Birthday Reflection + Advice to My Younger Self

It’s my birthday!  Well, it was last week.
I’m another year wiser.  A few inches wider.  Relatively healthy.  Very, very happy.  So how about some birthday reflection?

Have a changed a lot in the past year?  Maybe.  In some ways I have.

It’s my last year in my 30’s.  I feel good about the journey that I’ve been on and where the road is leading. There have been a lot of lessons to learn this year, with too many heart aches and pains but there has been a lot of good this year too.   As I reflect back, there’s not much I would change other than to tell my younger self a few things.

Advice to my Younger Self

• Dream bigger.  I’ve been fortunate enough to see many of my dreams come to fruition.  It’s only made me hungry for more.  The more I accomplish, the more I want to learn and grow and be better than I’ve been before.  I kind of wish I’d pursued many things earlier and went for the brass ring from the get go.  That’s okay though.  There were lessons I had to learn.
• Slow down & soak it in.  I spend a lot of time planning and visualizing things in my head.  There’s a lot for me to see in this world and I’m determined to see as much as I can of it.  The best moments, however, come when I stop, put down my phone or camera and just live in the moment.
• Nourish the true relationships.  Life is short.  Spend it with the people that really matter.  I don’t have to be at every dinner or night out.  I do have to put aside the work and spend time with the people that matter.
• Follow the wanderlust.  I had a brief break from traveling and almost forgot the excitement of it all.  Fortunately, the travel bug has left a mark and made me thirsty for more.  Traveling will always be a joy for me.  The experiences have made me all the more richer in knowledge, kinship and joy.
• Laugh and dance and do it often.  It’s good for the mind, body and spirit.  It keeps you young too.
• Be courageous.  I’m still working on this one.  There are so many things I want to do but haven’t quite mustered up the courage to just do them.  It kind of goes hand in hand with the first bullet.  Bigger dreams take more courage to pursue them.
• Be quiet and listen.  The art of active listening is a gift — one that very few people master.  I’ve spent the better part of this last year being a more active listener.  You get more from shutting your mouth and listening than you do by talking.  80% of the success I’ve had in this year alone has been achieved by simply listening.

There you have it – a few pieces of advice to my younger self.  The list could go on and on but I think this will suffice for now.  I can’t wait to see what 39 brings!