I had this “30 before 30” list – and while it was well intentioned and actually not THAT ambitious, I utterly failed at completing it… I’d say I landed somewhere in the range of 11-12 things accomplished.
At first I was kind of frustrated with myself. It felt like one more thing that I planned to do but couldn’t or wouldn’t follow through on. But then I got to thinking more and realized that just because I didn’t quite make it through some silly list I created a couple years back, certainly does not mean I should be any less proud of who I am today.
Thus, in an attempt to celebrate all that I’ve learned in my 29.9999999999 years of life on this beautiful planet, I am going to offer 30 nuggets of wisdom that I have been blessed to learn in my less than perfect, but immensely rewarding little life. So, for both myself and for you, here are 30 thoughts…
- Do justly. Love mercy. Walk humbly. ‘Nuff said.
- No one is nearly as concerned about how you look as you are. Get over it. Wake up, get dressed. Stop staring at all your zits and random chin hairs and smile – because that is beauty right there.
- Trust yourself, unless you are only hearing negative things. In that case, trust the people who remind you of your innate goodness. Spend as much time with them as possible.
- Dogs make life better, especially the cuddly ones that let you dress them up in wigs and weird costumes and such. Cats are okay too…but not as great as dogs.
- Read. Read as much and as widely as you can. Books open you to dormant passions hiding beneath the surface, waiting to be discovered and further explored.
- We were crafted in the image of a Creator. We were made to create. So, create. Make things. Be a masterful artist in whatever medium brings you life. Sew. Dance. Write. Make lattes. Fix cars. Heal people. Create. And inspire others to do the same.
- Try something new on a regular basis.
- Play outside. Swing on swings. Walk barefoot in the grass. Blow bubbles. Play.
- Don’t compare yourself to others. Allow others to challenge you to become a better version of yourself. This life is not about becoming someone else. We already have one of them. We need one of YOU. One of me.
- Hang out with kids. They remind you not to take yourself too seriously and they make some ridiculously funny sounds/faces.
- If you want to, get tattoos, but probably don’t get them impulsively and if you’re under 18 talk to your parents first. Your body is art in more ways than one. Take that for what it is.
- Go on spontaneous road trips with people you love.
- Don’t fight for perfection. Fight against it. Fight for creativity, vulnerability, honesty, relationship, realistic expectations, love. Perfectionism is never strength. Seriously. Never.
- Forgive yourself. Daily. Forgive others too.
- When people experience loss, don’t hide from them. They need you. Lean into your own discomfort and hold them. We have this tendency to try to minimize/ignore each other’s pain because it makes US feel better. Bad. Don’t do it. Walk into the sorrow with them and hang out. Even if it feels awkward. Of course respect people’s space and allow them time to be by themselves – but do what you can to make sure they know that they are not alone.
- Eat well. Take the time to prepare meals, eat them slowly, and as often as possible, eat them with good people. Oh, and eat your veggies, they really ARE good for you.
- Take pictures sometimes, but also just experience things without the camera so you can soak it in and have the memory fixed in your mind. If you live deeply you likely won’t need a camera to remember the most important experiences.
- Cry when you need to. The whole idea that crying or emotion implies weakness is just plain wrong. Honor your emotions and mourn or weep or be sad when you need to. Don’t be concerned with how it makes you look. Be attuned to how you feel and explore what is making you feel that way, then process those things in a way that honors your selfhood and allows your community to do the same.
- Dare greatly – check out Brené Brown on this one. Her research is legit. Everyone – EVERYONE – should read her books.
- Eat ice cream from the carton every now and then…but not too often…I’ll let you decide what “too often” means.
- Have hope. Don’t let fear control you. Conquer fear with hope.
- Listen to good music. Heck, listen to bad music. Just Listen to music. And make playlists for life – they help remind you of who you are in certain seasons, or who you aspire to be. And if you have the means, do yourself a favor and go see a Broadway musical.
- Procrastination is a defense mechanism. When you catch yourself procrastinating, pause, tell those internal messages to shut-up, take a deep breath, and carry on. I have lots more to say on this one, if you’re a procrastinator we should talk…
- Be nice. There is no excuse for belittling others. Sometimes people really piss you off, even then, be nice. Through your actions you’ll begin to teach them to do the same.
- Remember that everyone has a bigger story than you will ever know. Cut them (and yourself) some slack. We all were created good, so when you interact with another person, remember that they are just as good as you are. Treat both yourself and the other person as a cherished treasure.
- Arguments happen. Resolve them. Don’t give up on the person or the other side of the argument. That’s not fair. Have hope that they can change, but more importantly listen to them with a willingness yourself to be changed.
- Figure out what your strengths are and allow those to influence how you are in this world.
- Be an advocate for those who do not have a voice, not just with your words, but also with your actions.
- Find your way to commune with God. All things can be done as an act of worship (save for those that harm). Figure out what that looks life for you and do that unceasingly.
- Love.
That’s my spiel. My plan is to spend the next 30+ years perfecting my own ability to live these out, and maybe even come up with 30 or so more… Let’s live well. Together.
Peace.
Claudia Renee Fisher.
shinesobrightly 