Flickr Image by BK
Each year I update the list of things I know for sure. It started when I was 35 & updating it annually has been such a joy and a beautiful time to reflect. I hope you enjoy these as much as I do.
This year I asked everyone to do an act of kindness on behalf of my birthday. It’s been great fun listening to everyone’s stories of giving back to the world. In turn I have performed 40 acts of kindness to celebrate this 40th year. You can find them all on my facebook page.
As I reflect back on the last 40 years I realize I’ve learned a lot, experienced tons, and have even more living left to do. However, these are the top 40 things I know for sure as I turn 40!
1. I couldn’t be where I am today without the support, encouragement, and honesty of those who have cared for me & loved me.
2. Family isn’t about genes, blood lines, last names, or street addresses…it’s so much more than that.
3. If you’re as lucky as I am to have true best friends as an adult than take time every day to be thankful! Very few people get that opportunity.
4. I’m proud to be a feminist, pro choice, & liberal.
5. Great romances come in a variety of packages and aren’t all meant to last….in fact some are so short that you don’t know how great they are until they’re gone. But the one that lasts forever will make you forget the others even existed.
6. Having two sets of parents makes me twice as blessed…after all 4 parents who love you can never be a bad thing.
7. My Grandma Phyllis was right, fat really does look better browned/tanned. Doesn’t matter if you’re a person or a turkey.
8. A winning personality, solid common sense, & a killer smile will take you a lot further than book smarts & pieces of paper almost every time.
9. My grandmothers, all of them, are/were the most beautiful, talented, smart, outstanding women that ever lived.
10. My mothers, both of them, are women I strive to be like. I’ll have truly succeeded in life if I even come close.
11. My Dad is, was, and forever will be the first man I ever fell in love with.
12. The saying, “If you love what you do you’ll never work a day in your life” is crap. Loving what you do makes it easier to do the hard work it takes to make you great at it.
13. My nephews Caleb Michael Merritt & Liam David Rutherford are officially the most handsome men on earth.
14. My dads, grandfathers, brothers, uncles remind me all of the time what it means to be REAL MEN & I’m lucky to have them.
15. Perception really is reality.
16. Spell check is a gift from God.
17. The more grounded I become in my faith, the more open minded, liberal, and accepting I become.
18. It’s ok to cry but not ok to wallow in self pity.
19. Men can really be just great friends without trying to take advantage of you.
20. Approach all you do with an honest heart & even being hurt wont seem as bad.
21. Forgiveness is more about letting go for you then it is for them.
22. Dignity, decorum, & political correctness are good things most of the time.
23. Following the advice of a friend who tells you that you need a vacation can change your life.
24. There’s no better ice cream than Butter Pecan.
25. The person who told me “You’re told yes so often that you notice when people tell you no” was right…even if I didn’t admit it at the time.
26. Becoming a survivor instead of a victim all boils down to choice.
27. The women in my life really are the coolest chicks alive.
28. Red heads are simply as fabulous as you think we might be.
29. Making friends is the easy part…being a true friend can be a challenge but one worth doing.
30. Love doesn’t conquer all but it does make you feel more deeply
31. Lingering over breakfast on the weekends is awesome. Staying in bed all weekend with a hot steamer lover who’s also your husband is even better.
32. Never propose a problem without at least one suggested solution because problems without solutions are complaints. No one wants to hear you complain.
33. Go out and better the world. It will change your life.
34. Patience is a virtue given by God that should be practiced daily. However, God skipped me when handing out this virtue.
35. Love can come from the strangest & greatest of places but the best place is from within your own heart, mind, and soul.
36. Momish is the most beautiful word ever created.
37. God knew what she was doing when she gave me a Sonish instead of a son or daughter.
38. My husband is my soul mate, my fellow trouble maker, my life partner, my lover, my co-parent, my dork equal, my shoulder to lean on, my biggest fan, and the love of my life. I am better just by knowing him.
39. I am simply blessed.
40. Be kind to others is the best gift we can give ourselves.