what i've learned

In just two days I will be celebrating another birthday. Yay for me! Thirty is right around the corner, but I still have a couple of years before reaching that milestone. Esquire Magazine features interviews with celebrities about what they’ve learned. In similar fashion I present to you, in no particular order, the 27 things I’ve learned since being born.




1. Forgiveness is easy. It’s the forgetting part that’s hard.



2. Blood isn’t always thicker than water. Sometimes people with no blood ties treat you better than your kin.



3. On the same hand, you might not have chosen your family but they are a gift from God, no matter how dysfunctional.



4. Take joy in just the little things, such as eating a honey suckle, smelling a fresh rain brewing or dancing in your room alone.



5. The faith of your parents can’t sustain you. You must have your own relationship with God.



6. The secret to weight loss is not just dieting. You must make a lifestyle change by incorporating modified eating and exercise.



7. Smiling at someone doesn’t take much effort. Smiling makes you and someone else feel good.



8. A good wholesome laugh can go a long way in brightening your day.



9. You’re never too old to get on a swing set and recapture a glimpse of your youth. Just don’t act 5 forever.



10. No matter how old you are, the first person you want to call when sick is always your mother.



11. The saying is true: people come into your life for a reason, season or lifetime. The problem comes when you give seasonal people lifetime expectations.



12. After a certain age you should grow out of wanting to party all night, drink all night or engage in teenage drama.



13. What you know and who you know is a powerful combination.



14. Comparing yourself to others is pointless. You’re where you need to be in your life as ordained by God.



15. It’s not how you get in but what you do when you get there.



16. Don’t wait on someone to upgrade you. Upgrade yourself.



17. Gift giving is more fun than gift receiving. Seeing the joy others get from a gift can bring you much joy.



18. It’s never too late to find out what you want to be when you grow up.



19. Rome wasn’t built in a day and neither were you. Changing your tragic character flaws will take some time.



20. The golden rule still applies: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.



21. Nothing really is new under the sun. History has a habit of repeating itself.



22. It’s too late to tell someone how much you care after they’re gone. Show you love them while they’re still here.



23. I can have the best time doing absolutely nothing while just hanging with my close friends and family.



24. Sometimes the best therapy session is just writing your thoughts in a journal.



25. You have to take people at face value. Overanalyzing every sentence, situation or statement will just give you a headache.



26. Actions really do speak louder than words. Make sure your actions are saying good things.



27. Live well. Laugh often. Love always.



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