Today is my big 40th, and it just hit me a few days ago that I am saying goodbye to another decade.
When I turned 20 or 30, I did not have the desire to reminisce; perhaps I did not have any emotional attachment to those years.
But I do know that quite a few major events happened to me in my 30s. I met my husband the year I turned 30, my dad passed away when I was 32, and I got married right before turning 33. We had our first child before I turned 34 and second child after 38. Just in those first five years, major changes and adjustments for sure. One thing that grew deeper was my trust in the Lord. I learned to let go of a lot of things that I thought were in my control.
Here are ten lessons I’ve learned from others along the way in my 30s that have prepared me for the next decade:
- Be happy with yourself. You were created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27)
- Good is enough. No one is asking you to be perfect.
- Do not keep up with the Joneses. Be grateful for what you have, not what you want.
- Not everyone will like you. And that is ok. Be yourself and if they can’t handle that, then they are missing out.
- Enjoy your kiddos in the present time. One day you will miss the crying and laughter.
- Tomorrow can wait. Time flies by too fast to miss out on what is in front of you.
- Learn to say no. Do what you can to help others but know that you can’t do it all.
- Be humble and kind.
- Take care of yourself. So then you are able to care for others.
- Love always. When you are mad or resentful, choose love.
I am beyond blessed to be where I am today. I am forever grateful for the people who have come and gone in my life. I have a feeling my 40s will just be as great if not better. Happy 40th to me!
What life lessons have you learned?
