Six years ago on my first foray into blogging, I wrote a post entitled “22 Lessons in 22 Years!” I can picture 22-year-old me with her Zooey Deschanel bangs and determined cheerfulness now boldly claiming, “Trust me, experience is life’s greatest teacher.”
What a joy she was despite being a little naive, a little broken hearted, and so young. I thought it might be fun to revise that list in honor of my birthday. I’m anxious to see how this list will change in the coming years.
- Walk your dog first thing in the morning. It brings a sense of peace, allows your imagination to wake up, and keeps you humble because you’ve got to pick up poop.
- Swap out a morning of music for a podcast or audiobook. Look, I love Hamilton and sometimes the best way to prepare for work is to listen to my pump-up playlist, but singing the chorus to “My Shot” for the hundredth time is not serving me the way new ideas do.
- Someone else’s opinion of you is none of your business.
- You will never regret getting 7-8 hours of sleep. Put the phone down, turn Friends off, go to sleep.
- There are certain things you should do because you want to do them, not because it’s expected or what everyone else is doing it. Running is one of these things.
- The easiest lane is not the enemy. I fight this constantly thinking that if I do something the hard way it makes my work more valuable. Nope. Not a thing. Finished is better than perfect.
- The only way to get better at something is by doing it. Practice, practice, practice.
- Talk is cheap. Don’t talk about people.
- Put the coffee in your coffee maker before you go to bed each night. (And remember to put the carafe under it…)
- Don’t belittle someone else’s interests because you don’t share them. Some people fish, some people read, and some people shop. The world needs all kinds of people.
- Age doesn’t matter when it comes to friends. I never remember my best friend is fifteen years older than me until she mentions her oldest kid is learning how to drive.
- Just because something makes you uncomfortable doesn’t necessarily make that something wrong.
- Life is a lot more enjoyable when you laugh every now and then.
- People make mistakes. Bing Crosby voiced Disney’s Ichabod Crane and is one of my favorite parts of Christmas. He also danced in blackface in Holiday Inn.
- Proofread.
- Get to know your neighbors.
- The first mile is a liar. Don’t listen to it. You can do hard things.
- When you fall in love, be exactly who you are. You owe it to the person you love to be who you are and not surprise them a month, a year, or five years down the road when the mask comes off.
- Sometimes your friends are going to hurt. Show up for them.
- Compliment more than you criticize.
- One of the best feelings in the world is being valued and truly seen by your friends. Write down the times they make you feel loved.
- Writing down ten things you are thankful for every day will force you to look for things to be thankful for throughout the day.
- Don’t apologize for the things that make you happy.
- Someone else’s achievements do not make your achievements smaller. Comparison is the thief of joy.
- Contribute to your retirement fund. Try to contribute as much as your employer will match if you can. Your future self will thank you for it.
- There is tremendous power in speaking something into being. I didn’t want to run a race until I said it aloud.
- Call your grandparents. And answer the phone when they call.
- Tell the people you love that you love them. Every day. As much as you can.