Birthday Reflection

I posted this on my personal Facebook page and had such a great response that I decided to share it over here as well. My 27th birthday was on September 17, 2014.

This is my birthday note. A reflection of sorts.

For my 27th year on this earth I want to...Try something new. I want to reevaluate where I am at and make the necessary changes that will help me along to where I want to be. My life is just that – mine. I shape it. I control my destiny.

Here are 26 random lessons I learned over the last 26 years.

1. If you are not happy – change something to make yourself happy. Feel like a friendship is draining you? End it (friends should never drain you, - they should only lift you higher). Not happy at your job – try and figure out why and either make it work for you or start looking for something that better suits your needs.

2. If something doesn’t feel right, even if you can’t put your finger on what is wrong with the situation/person/etc, then it is highly likely that something really isn’t right.

3. Be passionate. Discover something you love to do and find a way to make it your career.

4. Love someone? TELL THEM. This goes for any feeling, really. Don’t assume that the other person knows what you are thinking. Voice your thoughts. Words left unsaid can come back to haunt you when the other person is no longer a part of your life.

5. Get moving. Exercise is not only a great way to look hot naked, it boosts your mood, too. If I didn’t work out as I much as I do I would be miserable. Yes I have minor depression and have short periods of time where I feel worse than others, but when I am regularly being active I feel noticeably happier and positive.

6. Life is short. People get sick. Accidents happen. Tragedy can strike at any time. Cherish your loved ones and your special existence on this earth. You and your loved ones will not be around forever.

7. Let go. Let go of things that are weighing you down. Let go of people that hold you back. Let go of thoughts that have no reason being in your head.

8. Living alone is the most amazing thing. For reals. You can walk around naked if you want. You can put something in the fridge and a few hours later if you want to eat it you know it will still be in the fridge! You don’t have to worry about bothering anyone if you have a very early start to the day or if you come home really late (or even not at all).

9. Your family will always be there for you. Friends (if not the amazing forever kind of friends) come and go but family will always be your family. Always be there for your family. Never take them for granted.

10. Comfort zones are meant to be stepped out of. Try new things! Have new experiences! Some of my best memories are from times that I threw caution to the wind participated in something that was well outside my comfort zone.

11. Same goes for food – taste it all! When I was younger I would refuse to taste new foods and automatically say “no I don’t like that”. I have discovered that fish is absolutely delicious. As is sushi. Tartare is pretty yummy too…

12. Cooking and baking can be therapeutic. Not only is preparing your own food the best way to know what you are putting in to your body, it is a great way to spend a couple of hours. Blast some music, put on a cute apron and get cooking.

13. Men. You can’t change them. You can’t expect them to be mind readers. If they say they feel a certain way about something, chances are that’s going to be the same way they feel for the rest of time. Don’t compromise on your own feelings for a guy – it’s never worth it.

14. Be vocal about what you want (in life, in business, in the bedroom, in general!). Think about this logically – if you do not tell someone what you want and we still live in a time where people can not read minds then how is the person supposed to know what you want? Don’t assume – It really does make an ass out of you and me.

15. Never quit a job without having another one lined up. I didn’t learn this one personally, rather I have seen it happen a few times with other people and really don’t think it’s the right way to go about changing your career path.

16. When in doubt – have sushi! Going out for dinner or ordering in and not sure what to have? Sushi is always a winner Mmmm….. sushi…..

17. Celebrate the little things. On a weight loss journey? Celebrate those first 5 pounds lost. And the next 5. And that great food day that you had. And that heavy lift you finally mastered. Had a success (of any size) at work? Celebrate that shit. If you are always waiting for that grand finale you might end up waiting for a really long time and getting discouraged.

18. If you don’t feel well, get that shit checked out. We have access to amazing health care in Canada (ok. It kinda sucks when you have to wait hours, or when the doctors can’t figure out what’s wrong with you). I have seen it happen with my own eyes – someone is experiencing some pretty alarming symptoms and refused to seek medical attention for about 2 years. Who knows – maybe she could have avoided dying from cancer that was diagnosed at stage three and a half..

19. Meet someone you think is cool and would make a great friend? Send them a message. Get in touch. A few of my close friendships started this way. And I am forever grateful that I took that step. (and vice versa)

20. Talk to people! I have become a lot more social and outgoing over the years, though I still have a way to go... You never know who you will meet. A potential friend, a potential significant other, a potential client/business partner/etc. Plus it’s always more fun when you talk to different people and hear their stories. Everyone has something interesting to say if you just let them open up.

21. Face your fears. If something scares you then you should probably do it. The amazing outcome is always worth the initial fear.

22. Sometimes it’s ok to just do nothing and take a day for yourself. You can’t be any good to any one else if you don’t take care of yourself to start!

23. Do not be afraid to seek help when you need it. This means financial, emotional, anything really. I highly recommend seeing a psychologist for those in emotional distress. I’ve been there and it helps so much! A true friend will be more than willing to help you out with a difficult task. I spent at least 10 hours correcting math tests last year because I wanted to my best friend’s life a little easier. I have had friends help me to pack up an apartment, keep me company while I studied, even deliver important items to my sister because the friend was going to see her before I would.

24. Learn to love yourself. You are the most important person in your life. Not in a narcissistic way… If you can’t feel great in your own skin and love yourself it will a difficult task to have others love you and feel great around you.

25. Children are able to brighten up even the darkest days.. I look forward to visiting my nieces on the weekends because they make me so damn happy. We play and laugh and act silly. They distract me from any problem I may be having.

26. Don’t be afraid to make complaints or share compliments! We are always so quick to tell people when we are unhappy with their service or their work but rarely do we praise those who are doing well.

Well there you have it. A glimpse in to my brain.