On 26 — Reflecting.
I’m writing this on my birthday! Today, I’m filled with immense gratitude for this journey — the ups, the downs, and everything in between. My gift to you on this day is a list of 10 life lessons I hold very dear to my heart. These lessons reflect moments of awareness in my personal journey. I’m also working on a similar blog post with some business/professional lessons I’ve learned.
- Good vibes above everything.
The energy you bring is everything. Don’t allow life to dull your ✨vibes✨ — it’s the purest expression of who you are.
2. Inspiration is for amateurs.
Winners don’t show up to get everything they want… they show up to give everything they have, on the good days and the bad. Inspiration gets you in. Willpower keeps you playing (the game).
3. It’s ALL temporary. Even the best of it.
We get one shot at this thing called life, and the unfortunate reality is that none of it lasts forever. So enjoy every moment with pure authenticity and bliss — dance the song of life like no one is watching.
4. Life has never been about having the right answers.
The beauty of life is our ability to go through the motions and experience our humanity. This lesson has stuck with me since college. There are no right answers at the back of the book. Life is about becoming who you are through a constant process of reflection and evolution.
5. It’s okay to be selfish.
I think we misunderstand the value of being selfish. We’re usually taught that kindness keeps the world going, but the unfortunate reality is that you should rarely sacrifice so much of yourself. Most things and people are temporary anyway. Healthy selfishness comes from a place of self-love, where we recognize and accommodate our needs — without being unnecessarily rude or unkind.
6. Just let them (be).
Sometimes, we put way too much energy into trying to control or react to the way people may treat us. The reality is that you have to recognize your value enough to know when a person or situation no longer aligns with what you want. Fight the urge to control others. Just let them. Control yourself — preserve your energy.
7. The most beautiful moments in life are when you are expressing your joy, not when you are seeking it.
I’ve found that I feel most authentic when I’m expressing who I am. I tend to spend a lot of time in environments where I feel comfortable presenting the full version of ME.
8. Discipline is the difference between what you want now and what you want most.
Every time you trade comfort over discipline, you trade away the stronger, more powerful version of yourself. The version of you that could’ve been unstoppable.
9. Owning your story can be hard, but it’s nearly as difficult as spending our lives running from it.
I remember reading a piece by Corey M. that said, “Inner peace doesn’t come from getting better at tolerating discomfort. It comes from the part of you that is expansive enough to hold the human experience without being defined by it.” The reality is that we are just a bunch of atoms floating in space. Our judgment of the human experience is based solely on our desire to make meaning of life. Don’t be so hard on yourself. There are countless second chances in the future.
10. Operate in a way that reflects how you feel.
This is my favorite one! Authenticity is your compass. When you align your actions with your emotions, you live in harmony with yourself. Society will often encourage you to preserve the ego, but the key to life is to live fully, leave nothing behind.
The idea here is to give life everything you’ve got — pour all your energy, love, creativity, and passion into each moment so that by the time you reach the end, you’ve exhausted every potential you had.
This philosophy echoes thinkers like Henry David Thoreau, who urged us to “live deep and suck out all the marrow of life.” Life is meant to be lived without holding back, arriving at your final day knowing you’ve left nothing undone, no dream unchased, no love ungiven.
Bonus — Life can only be as beautiful as you can dream it to be.
LOL If you’re reading this to know it’s my birthday, then you’re probably already too late :) I appreciate the thought though ❤
