As soon as October comes around, I am a new person. Fall is my time of year. When it is Fall, it means it’s almost my birthday. I was extremely close to becoming a Halloween baby, I was a few minutes shy of being born at midnight. Every year was a treat for me growing up Halloween birthdays felt like I was special. Well this year I’m turning 39 years old. It’s my last year in my thirties! I’m having a LOT of feelings. I have been through a lot in my thirty-nine years and this year especially. Here are some life lessons I feel like I have learned and some wisdom to pass on to you all.
- SPEAK UP
As a kid and even as an adult I was/am an introvert. Sometimes I don’t speak my mind because I’m afraid of what others will think. I know it’s all in my head and I should not freak out when someone wants to hear my opinion, but I can’t help it. So, I have to tell myself to breathe and that it’s ok to have your voice heard.
- GO DANCING
The whole (mostly) of my twenties was spent out dancing with my girlfriends. Granted times might have been a little different, but you are only young once. Let the music flow through you and make memories you can reminisce over for years to come. Even if it’s just dancing in the living room or you’re out at your favorite honky-tonk. Dance it out.
- TRY NEW THINGS
I’ll admit I’m still working on this one. I have a hard time with change, and it’s difficult for me to adjust to new things. Now that I am a mother, I see my daughter struggling with the same issues, not wanting to try new things. I want to do better for her and set an example, I don’t want life holding me or her back because we didn’t at least try.
- TAKE PICTURES
I have so many pictures. My mom used to call me the historian of the family. I have boxes, photo books, photo albums, pictures on my phone, and on social media basically everywhere. To me pictures capture a moment in time that you will always have to remember, a moment, an event, a place, and a special someone.
- TAKE A VACATION
Yes, people it’s important to work hard, but you can’t afford to get burnt out. It’s important to take time out for your mental well-being. Until I met my husband I had never really been anywhere on my own. He showed me how to enjoy myself and get away.
- LOVE WILL FIND YOU.
I cannot even tell you how many years I wasted looking for the right guy. It was not until I was ‘done’ with men and I started focusing on myself that I unexpectedly found the right one.
- NO ONE IS PERFECT
There are all kinds of people in the world. Some people will hurt you, disappoint you and just plain break you, but I’ve personally decided not to let those people define me. I can only control who I am. I have flaws just like anyone else, I will disappoint someone in my lifetime, so it’s better to remember that no one is perfect, and neither am I.
- BELIEVE IN SOMETHING
I don’t know if you’re religious or not, but whatever it is that you do: go to church, pray, meditate, it is always good to believe in something. I grew up Catholic and I find it comforting to be able to pray and believe that there is a higher spirit out there watching over me.
- SAY I LOVE YOU
A handful of my loved ones have passed on. My mother passed away earlier this year, and it’s been 12 years since my dad has been gone. Whenever my dad ended a phone call with me the last thing he said was “I love you.” I made sure to tell my mom all the time and I make sure my daughter hears it every day. You can never say I love you enough.
What life lessons have you learned and would like to pass on to others?
