32 Things I’ve Learned Over the Last 7 Years!

 As I Turn 32 Today..........I Reflect On The Lessons I've Learned, and All That Is Ahead

When I turned 25, I truly experienced a quarter-life crisis.  My life was stuck in neutral, and simply going nowhere.  I had worked hard throughout my entire teenage and college life to “be someone;” however, when I turned 25, it seemed like my life was stuck.  I was in a dead-end job, facing a mountain of debt, miserable with life, and to put it bluntly – I faced severe depression every day.  I had thrown away everything that had meant anything to me, and found myself at the end of my rope and bottom of the barrel.

Yet, looking back on the past seven (7) years, I realize that when I turned 25 I was exactly where the Lord wanted me to be.  I had nowhere to look but UP.  I had nowhere to turn but to God. I had no one to identify with except Christ.  You see, at 25, I was still living like an immature child when it came to my relationship with Christ.  This world was all about me.  Life revolved around me, and I honestly did not care how my actions and words impacted those around me.  Sure, I had a lot of friends.  However, many of those friendships were based on superficial things, and when it came down to it, those friends were nowhere to be found as I went through the lows of life.  

Yet, through it all there were, and still are, the handful of people that stood by me.  Who loved me more in those dark days, than ever before.  Who I can still call on, no matter what I face.  In the past seven (7) years, I have learned 32 important lessons, that I know will make me “become someone,” and the woman the Lord has destined for me to be:

1. Knowing that I am not in control of anything brings me more peace than I can ever explain. The Lord goes before me each day, and I must work hard, strive for excellence, and everything else will fall into place. 

2. Having the incredible love and support of a husband, makes life simply amazing each day.  His uplifting words and actions bring life to me.  And, having a home filled with laughter is something I never take for granted. 

3. Having two loving and devoted parents, who have been married for over 40 years, blesses me more than I ever say.  And, I am so thankful for the security they gave me throughout my childhood, and the unconditional love they still show me.

4. Pets are simply the best form of entertainment, and something that I love coming home to each day. 

5. Integrity is all you have.  Don’t take it for granted. 
 
6. True friends love you equally on the best day of your life and the worst day of your life.
 
7. It’s necessary to do work you love.
 
8. God is faithful – even when we are faithless.
 
9. Gratitude is essential.
 
10. You must be happy being alone before you can be happy in a relationship.
 
11. You don’t always get what you want.
 
12. You find out who your true friends are when you have to move.
 
13. Honesty is the best policy in relationships. The truth will come out eventually.
 
14. Trust Your Instincts.
 
15. Living a life of excellence, is more important that trying to be perfect. 
 
16. Exercise is crucial.
 
17. Cooking meals from a crock pot is overrated. 
 
18. Rest is more important than you think.
 
19. There are few joys that equal a good book, a good walk, a good hug, or a good friend. All are free.
 
20. A good walk cures most problems. Want to lose weight and get fit? Walk. Want to enjoy life but spend less? Walk. Want to cure stress and clear your head? Walk. Want to meditate and live in the moment? Walk. Having trouble with a life or work problem? Walk, and your head gets clear.

21. It really is better to give than to receive.
 
22. Don’t sit too much. It kills you. Move, dance, run, play.
 
23. The secret to winning friends. It’s not by some sales tactic. It’s simply by giving, serving, and actively listening.

24. Learn the art of empathy. Too often we judge people on too little information. We must try to understand what they do instead, put ourselves in their shoes, start with the assumption that what others do has a good reason if we understand what they’re going through. Life becomes much better if you learn this art.

25. Trust is a hard thing to gain back. Sharing a private situation with someone makes you vulnerable.  Find out that someone shared your private request with others, usually means I will never truly trust that person again.  

26. Eating 2 servings of fruit, 3 servings of veggies, and limiting white carbs makes you feel incredible!
 
27. It’s smart to seek out constructive criticism.
 
28. Spending the first 30 minutes each day alone with the Lord, will completely change your life. 
 
29. Realizing each day that the roof over my head, food in my fridge, clean water in my shower and sink, and job that I love is more than 75% of world ever get to experience.  This reality allows me to put my life into prospective, and know how truly blessed I am.

30. Relax – Doing nothing and simply relaxing is one of the best ways to recharge.  Don’t let the enemy make you feel guilty for relaxing and doing “nothing.”

31. Be Kind, Be Uplifting, Be Sincere, Always Smile, Always Show You Care, Always Show Love – These actions will make you stand out, and will impact the lives of those around you more than you will ever know.
 
32. Trust the Lord, Ask Him for Help when you’re struggling, stop doing it your way, and rest with a peaceful heart in the waiting.  God is in control.  Everything will always work out, and the Lord will always receive the Glory. 





 As I celebrate my 32nd Birthday, I am so excited for what 2012 holds.  I have a GREAT feeling about this year, and excited to where life takes me.



Have a blessed week!!