28 Things I've Learned in 28 Years

A few years ago, I was part of a monthly snail mail subscription. The woman who organized it sent great things every month. Inspiring mantras, fun quotes, letters...  As someone who enjoys sending and receiving actual mail, I thoroughly enjoyed it and am planning my own! More on that later, but I was inspired by something this awesome woman sent. It was a "38 Things I've Learned in 38 Years" list. I kept most of her mailings, but came across this one recently.

Being that my 28th birthday was on Monday, (9/16) I decided to give it a try!

This list was easier, and more difficult to write than I expected. While talking to Zac about it, he reminded me that our time living on The F Bus (our tiny home/school bus conversion) gave me a lot of life lessons. But, which ones to pick?  From there, I picked the life lessons that I thought might inspire or resonate with someone else!

Here we go.

1. Your hands will wash. 

(My mom should be so proud to read this one) I tell myself this almost on a daily basis. She used to tell my brother and I this, when we didn't want to pick up the collective of dirty laundry to help. Now, I tell myself this during household chores that I do not enjoy doing. (Emptying bathroom trash, for one) Its also good for knowing that things are just temporary. You will handle it, wash your hands and move on.

2. Don't always take the easy way. From all the hiking, off-roading, Jeeping and School Bus driving we have done, shortcuts are not always the right answer. Sometimes they get you more stuck and now you're doing double the work you were trying to avoid. Often, the journey is what makes the destination worth it. 

3. "All you have to do is want something, and then let yourself have it." -Aggie Cromwell, Halloweentown

Really, though. The limitations we have in life, are generally ones we put on ourselves. There is always a way to get the things you really want. 

4. You cant judge a book by it's cover. Or a person based off of where they sleep at night. You don't know what the book is really about until you read it, and you definitely don't know what another person is about until you actually listen to them. 

5. Self  care is NOT a gimmick. It is something that I believe in, wholeheartedly. The whole notion of "I'll sleep when I'm dead" is ridiculous. Take care of yourself, so you can LIVE.

6. "You can lead a horse to water, but you cant make him drink." You can offer someone everything they could possibly need to change their lives. To heal. But nothing will work unless they are willing to.

7. Take all of your plans with a grain of salt. If you really know me, then you know planners, notebooks, LISTS are my life. But, I also know that God/The Universe has it's own plans.

8. Everything has a lesson. 

9. Everyone has a story, and you ONLY know what people show you about their life.

10. We were all born WORTHY. Of everything. All of us.

11. Your faith = YOURS. Nobody has to understand.

12. Taking messy action, is better than no action.

13. Magic is real. It's in the sunset, children's eyes when they discover something. Magic is real, and it's in every day. You just have to look.

14. Do you. Don't be bothered by what other people MIGHT think of you. They're all too busy worried that you're judging them.

15. Be your own hype man and call yourself out on your own shit.

16. When you start feeling like you are in a funk, asses your situation. 

Have you drank half your body weight in WATER lately? Have you had WATER today? Have you gotten outside? Eat any REAL food lately? Do the people you surround yourself with support you? Do you support you?

17. Movement is the key to avoiding stagnant energy. MOVE YOUR BODY EVERYDAY.

18. Don't be afraid to ask for help. 

19. Don't be afraid to accept the help you are offered.

20. If they look like red flags, they are.

21. Every feeling of extroverted-ness, confidence and self worth you feel like you get from alcohol - is already inside of you. And hangover free!

22. Know that your dreams are your calling.

23. Know that your gift to the world, whatever it is that you feel called to do, is your medicine. Also, make sure you take your own medicine.

24. Music is the one thing I know for sure, that unites us.

25. Your story is worth sharing. Someone NEEDS to hear it.

26. Wear the shorts, the skirt, the dress. Global warming is a thing. It's too hot and life is too short to be miserable in leggings or jeans during the SUMMER. Besides, everyone is looking at their phones anyway. 

27. We are all weird. Embrace your weirdness. It's what makes you, YOU.

28. FAILURE IS DELAY, NOT DEFEAT. This one, was on my graduation cake. It is one of my all time favorite quotes. "Failure should be our teacher, not our undertaker. Failure is delay, not defeat. It is a temporary detour, not a dead end. Failure is something we can avoid only by saying nothing, doing nothing, and being nothing." Dennis Waitley 

What is a memorable life lesson you have learned?

Let me know!

- Marcie