40 Gems of Wisdom for My 40th Birthday
Today is the eve of my 40th birthday. To commemorate this milestone, I’ve compiled 40 gems of wisdom I’ve gathered over the years.
It was really fun coming up with this list, as well as illuminating. So, I wanted to share with you in the hopes it may bring some you some inspiration or joy today. Let me know what you think. I’d love to keep adding to this list.
A diet full of fresh fruit, vegetables, and legumes is far superior to a low-carb/high-protein diet and can heal your body as well as the planet.
However. The Taco Bell Taco Supreme is magnificent. Del Taco is trash.
Don’t fixate on the how. Focus on the what and the why. Eventually, the how will be made known.
Tune out negativity instead of get absorbed by it. Kids have this miraculous ability and we need to follow in their footsteps.
People don’t need church to be cool. They need church to be grounding.
It will make you a lot less resentful to clean and pick up after the kids if you view it as exercise. (Don’t believe me? Try it now! When you’re picking up those legos, do some squats while you're down there!)
Failures and rejections are a part of the process. Keep going. Every “no” gets you closer to your “yes.”
Be good to your parents. They won’t be here forever and you’ll miss them like crazy when they’re gone.
Popularity and achievement in high school and college aren’t accurate indicators of how successful people will be later in life.
Pay special attention to that which sparks more joy than usual. It may be the universe revealing your next steps.
Comparing is useless because comparisons are never equal.
However. Flavored seltzer water and cauliflower crusts have been perfected in the last decade and are far superior to their less healthy, original counterparts.
Life is endlessly forgiving, with infinite chances. So, forgive yourself too.
Kids need long wind down times. And so do you.
Difficult circumstances can be transformed through a different perspective, usually with the perspective of your imaginary older, wiser self.
It’s okay for kids to get bored. It fosters creativity.
You won’t ever regret consuming too little sugar, but you will regret consuming too much of it (I really need to write this one on a post-it next to the pantry).
Good friends are like a pinch of yeast in a loaf of bread or a dash of salt in a pot of soup—they infuse bland circumstances with flavor and fun.
Your biggest heartbreaks were your biggest gifts in disguise—it just took a couple years for you to realize it.
Help comes in the most unusual and unexpected of ways. At the same time, ask for help when you need it.
You don’t need to keep checking your phone, you’re not missing anything important.
The actually important stuff is happening outside of your phone, around you.
They really do grow fast. Revel in this season, as chaotic and exhausting as it is.
You don’t need to change your personality or style to make yourself more likable. You’re best just being you.
A gentle hike will make your worries and anger evaporate.
Grandparents are the best thing God invented (as well as uncles, aunties, cousins, and siblings).
A mid-workday walk is always a good idea, even on rainy days, especially on busy days.
Reading, journaling, and snuggling with James before bed will relax you infinitely more than scrolling through your iPhone before bed.
At the same time, self-compassion leads to higher performance than self-criticism and self-judgment, so go easy on yourself when you don’t make perfect decisions 100% of your life.
Don’t ever quit your creativity journey. There’s always more to learn. Music, painting, poetry, literature—the disciplines and depths are limitless.
Nice sheets are worth the splurge.
So is nice skincare.
In fact, quality over quantity for everything (except croissants. Costco croissants (as long as they’re toasted) win out over expensive bakery croissants in the cost-benefit analysis)).
At the same time, support local shops as much as possible.
More fun than exploring different parts of the world is exploring your own neighborhood.
You need to ask the question in order to receive the answer. An answer can’t arrive without first asking the question. And it usually takes a few months (or a few years) for you to live into the answer.
Never underestimate the power of the thoughtful, handwritten thank you card on pretty stationary.
Or the powers of the Daily Examen and the Lectio Divina.
Or the powers of appreciation and listening generously, which I’ve discovered are the magical ingredients that set apart happy marriages from unhappy ones.
Dance like there’s nobody watching, love like you’ll never be hurt, and sing like nobody’s listening. Oh wait, I think I stole that one from the front page of my high school yearbook.
Alright friends, I’m curious. Any of these that resonate with you? What other gems would you add?