Ep. 112 Thirty Things I've Learned in Thirty Years
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Happy #SeekTheJoy Tuesday!
In today’s episode I’m celebrating THIRTY years around the sun (!!). My birthday was over the weekend (1/23!) and today’s episode is dedicated to the thirty things I’ve learned in thirty years.
Thank you SO MUCH to everyone who reached out to wish me a happy birthday over the weekend! I’m so grateful, and I could feel your love and good wishes through the screen.
I have to admit, turning thirty feels a little bittersweet. I’m so ready to take the lessons from my twenties and move into a new decade (truly, so many lessons!) but it’s also strange to move into another year and decade where so much of life, of my life, has changed.
29 showed me that I needed to be waken up to the moment. I move too quickly through life, it’s something i’ve always known, but the last year reminded me of the importance of being in the moment, and learning to savor it.
29 showed me the areas of my life that I wasn’t paying enough attention to, the emotions I was burying and the fears, way of thinking, and excuses I’ve kept and held on to. I am not who I used to be, and that’s ok. In fact, it’s perfect.
So here’s the thirty things I’ve learned in thirty years. I’m so grateful to be here, and so grateful to share it with you.
Thirty Things I’ve Learned in Thirty Years
1) Cherish every moment. Stop rushing, put the impatience down, because the moment you’re in right now won’t last forever.
2) To live life fully, is to live a life full of love. Love first, everything else second. The impact of love lasts a lifetime.
3) Grief has a funny way of reminding us what matters, and asking us to open our hearts and minds to the possibility of more. It’s a reminder of our resilience, and our capacity for love.
4) New beginnings can’t take shape, they can’t take form, until we release and let go of the necessary endings.
5) It’s not about who you are now, it’s about who you want to be. The dream, goal, vision and desire for your future that you are holding on to, is meant to be embodied now. To be who you want to be, means you have to choose that person right now.
6) Choose kindness. Treat those around you with kindness, but more importantly show yourself that kindness.
7) Look at every person you meet as who they truly are, a soul having a human experience. Give them grace, and give yourself that grace too.
8) Everything is temporary (and that’s a good thing!) What you’re experiencing won’t last forever. How you feel right now is not how you will always feel. What you’re worrying about will resolve itself. The right people will show up. The right moments will be there. We just have to be open for them to unfold, to resolve, to be part of our journey.
9) Vulnerability is what will bring us together, it’s what will allow us to develop greater empathy, compassion and kindness. Vulnerability is essential, and it’s not to be feared. I’ve learned that vulnerability and connection are two of our greatest assets, but it takes strength and courage to be vulnerable.
10) Our legacy is one of love, compassion and kindness. What will you leave behind?
11) My health is my priority. It’s precious, it can be fleeting, but I must choose to take care of it.
12) It often takes a big moment to wake us up to our path, to what needs to change in our lives, to pay attention, and it’s often as a result of these big moments that we realize what’s important. I’ve learned that it’s within our ability to learn to slow down and pace ourselves that we learn the most about ourselves.
13) There’s no such thing as failure. These moments challenge us to look at who we are, the path we’re walking down, and ask ourselves if it aligns with who we want to be and the impact that we want to have. I’ve learned not to fear the roadblocks or the moments of “failure,” because without them we wouldn’t have the chance to know who we are, who we want to be, and how we want to show up in the world. It’s through discomfort and uncertainty that we grow so much stronger than we would without those challenges. Never underestimate the power of once choice to turn your roadblocks into stepping stones. It’s never too late to begin to mold yourself and your life according to your vision.
14) Do not fear your emotions. Instead, honor your emotions - your joy, sadness, and grief - and allow yourself to experience all of it.
15) Your work is not the same thing as your life. Do not prioritize your work over your joy, your family, and your health.
16) Breathe. Don’t hold your breath. Breathe.
17) Don’t allow the fear of what someone else might think of you to keep you from being you. From expressing yourself, your joy, your life.
18) You belong in any space you want to be in. All you have to do is show up. I’ve learned that we have to start somewhere to allow ourselves to build momentum. Fear and doubt will pop up, because it always does, but it’s about recognizing it when it does and putting it back in the box it belongs in. Start where you are today, and trust that your passions, interests, and joy will guide you.
19) Everything is easier when you are grateful. Spend as much time in gratitude as you can.
20) We are here to challenge the familiar. We are here to challenge the comfortable. We are here to show ourselves that we can move beyond what we have believed possible, and what’s possible is beyond that familiar comfort zone.
21) You are a soul having a human experience. You are more than meets the eye. Be with her, speak to her, and allow her to guide you. Oh and, you’re already home.
22) Never underestimate the power of community, and make sure to surround yourself with people who support your dreams. Oh and in case you forgot, you’re the most important member of your support system.
23) Don’t hide who you are. Give yourself the chance to be who you are meant to be.
24) You’re here to know joy. That’s it, it’s that simple. We often feel like joy isn’t for us, but it is.
25) Moving past our fears and allowing ourselves the space to dream is the greatest form of self-care.
26) You don’t have to go out and search for your purpose. If you are living and loving in your joy, then you are living your purpose. Our purpose is not what we do, but rather who we are.
27) You are here to be an advocate for others, to be a storyteller, to uplift other’s voices so that they can share their truth, their joy, and their experiences. Your career and what it looks like on the outside will change, but the mission and the vision will remain constant.
28) We can learn and grow together through powerful and impactful conversations, because joy can exist at the same time as hardship, challenge, deep inner growth and learning. Keep having the important conversations.
29) Trust yourself and the process of owning and listening to your intuitive space. Remember, it’s a process of healing.
30) Courage is open hearted. Live your life with an open heart. The heart is the place through which all energy, all life, flows. It’s what will sustain you. Choose to live life through an open heart.
New Decade, New Energy
What do I want to bring with me into this new decade?
More joy, connection, courage, hope, bravery, self-love, self-compassion, self-acceptance, love, growth, and expansion. More moments spent in connection that fills me up, rather than drains me. More creating, more exploration of my creativity, more aligned action (action out of joy and celebration, rather than fear), and more time spent in trust, and knowing my feet are planted, just where they’re supposed to.
I’m so excited to dive into this new year, and I can’t wait to hear what you think! Make sure to join the conversation on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.
BETTERHELP: Today’s episode is sponsored by Betterhelp. We’re going through challenging times, and we know you’re feeling it too! Now more than ever it’s important we have reliable resources we can turn to. That’s where Betterhelp comes in.
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