Some people approach milestone birthdays with a sense of doom and gloom that time is 
passing them by. That’s why I was so delighted when a client decided to mark this celebration with a unique idea. Phyllis created a list of 50 things she has learned in the years leading up to her 50th birthday. Here’s what she had to say:
I’ve learned….
1. the world was here when I was born and at the world will remain after I’m gone. I choose who I will be while I’m here.
2. to surround myself with people who are amazing and fearless and inspiring
3. to embrace my roots and celebrate those I’m lucky enough to call family
4. it doesn’t matter how much money you make as long as you don’t spend more than you earn
5. there is no “happily ever after” – our lives and how we define ourselves is constantly evolving
6. forgiving others is a gift I give myself
7. some of life’s lessons need to be learned the hard way, repeatedly
8. how you treat people will say a lot about you
9. being happy is completely optional
10. to speak up for those who can’t speak up for themselves, even when it’s not comfortable
11. no matter who you are, at some point you will be dealt a crappy hand – what matters is how you handle it
12. planning everything based on your budget is limiting – start with a vision and then be creative and resourceful in making the vision a reality
13. I can get carried away in my garden or painting a picture
14. sometimes you have to step out of the box to get a new perspective on life
15. it is possible to have your heart broken and while they are some things in life you never get over, you do learn to live with it
16. it is possible to love another human being with absolute unconditional love
17. to really parent with my second child
18. friends can make a good situation great and a bad situation bearable
19. I’ve spent too much time being anxious and worried about the future
20. some of my favourite memories are from doing ordinary things with people I love
21. days turn into years faster than I could possibly have imagined
22. you can mix business with pleasure
23. being a mom is a far more amazing experience than I could ever have imagined – its added a whole new dimension to my character and provided me with decent material should I ever become a comedian
24. not to accept responsibility for issues that aren’t mine
25. if I stay still for any length of time the cat will climb on top of me and claim ownership
26. how I’m feeling about my husband is a barometer of how I am feeling about myself
27. embracing life’s lessons gets much easier as I get older
28. if someone isn’t getting my point of view it’s usually because I’m not getting their point of view
29. life feels pretty sweet and full of possibility when a baby smiles at you
30. although I consider myself to be an extrovert, I need a substantial amount of alone time
31. while I can happily live without grass, I wouldn’t want to live without trees
32. sometimes when you think you couldn’t possibly deal with one more thing, you find an inner strength that carries you through
33. it’s much easier and takes less energy to just deal with a difficult situation that it does to procrastinate
34. when you don’t want to do something, make it a conscious decision and own up to your procrastination
35. dogs that are spayed or neutered make much better pets
36. life is a lot easier when I stop taking everything personally, because often it’s not about me
37. when life gets busy it’s easy to become a human “doing” instead of a human “being”
38. if I open my mind, heart and spirit, I enjoy the music my kids listen to
39. Dean Kootnz is correct when he said, “Once you have had a wonderful dog, a life without one is diminished.”
40. if you dread Mondays you need to change your job and if you dread Fridays you need to change your friends
41. laughter won’t solve your problems but it makes life more bearable
42. if you can’t change it, embrace it
43. it doesn’t matter how long your parent has been gone, you will always miss them – enjoy their company while they are alive
44. we don’t get to choose our relatives
45. no matter whom I live with there is always someone who doesn’t put things back where they belong
46. exercising, sex and going to church all have one thing in common – when it’s over I think, “that felt great, I should do it more often
47. a lot of people think I’m optimistic and quick to forgive – the truth is I have really poor short term memory
48. it doesn’t matter where you start from, what matters are your attitude, effort and choices you make
49. not to compare myself with others – I focus on where I am and where I want to be and celebrate the successes of those around me
50. the world would be a better place if everyone took a nap
What life lessons have you learned?
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