twenty2.
Today I am thankful for life, health, and strength — thankful for moments of peace, love, and happiness — thankful for tears of joy, laughter, and even sadness — thankful for my loving family — thankful for my supportive friends, those gained and those lost — thankful for my successes and even failures — thankful for 2019 — thankful for what 2020 has in store — thankful for twenty-two.
Like tradition, as I celebrate my birthday, I wanted to share with my readers a compiled list of a few most important lessons I’ve learned or were reminded of this year. Please feel free to share any advice listed below to inspire and uplift others. Here we go!
1. You cannot please everyone! You are going to be criticized no matter what you do.
- Not everyone will approve of you, agree with you, or even like you. You wanna know what I learned? So damn what! Stay true to yourself and invest in self. At the end of the day, the only validation you should seek is from, guess who, YOU!
2. You cannot change people, dammit!
- Those who know me are probably laughing, because they know that I struggle with this. It’s normal to want and expect people to think and behave as we do. However, that won’t always be the case, we cannot change them nor can we force our beliefs or values on them.
- Learn to embrace differences and honor the uniqueness of people in your life.
3. Your body is a temple. Honor it, cherish it, and protect it.
- We have to be mindful of what we let enter or allow in our space; whether it is negative/toxic energy, thoughts, people, environments — including the food that we eat. The investment we put in your body will pay off as we grow older.
4. Trust the process; worrying is pointless dear.
- We may not always be in control of our circumstances and environment, but one thing we CAN control is how we respond. Take time to identify in your life what’s in your control and what’s not. Don’t waste time focusing on what you can’t control, trust that everything will fall into place.
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5. Practice mindfulness.
- What’s that? — being present in everything that you do, big or small. Learn how to enjoy each second of your life, savoring each moment. Rather than dwelling on the past, or fretting about the future, live in the now. Remember that life is about the journey and less about the destination.
6. Your thoughts are powerful.
- In order to have a life that’s more abundant and successful, we must think in the limitless terms of abundance and success. Thinking is among the greatest powers we possess — what you think you will become, what you feel you will attract, and what you imagine is what you will create.
7. Alone time is errthang! The more, the better.
- Dedicate moments within the day, or even a whole day, to just spend quality time with yourself. Whether it’s taking yourself on a me-date, getting a haircut or your nails done — or a favorite hobby like painting reading, cooking, or dancing, or even just recharging.
8. Words matter!
- The words that we speak have the power to either create or destroy. Therefore, we should consider our words carefully and hold ourselves accountable. Once they are out, there are no back-sies.
9. Remember your why.
- Each and every day we are constantly creating our own reality. Remain conscious of the value of every single day. The more we express our gratitude, the more we will have to be grateful for. Try this — every day you wake up ask yourself “What can I do to make today count?” and at the end of the day take time to reflect on it.
10. Patience is a virtue young Jedi.
- Patience, a key element of success. A difficult lesson, but eventually you will learn in life that great things take time. We have to learn how to give even time, time. HA! Did you get it? Only me? Okay.
Hopefully, sharing the few lessons I learned this year inspired or motivated you to reflect over the year of 2019. Life is funny, yet a valuable teacher, learn to take notes and apply as you go. Was there a life lesson or two or three that spoke to you?
