As I Embark on Another Adventure Around the Sun…

…I realize how much loving, learning and living I’ve already done. And how uber excited I am by a new year for me and the idea of starting fresh but rooted. Almost ready to fly yet anchored in my core. When I was a teenager, I thought that by the time I was 25 years old, I’d have everything figured out. I didn’t. When I was 25, I believed that when I reached the ripe age of 30 I would be who I was meant to be. I wasn’t. I was fully expecting to have all the answers by 40. Ha! Hardly. I’m starting to understand there is no milestone age for knowing it all, being it all, doing it all and accomplishing it all. It’s all really just a process of unfolding, exploring, experimenting, growing and blooming. It is Life.

I did some brainstorming, soul-searching and heart hearing and I came up with this list of 45 Lessons I’ve Learned So Far in Life. Some are serious. Others silly. Some sentimental. Others surprising. So here they are in no particular order:

Find the funny in every situation. It’s there. And laughing is good for us.
It’s ok to cry. Crying is cleansing. It is not a sign of weakness. And crying is good for us.
No. No is a complete sentence all by itself. We don’t need to explain or justify or get approval from anyone. We are allowed to say No. And mean it.
Remove make up every night before bed. Face it…totally worth the 5 extra minutes.
Find opportunities to Pay It Forward. It’s just a really good way to fill your bucket.
Celebrate often. Drink champagne. Use the good china and fancy silverware. Just because you can.
Numbers don’t matter. The quality of friendships is more important than the quantity of friends.
Hydrate. Hydrate. Hydrate. Water-it does a body good.
If you look for something, you will eventually find it. Look for the rainbows and joy and goodness in Life.
Sleep. Get lots of it. A good night’s sleep makes the impossible possible again.
Soak up the sunshine and the sea breezes. You’ll rediscover calmness and you will certainly recenter.
Resilience determines success. Not education, money or status. It’s all about your bouncebackability.
Don’t go grocery shopping without a list. Or when you’re hungry. Shop the perimeter of the store. There’s where they keep the food that’s good for you.
Burn candles that smell amazing in your home. Lavender is my favorite. Smells are powerful and they help anchor memories.
As squishy and painful as it is, get a mammogram annually. And a physical. And a pap. Ugh.You don’t have to like it, you just have to do it.
If you’re lucky enough to have living parents, connect with them. Even if they nag you. And call your Mom.
Be a believer. Believe in Magic. Believe in possibilities. Believe in people. And believe in yourself.
Travel. Explore. Get out of your bubble. Even if it’s local. Go to new places. It’s a wonderfilled world.
Surround yourself with a strong support net. Be around people who accept you, respect you and inspire you to rise up to be your best self.
Get regular oil changes for your car. Don’t ignore that warning light. Get it done in a Jiffy.
Pay attention to your own dashboard. Know when you need to fill up. Self Care is an absolute must.
Others liking you is optional. You liking yourself is mandatory.
Auto Bill Pay. You gotta pay them. So stop thinking about it automate it instead.
Be kind to whoever you can whenever you can. In other words, be kind to everyone. Always. Start with the people in your home and then take it out to the people in our world.
Stop spending all your time trying to clean your house. Queen Elizabeth isn’t dropping in. It can wait.
Be generous. Give with your heart and expect nothing in return. No strings attached.
Shift from a lack and fear based paradigm to an abundance and hope belief system. It will change your life.
Be an awesome parallel parker. It’s a skill that comes in handy and you can show off to your friends.
Dance. Dance. Dance. Gray’s Anatomy was right. Sometimes you just need to Dance It Out.
Always remember and never forget how awesome you are. Use positive womantras. They’re powerful and help ignite the Law of Attraction. (btw, believe in the Law of Attraction…it is real.)
Let Go. Of things AND people that have negative energy, bad memories or no longer fit you. You can say goodbye. It doesn’t make you a horrible human. It just makes you free.
Love an animal. Find the soul in the eyes of your four-legged friend and learn life lessons from him. He will teach you unconditional love, forgiveness, loyalty and how to be present.
Moisturize nightly. Don’t forget your neck and hands. And apply sunscreen daily. Protect your skin- not from aging, but from damage. Exfoliate every once in awhile too.
Hold on to Hope. Don’t give up. Even in the midst of chaos, believe in the dawn after the dark night.
Ask for help. Stop thinking you have to do it all alone. When people offer to help, accept it graciously.
Circle of Control. Understand you’re in charge of only YOUR OWN thoughts, feelings and actions.
Be okay being alone. You are a hot fudge sundae. Delicious. Everyone else is just extra sprinkles.
Learn to forgive. You can’t fly free if you are weighed down by a grudge. Give it up. Really.
Practice the fine art of negotiation. Most things in life are negotiable. Make a good deal.
Stand up and speak up for what you believe in. It’s alright to defend what’s right. Make Hope Waves. You can create a Ripple Effect of Change.
Breathe. Purposefully. Deeply. Breathe. Set your intention and your tone while on the breath.
Love. Give it and receive it. Choose Love over and over and over again. Love Trumps Hate. And Love Always Wins.
Learn something new. Like how to bake lasagna. Or write a blog. Or how to parent different perhaps.
Eat dessert first. Do things out of order. As Dr. Seus prescribes, “blend out, not in.” Be uniquely you always. Because, again, you can.
Make time to watch a sunset. Oooh and Ahhh. Bask in the colors. Clap when it sets. Good show Sun.

That’s my list! I found it interesting that many of the lessons on my list are new or new again to me. I have only recently, in the last year or so, learned, changed, and realigned so much of who I am. (They are the purple ones on the list). I think I hit a growth spurt! A mental, emotional, spiritual spurt. And I think I like it!

What’s on your list? I’d love to know. What have you learned in your trips around the sun? Do share in the comments section!

Cheers to another 365 days of growth and depth. As well as accepting and enjoying the amazing process of Life without having a clue or any attachment to the outcome. Onward- to continuing my metamorphosis into becoming who I am destined to BE.