Tomorrow I turn 50 and I realize I have more years behind me than I have in front of me. 🙏These are some life lessons I’ve learned, some I borrowed from other people and some I figured out my own, but these are the ones that have stood out to me over the years… the ones I try my best to remember every day and have made the biggest impact on me:

1️⃣ Sometimes it’s better to be kind than to be right. This is a hard one but I’ve learned that losing a relationship you care about is not worth making your point.

2️⃣ The greatest lessons I’ve ever learned in life were taught by Jesus Christ. Whether or not you are a believer is irrelevant, HIS lessons are life-changing.

3️⃣ Your life partner is the most important choice you will ever make, choose wisely. I would not be where I am today had I not made the wise decision to marry Steven.

4️⃣ Raise your kids well now so you don’t have to raise them later. Better to raise them while they are children so you are not taking care of them while they are adults.

5️⃣ It’s better to be alone than in bad company. Better to enjoy the peacefulness of your own company than share it with someone who ruins it.

6️⃣ Keep your network wide but your circle tight. Networking is important in so many aspects of life but that doesn’t mean you allow everyone close to you. This was a big lesson for me.

7️⃣ Love the people that love you. Look around and notice the people who truly make an effort to be in and stay in your life. Those who truly love and want what’s best for you. Take care of them.

8️⃣ Not everybody deserves your time, energy, or attention. Don’t waste your time explaining, pining, or figuring out people that don’t make sense to you. In the end, you may just realize that what you figured out was not worth the effort or time.

9️⃣ Some things are not that deep, relax. Everything doesn't have to be analyzed or dissected. As they say, paralysis through analysis.

1️⃣0️⃣ Sometimes the best response is no response. See #8. Not worth the effort.

1️⃣1️⃣ It’s better to believe in something than to believe in nothing. In other words, stand for something or fall for anything.

1️⃣2️⃣ The most well-intentioned advice you will ever receive will usually come from your parents. Your parents typically only want what’s best for you with no ulterior motives. They may not give the best advice, but it’s likely the most well-intentioned and in your best interest.

1️⃣3️⃣ Start with yes, you can always change your mind. Once you close the door with no, it’s closed.

1️⃣4️⃣ You can always find something nice to say about someone, you can always find something not so nice to say about someone, choose the first option. No one is perfect. Try to find the positive. Hopefully, they do the same.

1️⃣5️⃣ I already have everything I need. After our house fire, there was very little I grabbed. There was not very much I really wanted that badly except my family… and my contact lenses.

1️⃣6️⃣ Don't give things more power than they deserve. This one is hard to explain but using gossip as an example, when you repeat gossip you give it more power than it deserves and it’s unhealthy, not to mention a waste of time. Another example, someone told me that our triangle logo for CYRx MD was a sign of pedophilia. I’m pretty sure that depraved population doesn’t have jurisdiction over the shape, unless you want to give them that. So dumb. Don’t breathe life into nonsense. Don’t empower stupidity.

1️⃣7️⃣ Do not seek to be successful, seek to be purposeful, success will come. Find purpose in your work. Enjoy it. Success will follow.

1️⃣8️⃣ The best thing I can do for myself daily is to be productive - an idle mind is the devil’s playground. Stay busy, have goals, keep your mind productive. The time is going to pass regardless, you may as well use it well.

1️⃣9️⃣ Finding your purpose in life is key to leading a self-satisfying life. In other words, figure out what your gifts are and use your gifts to help others

2️⃣0️⃣ Don’t rob someone of a blessing. Allow people to bless you. It will probably mean more to them than it does to you. Just say thank you and pay it forward.

2️⃣1️⃣ The closer you can bridge the gap between who you are and who you want to be, the stronger your self-esteem will be. Psychology 101.

2️⃣2️⃣ Don’t make other people’s issues your issues. People have issues, but "you" don’t have to own their issues.

2️⃣3️⃣ A lot of times, it has nothing to do with you, don’t take it personally. You never know what battles someone is dealing with privately.

2️⃣4️⃣ When people show you who they are, believe them. Pay attention to people’s character, not necessarily their behavior. Although the two should be consistent, it’s the inconsistencies that are telling.

2️⃣5️⃣ Being alone does not mean you are lonely. Value your own company or how do you expect anyone else to?

2️⃣6️⃣ Learn to be comfortable in your own skin. Embrace your uniqueness and idiosyncrasies. Those are the things that make you who you are. I’ve always strayed away from the crowd. I’ve always felt if I were doing what everyone else was, I would end up like everyone else.

2️⃣7️⃣ The best way to teach your faith is to live it. I once heard a speaker say, if people can’t see Jesus in you why would they want to know Him?

2️⃣8️⃣ You will never argue anyone into believing in what you believe in. I have yet to have an argument that ended with “you’re right, I change my mind” (unless it was my husband trying to placate me). Arguing typically just polarizes people, it does not convince them.

2️⃣9️⃣ People will treat you how you allow them to treat you. People can’t treat you poorly if you don’t stick around after the first time.

3️⃣0️⃣ Don’t look for someone to complete you, look for someone to compliment you. Relationships should enhance your life but you have to be a complete person independent of them too. It’s no one's job to complete you.

3️⃣1️⃣ Love is a noun and an action verb. It requires action, not just words.

3️⃣2️⃣ Yes, people are always saying that happiness is a choice and you can choose to be happy. Yes, it is and so is faithfulness, loyalty, and fidelity. The difference is happiness is about you and the other words are how you engage with others. I’ve been married for 22 years. We choose to be faithful and loyal to each other. If we choose only to do what made us happy individually, maybe it wouldn’t have lasted this long. Yes, choose happiness but not at the expense of others.

3️⃣3️⃣ Other people’s success does not take away from my own.

3️⃣4️⃣ The secret to success is to not give up. Fall down seven times, get up eight.

3️⃣5️⃣ Forgiveness is for yourself, not necessarily the other person. It’s about freeing you from the weight of anger. Forgiveness does not mean you enter into a relationship again, simply that you don’t hold a grudge that can be toxic for you.

3️⃣6️⃣ Friendship should positively enhance your life, not burden it. If you are constantly weighed down by feelings of negativity about a relationship, it’s probably time to move on.

3️⃣7️⃣ Hurt people, hurt people. It’s hard to feel compassion for people that hurt you, but chances are they were hurt too. It’s not an excuse, but it is a reason.

3️⃣8️⃣ There’s a difference between being human and a human being. I’m pretty sure Steve Jobs wrote this. I love it.

3️⃣9️⃣ Everyone you meet has something they can teach you. This is so true. Even if you’re learning what not to do from them.

4️⃣0️⃣ You don’t always have to be center stage, sometimes you are just playing a part in another person’s story.

4️⃣1️⃣ If you don’t ask the question the answer will always be no. You have to at least try. You just never know.

4️⃣2️⃣ You can’t listen and talk at the same time.

4️⃣3️⃣ It’s hard to be a true friend to anyone when you are trying to be a friend to everyone.

4️⃣4️⃣ You will never regret having more children. There truly is no greater joy.

4️⃣5️⃣ Try to find the reason or lesson in everything that happens, good or bad.

4️⃣6️⃣ When you spend quality time with a friend, the goal should be that they feel better leaving that interaction than when they came.

4️⃣7️⃣ Whether you get paid or not, education is never a waste of time. You may not feel like you’re “using” your education but you ARE using your education and it will be evident, or not, every time you open your mouth.

4️⃣8️⃣ Be your spouses’ biggest cheerleader. From the time we were first married we agreed to support each other and never tear each other down. If we argue, we stick to the issues and avoid insults at all costs.

4️⃣9️⃣ Tell your kids the truth about the world - better they hear it from you. We don’t sugarcoat things. If you don’t teach them, someone else will.

5️⃣0️⃣ The world is full of good people, if you can’t find one, be one. Amen. It all starts with you. ❤️ This one is from Mother Teresa. 🙏

Cheers 🥂