Today, I'm turning 35 and yet, I don't feel that "old". I feel more like I'm still 28 years old and can't wrap my head around that the next big birthday number is 4-0. Ok, it's still 5 years from now but it is looming above my head. When I was a teenager and met people who were in their mid-thirties, they seemed old. Weird, how ones perspective on life changes with every year we turn older. Don't get me wrong, I like where I am right now and wouldn't want to be a teenager again. Each decade has it's high and lows and it is what you make out of them that defines you.
So in the past 35 years of my life, I accumulated some pearls of wisdom I would like to share with you:
1. You don't have to be like everyone else: As a teenager, everyone always wants to fit in. But here is the thing, life is not made for everyone to fit in. I learned over the years that I can drum to my own beat and people still will like me. Actually, only recently I started to care less and less of what others might think of me and become the woman I am meant to be. It's still a work in progress though as this world is all about fitting people in to boxes and it is tough to find one own's footing.
2. Live, laugh and love often: This brings me to my next point. Be happy and live, laugh and love often. There is already so much pain, scandals and fears in the world, so be happy whenever you can. Also, the older I get the more I realize that when I love myself, it radiates outward. When I'm taking care of myself I'm also better equipped to take care of others. Me is as important as anyone else and so loving myself should be a priority. The more mature I become, the easier it is to realize this and to take care of myself.
3. Be present today: Over the past few years, people dear to my heart have passed away, which made me realize that life is too short to wait around for bigger and better things to happen while I miss out on the precious moments in the here and now. I'm learning this one the hard way because my kids grow up before my eyes and all I want them to do is reach their next milestone while I forget to enjoy that today,any ordinary day, is special too. The ordinary days are the ones I remember most and I hate to miss out on them because I always look in to the future or waste my time looking at what others do.
4. Life can be hard and that's ok too: We all know that life never turns out the way we plan it. Things happen and hardships occur and our life is often tougher than we want to proclaim (thanks to social media for making it easy to present ourselves "perfect" because we don't post the 95% of ugliness in our life). Especially as a mom, days can be long, hard and frustrating but somehow we can't ask for help. Learning to acknowledge that no one is perfect and life is hard is the first step in seeking help. I'm still working on that as I have the idea stuck in my head that asking for help equals weakness. Actually, it's the total opposite that's true. Asking for help shows courage, strength and trust that others will be there for me and I don't have to do it alone. Just knowing that life is not easy makes me appreciate the blessings and privileges along the way even more.
5. Family and friends: In our lifetime, people come and go...it's natural: we grow up, move around, choose different paths in life and eventually die. But despite all that I noticed that my family and dearest friends have always been there for me and I wouldn't be where I am today without them. It is easy to take people for granted but they are as necessary as the air I breath. Thus, it is important to remember to always help them when they need it and allow them to help me when I need it. It is more than give-and-take, it's a lifeline in a big ocean I wouldn't be able to cross without them.
6. I'm still learning: When I was young I thought learning stops when I'm finished with school. But in fact, the real learning only began when I finished school. Every day, I'm learning something new and I have a feeling that I will do so till I die. From how to raise children, to new technology to new job requirements, the learning never ends. And it is easy too, most of it I do unconsciously like reading a book, watching the news, listen to the radio or see the world thru my children's eyes. Learning is fun and expands my mind and greatly enhances the quality of my life. I might be done with school work but I will never be done learning.
Now, I'm off to celebrate my special day with my loved ones and to be loved on. It feels good to take one day a year to reflect on where I have been, what I have learned and where I see myself headed to in the next year. It doesn't matter what my age is because my life experiences, values and wisdom accumulated over the years are more worth than the birth date in my passport.
No comments:
Post a Comment