Birthdays have a way of making us reflect on our lives – our highs and our lows, our triumphs and our failures. I don’t know why, but this particular birthday has my reminiscent brain in overdrive. And so, I’ve decided to share with you 33 of the life lessons I’ve learned in my long short 33 years.
1. Tomorrow is not guaranteed. I learned this when my granddaddy passed away a couple years ago. I was devastated. He was supposed to live forever.
2. Good credit is important. Really, people – Trust me. I learned this the hard way, after poor decisions when I was a teenager and after a bad divorce.
3. Say “I love you” every time you think it. Everyone needs to hear it.
4. Kids really do grow up way too fast. My hubby has to remind me that our youngest is almost ten already and that I’m not 20 anymore.
5. Kiss your kids while they still let you. Trust me – there will come a day – far too soon – when they won’t want to be anywhere remotely near you. It’s heartbreaking, really.
6. Your life doesn’t revolve around your children. I’ve learned – and am still learning – that we actually have lives beyond our children. We can’t hide behind them forever.
7. Be careful what you say. Words can’t be taken back. Neither can the pain they cause.
8. Keep your word. Doing what you say you’ll do is important. It shows our integrity.
9. Our real character is who we are when no one is looking. If you have to look around to see who may be watching, you probably shouldn’t do it.
10. God is real. I’d rather live as if there is a God and find out there isn’t than live as if there isn’t and find out later that there is.
11. Stand up for what you believe. Don’t be afraid to stand up for your beliefs. Just be respectful in doing so.
12. Love. Even if you don’t see eye-to-eye with someone, love him anyway. “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” ~1 Corinthians 13:13
13. Speak with your actions. The old phrase, “Actions speak louder than words” is true. I’ve learned the hard way that it doesn’t matter what we say if our actions don’t match it.
14. Girls will always need their moms. There’s still no one who can make me feel better when I’m sick than my mom. There’s nothing like having my head in her lap while she plays with my hair.
15. Your spouse should be your best friend. Remember how your friendship was way back when you fell in love. Don’t let anyone else have that role.
16. Love yourself. There will never be any human who can love you enough to make you love yourself. You’re worth it.
17. Junk food is good every once in a while. Don’t starve yourself. A few brownies won’t kill you. And they may keep you from killing someone else…
18. Don’t be so hard on yourself. I guarantee that no one else has noticed that extra pound you gained. Or that zit on your chin.
19. Beauty on the inside is what matters. It doesn’t matter if you’re gorgeous on the outside if your heart doesn’t match. God don’t like ugly. And neither does the average person.
20. Patience really is a virtue. It’s also what keeps our blood pressure down. I’m still working on this one, but I’m getting better.
21. It’s hard work to look good. All of the shoes that make our legs look the best are the ones that make our feet feel like they’re going to fall off.
22. Dance like no one’s watching. There’s no stress reliever as good as belting out your favorite song and letting loose in your car when you’re stuck in traffic!
23. Hold hands. Your significant other will know you love him/her without your ever having to say a word.
24. Mail cards. There’s nothing like receiving a good old-fashioned handwritten greeting card in the mailbox.
25. Learn the Electric Slide. Every party or event you will ever attend will play that song at least once. And you certainly don’t want to be the only one watching from the sidelines.
26. Memorize a few corny jokes. Everyone loves a good “bad” joke every now and then! ~How did the hamburger introduce his girlfriend? – – – Meet Patty!~ [Ba-dum ching!]
27. Stay in touch with your friends. Good and real friends are hard to come by. Even in spite of our busy and hectic lives, it’s so important to send a text or card every now and then.
28. Say “please” and “thank you.” Common courtesies are becoming more and more rare. Don’t be a jerk.
29. Read books. Nothing opens the gateways to our imaginations like a good book.
30. Keep a list of the movies you’ve watched. It really sucks when you’re halfway through a movie before you realize you’ve already seen it.
31. We are all equal. God loves us all so much more than we can wrap our minds around. If He does, then who are we to treat someone as inferior?
32. Hug. Nothing says, “Everything is going to be okay” quite like a good hug does.
33. Laugh. It really is the best medicine.
*Bonus: Forgive. Do it for yourself, if for no other reason. It’s liberating. I know from experience.
Are there any life lessons you’ve learned as you’ve gotten older? Any advice for others?
July 11th, 2014 at 10:39 am
Great lessons to live by, and happy birthday!
July 11th, 2014 at 10:41 am
Thank you Drali!! 🙂
July 11th, 2014 at 1:50 pm
Who is this new guest blogger on your blog today?
July 11th, 2014 at 1:57 pm
Hahaha! She’s pretty cool, right??!
July 11th, 2014 at 10:11 pm
Yeah too bad she doesn’t guest blog more. Guess she is too good for blogging now.
July 13th, 2014 at 8:57 pm
I still love blogging – I just don’t want people to get tired of my kid stories, etc. by writing too much.
July 14th, 2014 at 12:36 pm
Yeah, you definitely shouldn’t write more than once a year. That would get people really sick of you. BTW, do you and Arden still talk or did you lose contact after you left the firm.?
July 14th, 2014 at 12:41 pm
Lol! It’s not quite as easy to do nothing but write all day at my new firm! I guess that’s why I get paid more now – because I have to actually do some work!
She and I are still great friends… totally overdue for happy hour… but still BFFs. 🙂
July 14th, 2014 at 10:45 pm
That’s good. And I haven’t been able to write as much in my job lately either. It does feel like a lot of the old gang doesn’t write as much lately. Oh well, people go in and out of cycles. It was fun to see you and Arden go back and forth rewarding each other those awesome awards you did.
July 12th, 2014 at 1:54 am
Happy Birthday, AB. Sorry I haven’t been around. 33? Damn. You young bitch. Lol.
July 13th, 2014 at 8:59 pm
I haven’t been around much either. Oh, how how one little word [young] can be music to my ears! And who knew YOU would be the one to say it!!! Haha. 😉
July 12th, 2014 at 3:44 pm
Wonderful, insightful list. Stuff we should live everyday but never really think about. Way wiser than your young 33 years! You have learned a lot my friend. It is so good to read a post from you! Happy Happy Birthday!
July 14th, 2014 at 12:39 pm
Thank you, friend!! You’re always incredibly sweet to me. 🙂
July 15th, 2014 at 3:17 pm
You’ve covered everything that would be on my list you wise 33-year-old, you. Hope you had the happiest of birthdays! XOXO
July 29th, 2014 at 12:15 pm
Happy happy belated birthday! This is all great advice! The only one I would add is have as much sex as you can haha! But I’m serious.
July 30th, 2014 at 10:28 am
Oh, yes. I completely agree. Seriously.
July 11th, 2016 at 9:08 am
Reblogged this on Imperfectly Perfect and commented:
As another birthday comes, I am reflecting on these important lessons. Love you all.