When I turned 30 I sat down and wrote a list of everything I accomplished and everything I wanted to achieve in life. I decided today, for my birthday, to do a similar exercise but this time write down 33 lessons I have learned and that are really important to me and probably define the person I am the most. I didn’t have intentions to share as it isn’t travel related but when I finished I thought wow I wish I learned some of these earlier in life so I hope in sharing this post with you that maybe it can help even one person I would be incredibly grateful. We will be back to travel-related content tomorrow, promise!
So it isn’t all words I thought I’d share some pictures I never shared before. Enjoy!
Table of Contents
1. Don’t take everything so seriously.
Life is too short to take everything so seriously or to heart. It is better to let some of it go, leave it to the wind. We cannot handle all of the bad that comes to us and we aren’t expected to. You aren’t being weak or spineless for not defending yourself or being upset, you are just choosing your battles.
2. An extra pair of socks go a long way.
This is true for a lot of situations! If you happen to get stuck in the rain, step into a puddle, or maybe you have had a very sweaty day a fresh pair of socks can make a world of a difference for happy feet.
3. Hydrate, hydrate, and hydrate.
Yeah, I sound like a mom. Hydration can help solve a lot of problems like headaches, fatigue, bad skin, hangovers, hunger, you name it and water solves it. Bonus points for reusable water bottles.
4. Don’t buy stuff you don’t need to impress people you don’t care about.
They don’t really care about it anyway. Spend your money and time on the things you love because at the end of the day it will make you the happiest. A house full of stuff won’t.
5. Everyone has their own struggle.
When you encounter a person you are probably only experiencing mere minutes out of a whole lifetime. Each and every one of us has our own struggle. It isn’t a game of who struggles more it should be about patience and compassion so that in each moment we can learn something new and pass that along.
6. There is no shame in falling asleep before 10 pm.
I used to feel guilty not going out on the weekends, but if that is not a priority for me, then it isn’t. Some people love the nightlife and others love their sleep.
7. Procrastination only cuts into your time!
I still struggle with this because I just love a good procrastination session but the biggest lesson I learned is that it only gives me less time to do the things I love and want to do. When I procrastinate I am doing really mindless things like scrolling social media. Now I try to push myself to get my work done early and enjoy the rest of the day.
8. Take that trip
This is more of stop making excuses. If you want to do something, make it happen. Saying it over and over again without action won’t make things magically appear. Also if you are planning on taking that trip… I might have some info for you.
9. Don’t forget gratitude
Gratitude for yourself, others, and the world around you. We are all so fortunate to be living breathing beings on this earth and every day is a gift. Every time you turn on the hot water for your shower, be grateful. Every time you can get a glass of water from the sink, be grateful.
10. Also, don’t forget your manners!
This goes with #9 being grateful and polite to others can get you far in life. Simple please and thank yous can open a lot of doors and show basic respect when asking or receiving something.
11. There might be a lot of bad in the world but people are generally good and kind-hearted.
They really are. We are faced with a lot of awful things in the media and news. Repeated images of violence, death, corruption, etc that while they are happening, are not the images of everyday life. In my experience of traveling around it is that most people are generous and kind and are willing to give a helping hand when you need it.
12. Be open-minded to others.
You don’t have to love everything someone else does. If someone loves to spend their money on fancy clothes or their free time playing video games that doesn’t affect your life. You don’t need to create that negativity making fun of someone else for not being exactly like you. I’m so happy we are all different, otherwise, the world would be boring.
13. If you don’t have anything nice to say, keep your mouth shut.
This is similar to #12 but pertains to everything. I’m not saying don’t stand up for what you believe in because that is important. I’ve learned that the more negative thoughts I have or things I say, the worse I feel, and saying not nice things to people doesn’t make them feel good either. You accomplish nothing in the scheme of the entire world to say something cruel.
14. Take the picture.
I’ve learned this but I really need to implement it more often. So many times I don’t take that pictures of myself fearing ridicule… who cares! If I want my selfie in front of a pretty tree or a picture of my meal – I’m allowed! It doesn’t hurt anyone else and if it makes me happy I don’t need to let someone else take that away from me.
15. Your memory ages faster than you.
So take that picture and keep that journal because you will forget. I have a pretty strong photographic memory but as the years pile on, the memories really do start to fade. That is why I love to try to take pictures, make scrapbooks, and even videos of some of my experiences.