I'm 29 Today and I Still Put My Shirt on Backwards Sometimes
In fact, this happened a few weeks ago. At work. It’s okay though ya know why? Because even though my brain and my body are both headed for death, I am still learning, like every single day. Once I learn how to put my clothing on correctly, who KNOWS what I’ll be capable of.
I like poking fun at myself. But there are some things that I have learned up to this point that truly have formed me into the person I am today, at 29. Real quick I want to give myself kudos for actually getting this out today.
*pats self on back*
I’m going to outline some things that I’ve learned up to this point, and my hope is that you - no matter what age you’re at - get something out of them, whether that's to be gentle on yourself for making silly mistakes, or maybe to dig deeper into who you are and what you want.
Happy Birthday, Ilia, I still love using the 3rd person and even though many have given me sh*t for it. I’m still going to do it. Lesson #1 Haters gon’ hate.
Suffering is Inevitable
Starting off on a high note here. Then we’ll come back down.
Have you ever started to do something and then stopped because it was too hard or too different or ruffled too many feathers or got too much negative attention? Well, I’m here to tell you that if what you’re doing is calling to you, keep on doing it. No matter how sore your muscles are the next day, no matter how many people point out your spelling mistakes, and no matter how much you’re “suffering”.
Suffering is an inevitable part of life, and positive change only occurs through many many uncomfortable situations. So, even though writing about myself and then publishing it on the world wide web is terrifying, it’s calling me. And if I ignore it because someone somewhere has something mean to say, I’d be squelching a very important part of myself that wants out.
If You Don’t Care About You - Others Won’t Know How To
This realization did not come all at once, it slowly seeped into my cognition little by little, but it was one of the most important lessons I’ve ever learned.
I spent a long time doubting my every move and every decision, and it was because I didn’t care enough to get to know myself and start the process of trusting myself. Honestly, that part of me still exists, and probably always will.
But I’ve learned how to recognize and quiet that doubtful voice by taking the time to learn how to love myself. It was getting to the point where I had so much self-doubt that the people around me started treating me in a way that reflected that. It started making me feel out of control until I started taking steps to learn how I felt most cared for. Here is my point: You know what’s best for you and you are your best caregiver. So give yourself care and allow yourself to make decisions that might not end up being right. If you have that cushion of self-love, you’ll be more apt to get back up and start again.
And Bonus! The judgment that comes from others won’t have as big of an effect on you and it won’t be as harsh because you’ll have your own back and those that love you will be pumped to pick you back up.
Do Things On Purpose - Most of The Time
Here’s the deal. The world moves super fast, and it’s overwhelming, so I am of the belief that nothing can be 100%. Give it like 90% and that’s pretty good. That being said, it’s very easy to coast through life letting things happen to you instead of making things happen.
This is your life friends. You have the power to make it what you want - you just have to be purposeful in the majority of things you do. Make decisions based on your purpose, or what you think your purpose is today. I hear that understanding your “why” is the key to making positive decisions that will impact your life. So, what’s your “why”? And are the things you’re spending your time on getting you closer to it?
Nothing is Always Trending Positively In Life
Forest Gump was right when he said life is like a box of chocolates but he failed to mention that literally everything in life; work, relationships, family, friendships, weight, health, everything - goes up and goes down. It could be on a daily basis, or a yearly basis. The point of a happy life is not for everything to be peachy and sunshine and rainbows, it’s the people we meet and the lessons we learn along the way that gives us the strength and character that make our lives meaningful.
When we start to appreciate the things and the people in our lives, we can start to truly feel happiness without panicking when things aren’t exactly going perfectly. If we are always waiting for things to “get better” we’ll miss out on what is right in front of us. So, I challenge you to look at your life as it is, and determine the good and simply accept that even if you aren’t where you want to be if you keep on trucking, you will be. And likely, it won’t be a straight shot towards your goals. It’ll be more like a zig-zag. And zig zags allow for a lot more learning and a lot more experience.
That’s all I have for you on this day March the 6th of 2020 - my 29th birthday.
