Today I turn 30. It does not seem like a big deal to me, but I guess it’s one of those big birthdays sort of like when you turn 21. My 20’s are over and wow does it seem like time flies. When I turned 20 I had no clue how my life would turn out, but I think things have gone pretty well. I am my own boss and I love what I do. I have amazing friends that support me and knock on wood I am still very healthy. Instead of doing my normal post where I reflect on the past year I decided to give you 10 important lessons that I’ve learned in the past 10 years.
It’s not all about money – of course money is a good thing, without it we couldn’t buy nice things or go places, but don’t make your life all about money. When you do that you forget about actually doing things you enjoy. I know people that make over 500K a year and are miserable because all they do is work. What is the use of having that money if you can’t enjoy it. We all think we want to make a million dollars, but in reality we want the lifestyle that we think a million dollars brings. The truth is you can have that lifestyle for far less.
Follow your passion – What are you passionate about? Is it a big part of your life? What is the point of living if you are not doing things you are passionate about? I know not everyone can have a job that they enjoy and they are passionate about, but if you are not going out on weekends or in your free time doing things you enjoy, what is the point? You will be happier in life if you do something you are passionate about, even if its only once a week.
Say Yes – This has been a big change for me. For the longest time I would always say no to things. This past year I have said yes to a lot of things. Some of the best times of my life have been from saying yes to people. Saying no all the time just limits your opportunity and you never know what experiences you are missing if you say no. As the famous quote goes, “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do.”
Fail early on – This way sound weird but try and fail early on. These failures will teach you a lot and lead you to your biggest successes.
Be nice to everyone – While this may seem like a simple thing many people do not follow it. I’ve always tried to be nice to people regardless of anything whether it be social status, race, etc. This is why I have so many different “groups” that I am friends with. This has made me a very well like person and you never know when you may need a favor from someone.
Not getting what you want is important – As they say the world works in mysterious ways and it is true. Always remember when one door closes another one opens. If you are going through a bad breakup or things are not going well with business it is ok. There is a light at the end of the tunnel. This was very true for me this year as I myself went through a bad breakup, but that actually turned out to be a blessing as I’ve had the best summer of my life!
Eat well and take care of your body – As we get older this is huge! Stop eating like crap! Over the past few years I have really changed my diet around and I eat very well. Instead of shopping once a month and getting mostly frozen food I shop weekly and get everything fresh. On top of that I mainly eat healthy food. Hardly any snacks, sweets etc. I see people that I’ve grown up with not take care of their body and I’m glad that I have.
Better to have a small group of real friends – Growing up it seemed all you wanted was a ton of friends. As you get older your group of “real” friends gets smaller, but that is a good thing. People show their true colors and over time you find out who your real friends are. I am not saying don’t be friends with people, but do not consider everyone a true friend. It is far better to have a small group of people that actually care and that you can count on.
Don’t take anything for granted – There have been times in my life that I’ve taken things for granted. When these things leave our life they all of a sudden become the most important thing in our lives. Do not wait until that moment to appreciate what you have.
Have a positive outlook – You have to go through life with a positive outlook. Bad things are going to happen in life it is inevitable. But it is all about how you take them. Life is 10% what actually happens to you and 90% how you react to it. And who wants to be around someone that is negative all of the time?
Wow so I am 30, what will the next 10 years of my life bring?