A year ago, I wrote a blog called “Life as a Psychologist: On Turning 50.” I’m continuing the theme with a list of 50 things I’ve learned over the past year. These items are in no particular order and are considered a work in progress!
- Less makeup, more breakfast.
- Even when people stop following you, tweet anyway.
- Make love, not war.
- Be present for my son after school.
- Keep the day job (for the time being).
- Do what I love, and let go of the outcome.
- Follow your heart, even when it seems impossible.
- Make time to call, text, and email the people I love.
- Think before I speak. (Yes, it took until age 50 to start to get this).
- Don’t let fear keep me from following my passion. (This is similar to #6).
- Speak my truth and stay genuine. People relate to being real.
- Connect with my own spirituality and breathe mindfully at every opportunity.
- Even though I don’t like to market myself, I can market what I believe in.
- If I don’t have something meaningful to post on Facebook, I won’t post anything at all.
- Poetry is perfectly acceptable blog content.
- Remember to make self-care a priority.
- Know my priorities, values, and commitments and live by them.
- Nurture my relationships. A business friend is no less important than a non-business friend.
- Keep my desk clean.
- Laundry can wait; buy more underwear.
- Create flexible guidelines for time to exercise, to get ready in the morning, to walk the dogs, etc. (Guidelines are adaptable, so I don’t get mad at myself when I haven’t exercised, showered, or walked the dogs).
- Create concrete boundaries for high priority undertakings (I now set a bedtime alarm).
- Make time for daily play, and create a list of play activities I’d enjoy doing.
- When meditation turns into a nap, go with it.
- Having family dinnertime is still a wise choice, no matter what time it is.
- Stop avoiding working on Quicken and QuickBooks.
- Everything in my life is happening in perfect harmony.
- Be a good listener—when I’m not working.
- Have fun with everything that I do.
- Trust that my basic needs are always met.
- Be thankful for whatever my day brings.
- Find the gift in every interaction. (This is similar to #31).
- Clean up after myself (I realize I was supposed to learn this in kindergarten).
- Live simply.
- Surrender my will, my day, and my plans to thy will.
- Life isn’t about how much we accomplish, it’s about how we choose to give.
- Drink more water.
- Decorate more.
- Forgive others and myself.
- Instead of having too much on my plate, I now visualize savoring a 7-course meal.
- Stop blaming.
- Keep Cardio Friday.
- Clean up the inbox (desk and email).
- Cook and bake more.
- Bear in mind that everyone is a divine being—even family.
- Continue merrily down the stream.
- Allow myself to receive.
- Keep the Sabbath. (Of course, when I don’t clean the rest of the week, then cleaning on the Sabbath is fine!)
- Get back on the yoga mat.
- Tell myself, “Yes, I can do this!”
IT’S ABOUT YOU:
- Create your own list of things you’ve learned recently. If that sounds overwhelming, consider completing the CalmUp® Journey over the next 12 months. Then it’s easy to look back at content from your notes over the year.
- What are your favorites from my list? Feel free to leave me a comment.
- What items on my list hit you the wrong way? Feel free to leave me a comment.