Hi Everyone! So today I turn 30, which seems so bizarre to me. I honestly feel like the last 5 years just flew by. When I was 18, I had this detailed picture in my mind of what my life would look like when I turned 30. I would be married with kids, and if I was lucky, be a successful career woman as well. Fast forward 12 years and my life doesn't quite fit that description.
Even though I'm not where I thought I'd be 12 years ago, I'm exactly where I should be. I'm enjoying where I'm at right now in life, and I know I will never get this time back. I've taken time to work on the things I'm passionate about, and I know it would be harder to accomplish if I had bigger responsibilities in place.
As I reflect back on my 30 years, I'm happy to say that I have LIVED. I have loved and lost, traveled and explored, stepped outside my comfort zone by creating this blog and attending beauty school. Life has been an interesting and fulfilling ride so far, and it's only going to get better!
**Photo credit goes to Brooke Taelor.** You can find her Instagram profile here, and her website here.
I want to thank each and every one of you for taking time out of your day to read this. I have been working on this blog post for a while now. Reflecting on my experiences I can honestly say that I have awaken to a whole new perspective on life.
So here it is, a list of 30 things I have learned in 30 years.
Enjoy!
1) Love yourself 100%.
Love and accept yourself even when others don't. You were created from divine love and you have a purpose in this life. Give yourself love and compassion. Your life, opinions, thoughts, and emotions matter just as much as anyone else.
2) Follow your passion.
Life is too short to not be doing something you're passionate about. Even if you enjoy a simple hobby. DO IT! When you love what you do, you are able to live passionately and confidently.
3) Stop comparing yourself to others.
Social media these days can make this one very difficult. (trust me, I know) It's easy to start comparing your life to others when you're scrolling through Facebook and Instagram. However, your life path isn't the same as everyone else's. Trust and accept that you are exactly where you should be at this point in time.
4) Never forget your inner child.
(My 3rd Birthday. Mullets were still a thing in 1990.)
Don't lose sight of your dreams and what makes you happy. I believe our inner child is so eager to create and explore. I hope you can remember that playful spirit you once had as a child.
5) Forgive yourself and others.
No one is perfect, and we all make mistakes. I know it's not always an easy process, but with forgiveness comes freedom. You free yourself from anger, bitterness, and resentment.
6) You don't have to have everything figured out.
Don't sweat the small stuff. I look back at times when I worried about situations I couldn't control. This lesson taught me that worrying doesn't accomplish anything.
7) Embrace and accept adversity.
Challenging situations are never easy to face, but they bring the most growth and learning.
8) Gratitude can change your entire day!
Do you take time to appreciate everything in your life? Sometimes we complain about the silliest things, yet we are so blessed. I'm grateful for my family and friends, the roof over my head, my car that gets me from A to B, food on the table, the air in my lungs, and to be alive today! I'm grateful for all of you who are reading this. :-)
9) Everyday is an opportunity to grow and learn.
Having a bad day? How can it help you grow? I do my best to look at every situation as a learning opportunity. I ask myself; "What is this teaching me about myself?" "How can I grow and move forward from this?"
10) Health is Wealth
This one is a no brainier. If you aren't taking care of yourself, how can you operate at your fullest? These days I'm trying to eat better and sweat more. If I want to get the most out of life, I have to take better care of myself.
11) How people treat you is how they feel about themselves. (and vice versa)
Sometimes you're going to be faced with a situation where someone mistreats you. It's not always personal. A good friend once told me that; "hurting people, hurt people." We don't always know what's going on with someone unless we're in their shoes. I'm not saying this gives them the permission to act that way, but it can give us an opportunity to shift our perspective. If they are mistreating others, they are not happy with themselves.
12) Don't take yourself and life too seriously.
This one can sometimes be hard for me due to my perfectionist tendencies, but I have to continue to remind myself that we're all a work in progress. No one is perfect, and we're all trying to do our best. There are things to take seriously and be responsible about, but what I'm trying to explain is that when life throws you a curve ball, you sometimes just need to laugh and roll with the punches.
13) Live in the moment.
This was a personal goal of mine this year. Most of us are always looking to the future. (especially if we're planners) However, if we're always looking to the future or trying to analyze the past, we miss out on the present moment. Life is happening right now.
14) Take Responsibility.
This was a hard one for me to learn. It seems easier to just point the finger at someone else when something goes wrong. I lived in a victim mentality for a long time. It wasn't until I went through a big life change that I realized I had to take responsibility for my part in the situation. We all have a choice. We can choose to have a pity party, OR we can choose to stand in our power and move forward.
15) Be Happy Now.
Some people think they'll be happy based on a condition. (relationship, new job, new car, finances, etc) However, you have the choice to be happy, so be happy despite what's going on around you.
16) It's not how you look. It's how you feel about yourself.
Love the skin you're in! When you feel good about yourself, you thrive. If you believe and feel that you are attractive and healthy, you will appear attractive and healthy to others.
17) You will not please everyone.
Raise your hand if you're a people pleaser. (raises hand) I'm currently working on this one. For some reason I developed the belief that saying 'yes' to everything and everyone was always the right thing to do. The older I get, I realize that it's okay to say no. It's all about setting healthy boundaries.
18) Age is just a number.
I think some people believe they can't do certain things once they hit a certain age. Throw that belief out the window! Harriette Thompson became the oldest woman to finish a full marathon in 2015 at the age of 92. It all starts in your mind. If you believe you can achieve something, you CAN. If you let your age hold you back, it will.
(Me on my 18th Birthday in 2005. Look at that blonde hair!)
19) Tell your loved ones how much you love them.
I have unfortunately witnessed two close friends lose a parent in the last two years. I can't even begin to imagine how that must feel. It really puts into perspective that life is a precious gift. We don't know how much time we have, so we must make the most of it. Don't hesitate to let someone know how you feel.
20) Be open to trying new things.
I think back to the first time I tried sushi. (10 years ago) I did not want to try it at all. I was with some friends and they encouraged me to try it. Once that first bite hit my taste buds, I thought; "hmm, this isn't half bad." Now I can eat sushi with 'raw' fish! I love it, and that experience helped me to get out of my comfort zone and try new things.
21) Get your Finances in order.
If you're in your 20's and you're reading this; start NOW! Pay off debts, put money aside in savings, and learn how to budget. It will be extremely helpful if you get in the habit of these things.
22) It's 'OK' to be vulnerable.
For years I wore armor like my life depended on it. That armor guards me and keeps me safe. While I'm no expert on the subject because I'm constantly working on it, I've learned that it's ok to be open. To be open about struggles and insecurities is showing strength and courage. I want to continue to be more open throughout my remaining years.
23) Trust your gut instincts!
I look back at my twenties and remember a couple of times I didn't listen to my gut and ended up learning the hard way. I don't regret anything, but i'm grateful to be more aware of my intuition which will help me to make smarter decisions going forward.
24) Not everyone is going to like you.
This one is a little similar to number 17. (you will not please everyone) Once you learn to accept this, life gets much easier. You can't live your life based on other's opinions of you. If you're comfortable in your own skin, it won't matter anyways.
25) Surround yourself with positive people.
Surround yourself with people who are encouraging, supportive, and inspire you to be a better person. I'm truly grateful to have some amazing people in my life.
26) Learn the art of 'listening.'
How often do we really take the time to listen to others while they're talking? This is definitely something I need to work on. I know the brain is constantly running, but It's important to take time to truly listen and be present when we're with family and friends.
27) Be kind to others.
We never fully know what's going on in someone's life. I shared a video to my personal Facebook page a few months ago about a girl who received a negative comment on her blog. Someone told her that she looked like an old hag because she had a few gray hairs. Come to find out this young woman has an autoimmune disease and won't live past the age of 70. She states in the video that the gray hairs are a reminder that she only has so much time left. This world needs more people who will build each other up instead of tearing each other down.
28) LAUGH as often as possible.
Laughter really is the best medicine. Laughter decreases stress hormones and increases immune cells and infection-fighting antibodies, thus improving your resistance to disease. That's definitely a good reason to get a daily dose of laughter in! ;)
29) Get outside your comfort zone!
I encourage you to get outside your comfort zone. I know how scary it can be. I also know how rewarding it can be. What do you have to lose? "Move out of your comfort zone. You can only grow if you're willing to feel awkward and uncomfortable when you try something new." -Brian Tracey
30) Create the life you want to live.
You were born a creator my friend. Even if you think you don't have a creative bone in your body. Creation begins with a single thought. So if you want to create a better life for yourself and your family, start thinking BIG. Make changes and take action! Life is too short, so create something amazing.
Do I look wiser?? ;)
Even though it doesn't appear to be windy, this day had 12mph winds. The first 15 minutes into the shoot, the "0" balloon busted off the string and blew away. *hence the "uh-oh" face. haha. (you can see the '0' in the background) I had so much fun working with Brooke! Definitely check out her work!
So there you have it, a list of some wisdom I've learned in my 30 years. What are some life lessons you've learned so far? What would you add to this list? Comment below, or leave a comment on my social media sites! (Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter are all @amylynbeauty)
THANK YOU sooo much for all the Birthday Love! I really do appreciate it! In case you didn't know it's George Strait's Birthday today as well. ;) Man do I love that man.
Hey there George. ;)
Thanks again for stopping by, and I hope you enjoyed this post. Have a great weekend!
