughout the day…..look around….and truly be in that moment. Moments and time are fleeting……and learning how to be present as often as you can is the ULTIMATE gift.
38.✨Follow your dreams and your passions-we are sometimes conditioned as we go through school and life… to believe in what society deems as “SUCCESSFUL”. Every child is born with talents and dreams…..keep those dreams alive in you as you move through life. The true definition of success is actually HAPPINESS! If you love what you do….you will never work a day in your life.
39.✨Let go of situations you can not control-sometimes what causes us the most grief, stress and turmoil is situations in life that we can not control. I’ve been in MANY….and what I have learned is…..when something difficult happens……try to release it and go with the flow as soon as you are able to. Most of our stress is created through worry, resistance and fear. If you learn to develop a TRUST in yourself and the universe that everything will ALWAYS work itself out…….life will become so much more peaceful.
40.✨Learn about the Law Of Attraction-sounds silly right? It’s actually not! Understanding the Laws Of Attraction has LITERALLY changed the way I think, the way I speak and the way I bring my own energy into the world. “What you think about, comes about”….so let it be as AMAZING and POSITIVE as often as you can.
41.✨Be generous with your money, time and love-sharing these three things throughout your life will ALWAYS bring you JOY.
42.✨Take care of yourself physically-take care of your body….be aware of what you PUT INTO it as well as how often you move it. When you are healthy….you not only feel good but you look good.
43.✨Take care of your mental health-this one may be one of the most IMPORTANT. I never realized the importance of mental health until someone I loved struggled. Stay in check with HOW YOU FEEL….IF YOU NEED SUPPORT……and COMMUNICATE with the ones you love. Never be ashamed to ask for help….we all need help sometimes.
44.✨ Forgive people-this is not always easy….AND forgiving does not always mean that you have to tell the person that hurt you…..that you forgive them. The act of forgiving allows you to move on and let go of anger…hurt and resentment. If you hold on to anger….it will ALWAYS hurt you and NEVER hurt the other person. Let go and move on in peace.
45.✨Never lie-lies will ALWAYS reveal themselves one way or the other.
46.✨Say 3 things you are grateful for EVERY day-whether you say these things to yourself or write them down on paper….always stay grateful for the things you have.
47.✨ Laugh often-this one just makes sense!
48.✨ Face your fears-identifying our fears is the first step. I know mine….and they seem irrational to some….BUT they are REAL to me and they are LIMITING me in my life. I hate being afraid or anxious about certain things that hold me back. My conscious efforts going forward will be to FACE my fear and PUSH through it so I can live a full and happy life that I am proud of.
49.✨Stretch-Stretching is a THANK YOU to your body for all that it does for you each and every day. My favorite thing to do while stretching is to look up at the sky and stretch directly on the the hard pavement. ( I must look so silly to anyone that could see me in my backyard)😂 There is something to connecting your body with nature that brings you into the present moment. Try it….looking right up at the sky and stretching is heaven⛅️
50.✨ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS help others in need-kindness is the greatest legacy you can leave after you leave this earth. “People will always remember how you made them feel”.
Thank you for taking the time to read my thoughts.We all take away different lessons in this life….I hope you are blessed with MANY MANY healthy and happy years of growth and learning!
XOXO🦋