45 Things I’ve Learned in 45 Years (a birthday blog post)

I still can’t believe that I turned 45 today.

45.

That means I’m looking down the road, peaking at 50. It made me pause to reflect a bit on my journey.

I thumbed through the pages of my journal and began compiling a list of 45 things I’ve learned and things that I am still learning. Here they are, in no particular order.

45 things I’ve learned and am still working on …

1. Apart from God, there’s nothing good in me.

2. After God, nothing is more precious than family.

3. People need people. Find your tribe.

4. Be grateful.

5. Unplug often. We live at a dizzying pace that will leave you empty if you don’t.

6. God will make your path straight …

7. But you have to trust Him.

8. Invest in others.

9. Be good to yourself.

10. Sit and breathe in Gods creation. Take a walk, enjoy a sunset, marvel over a panoramic view.

11. Drink lots of water (especially as you age).

12. Real and lasting happiness happens when you seek to be holy.

13. It’s not my husband’s job to make me happy, it’s mine.

14. People will hurt you, forgive quickly.

15. Smile, it’s the easiest way to exercise.

16. Try to exercise, even if you fail, try again.

17. Read your Bible.

18. Pray, pray, pray.

13. Set goals, or you’ll accomplish very little.

14. Know your value. God determined it, therefore it is, regardless.

15. Find something you love to do and make time for it.

16. Work hard.

17. Learn from your mistakes. They can teach you a lot.

18. With age comes understanding. You’ll have a lot of “ah ha” moments, especially after having kids.

19. Treat people with kindness, even when they don’t “deserve” it. If we all got what we deserved, we’d be in hell.

20. Don’t be afraid to ask questions.

21. Journal your life. Your words are important.

22. Experiences over stuff – don’t get stuck on materialism.

23. Share what you know.

24. Stretch before getting out of bed. Make sure it all still works.

25. Eat healthy most of the time so you can splurge some of the time.

26. Don’t judge people. You don’t always know their story.

27. Take lots of pictures.

28. Be the kind of friend you want to have.

29. Share.

30. Every day is a new opportunity to start again.

31. Listen to music that lifts your spirit.

32. Don’t neglect getting sleep.

33. Give people your best yes. Don’t overcommit.

34. Have quiet time so you can handle the noisy times.

35. Don’t argue with a fool. It just produces more foolishness.

36. Keep things simple – you’ll enjoy them more.

37. Hire people to help you. You can’t do everything yourself.

38. Delegate responsibility. You can’t do everything yourself.

39. Keep lists so you don’t forget to do things.

40. Know the difference between “needs” and “wants.”

41. See the doctor/dentist once a year for good health records.

42. Have accountability friends for the times you’re struggling.

43. Clean out the clutter every so often and throw stuff away. You’re perspective on what’s important changes as you age.

44. Be organized. Having a system helps with mental clarity and focus.

45. Love. It’s an action. Know it’s definition and do it. Love God, love others, and love yourself.