It's been a while since I have posted! Have you noticed? I haven't had much time to write quite honestly. But recently I hit another milestone in my life which spawned this post.
I really love lists. I love writing them, checking items off of them, and of course sharing them.
So before my 40th birthday, I made a list of 40 things I have learned in 40 years. I shared one item a day on social media (Facebook) until the big day arrived. Some of the items had humor. Some of the items were serious. All of the items were my observations and musings over the years.
Here we are five years later (there's the milestone...), and you know what? I've learned some more stuff, and thus, I've got more to say. Five more years calls for five more things. Here we go...
41. Empathy and compassion must precede advice. The world needs more empathetic people. We are all consumed with ourselves, aren't we? It's always "how will this affect me" or worse... "That doesn't affect me, so I don't care". Some people are so quick to judge and force blame. Just think how much better the world could be if we stood in another person's shoes first. See with their eyes. Feel what they are feeling. Every person has an inner desire to be understood. So practice empathy and be compassionate. Instead of putting someone in their place... put yourself in their place.
42. Teenagers are harder to raise than toddlers. Now if you are the parent of a toddler, you are probably laughing at me right now. I get it. Every stage of parenting has its challenges. There are pros and cons to every age. And in some ways, teens are just overgrown toddlers... They have meltdowns, they don't like to go to bed on time (but they still need lots of sleep), and they are desperately trying to be independent. They may look and sometimes act like an adult, but they are still children that need and want their parents' approval. But unlike toddlers, teenagers often don't seek it. This new stage of parenting for me has been difficult because I'm a doer. I like to do things for them. And I'm constantly trying to figure out where that invisible line is between being supportive and overbearing. It's mentally exhausting... but keep this in mind....
43. You are stronger than you think - both mentally and physically. And just when you think you can't do it anymore, you do. Just because you feel uncomfortable doesn't mean you should give up right away. If you believe your self-doubt, you'll struggle to meet your goals. It will influence how you feel and giving up can become a habit. Don't let it! If you can stand it for one more minute, stick around for two. Don't let negative thoughts ruin your potential.
44. Your cheese will always be moved. My gosh, how this has come true for me lately. Don't take things for granted, and don't get too comfortable. Change will be triggered by someone or something. It's inevitable, so stay alert and ahead of the game. Better that you initiate the change and move it to where you want to be.
45. Don't let the things you want make you forget the things you have. We always want more. We always want to be better. And because of this, we sometimes overlook the wonderful things we already have in our lives. So here's another list I have: a list of gratitude. When life gets hard, and it most certainly will, I read this list to remember all of the good things in my life. And when I look at the list, I realize how truly blessed I really am. Life is hard, but it's still all good!
