It’s April, which means it’s my birthday month! I remember when I turned 30, so many of my friends were having mini breakdowns about entering another decade. For me, I felt the weight of 31 much more. I kept looking at what I’ve done with my life and “why did I wait so long to try that?” This year I’m more at ease than I anticipated. Though I’m not quite ready to say that I’m in my forties, I want to celebrate these 40 years more than any other time in my life so far. I still have days when I don’t know what the hell I’m doing or hate the way my stomach looks from the side, but I’m beginning to understand that those are small things.
1. Loving yourself should always come first!
2. You can’t change someone no matter how hard you try.
3. You don’t know the extent of a parents’ love until you become one.
4. Take care of your skin.
5. Be yourself! You’ll find your tribe eventually.
6. Stop caring about what others think.
7. Don’t wait for a “better time”, it may never come.
8. Plan well for your retirement.
9. Your body ages faster than you think- take care of it.
10. You forget how old your parents are getting until something big happens.
11. Be open to new ideas and personal growth.
12. You are the only one judging your body.
13. Respect everyone the same- titles don’t matter.
14. Take care of your marriage.
15. Be honest.
16. Don’t get stuck in your comfort zone, nothing grows there.
17. Travel as much as possible.
18. Live in your current season.
19. Life doesn’t go as expected- and sometimes that’s a good thing.
20. Practice gratitude.
21. Spend time volunteering.
22. Make your bed.
23. Get off the sidelines and experience life!
24. It’s ok to be disliked.
25. Go to bed early enough for 8 hours of sleep.
26. Drink more water!
27. It’s never too late to go after your dreams.
28. Have a good work ethic, but don’t make it your life.
29. Counseling is helpful.
30. Learn to be financially independent.
31. Have a backup plan.
32. You become the 5 people you’re around most. Choose wisely.
33. Laughter is truly the best medicine.
34. You will start dressing for practicality over fashion.
35. You’re too old to hold grudges.
36. Apologize when you’re wrong.
37. It’s the quality, not the quantity of friendships.
38. Be your own advocate.
39. Dogs are a great antidote for sadness.
40. 40 is much younger then I once thought it was.
There you have it- forty things I have learned in my life…so far. There’s always more to learn and things to experience. Life is what you make of it, so why not make it fabulous? And happy birthday to all my fellow Aries out there!
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