Good morning, all you beautiful people! It's my birthday, and every year I try to take a moment to reassess. Last year marked a brand new chapter for me. Lots of changes. I made conscious decisions to do so many things differently & this is what I learned.
1. Your time & your heart are precious commodities. Be mindful of what & who you give them to.
2. Little moments reveal big truths about people, places, projects, etc. Pay attention.
3. Whenever possible, choose kindness. You never know what someone else is going thru & and it costs you nothing.
4. It's ok to give grace, but not everyone deserves continued access.
5. Moderation in EVERYTHING. (I struggle with this one)
6. Sunk fallacy cost can destroy you. If you find yourself on the wrong path, turn around now. Continuing just means you'll have further to go to get back. This applies to everything...financial, familial, personal, and professional decisions.
7. You are not perfect. NO ONE is. You will make mistakes, do things you regret, embarrass yourself... Resolve to do better & give yourself the grace you give others.
8. A guarded heart provides protection. It also blocks connection. (Definitely my biggest lesson & the one I struggle with most)
9. You cannot grow if you do not heal from what hurt you.
10. If you look for the good, you'll find it. Do it enough and your brain becomes trained to see it first.
11. Find your faith. Embrace it. God will have you when it feels like no one else does.
12. If you find yourself in a place where you're unhappy, fix it or move forward. No one is coming to save you.
13. Life is short. Take the trip. Get the tattoo. Do the thing everyone else thinks is crazy. You get ONE life. Make it count.
14. Don't become stagnant. Listen to new music. Develop new skills. Keep an open mind. Learning is a life long process. Never stop.
15. If you have to force it, it's not for you. Let that shit go.
16. Know your worth and never let anyone decrease your value. That power lies entirely within you.
17. Your wild & weird? They're wonderful. Quit judging yourself on someone else's standards. You're not too much, you're asking the wrong people.
18. Everything passes. Sometimes painfully like a kidney stone, but it eventually does. Hang in there.
19. Just because you give your all...in a job, relationship, friendship...doesn't mean it will be returned. Don't let that stop you from doing it. Just learn to do it somewhere it's appreciated and reciprocated.
20. And thankfully, personal growth isn't just a one time opportunity. It's a journey. Keep on trying. We'll get there.
If you made it thru all that, enjoy some pics from my birthday trip and know that I am thankful and grateful for each and every one of you. I love you all 🩵