Not sure if I’ve mentioned, but I’m turning 40 tomorrow. And I’m fine about it, really I am…
But since it’s such a milestone birthday, and society expects that I may have started to be all mature and wise and sensible and shit, it’s gotten me thinking about all those little life lessons or pearls of wisdom I have picked up along the way. Some is genuine life experience, some is advice I’ve been given by some influential people in my life, some I can’t be completely certain I haven’t read in an Instagram meme. But, in the wise words of Baz Luhrmann, I will dispense this advice now:
- Wear sunscreen
Just kidding! Although sunscreen is pretty important!
- Things will happen whether you worry about them or not
- Period pain never gets any easier
- Practice being in the moment as early as you can, I still haven’t mastered it after 40 years and often think about all the missed ‘moments’ because i was more concerned about what I was having for tea
- Take photos of everything and everyone you love
- Never use the phrase ‘guiltily pleasure’. Don’t feel guilty about anything that brings you joy (unless its illegal of course)
- You can’t have a sensible debate with anyone online without being called fat or likened to Hitler
- There are two things you can control: your input and your attitude
- Mistakes are things you’ve done, not who you are
- When you’re right no one remembers, when you’re wrong no one forgets
- People only ever notice how late you work not how early you start
- It’s ok to have done things in the past you’re not proud of
- However much water you currently drink, drink more
- Ditto sleep
- Never trust someone who says ‘trust me’
- Find a hairdresser you trust and never leave them
- Trust in karma. Whats goes around always comes around. Always
- Its ok to like reality TV and documentaries or the Backstreet Boys and the Beatles. You’re allowed to be a multi faceted person with lots of conflicting interests
- Strangers on the internet don’t know you, their opinions don’t matter
- Eat well for your body, exercise for your mind
- Cheese improves everything
- People see you completely differently to how you see yourself (usually positively!)
- If someone criticises you, notice it, but don’t dwell on it
- If you can go to sleep at night knowing you did what you did with the best intensions, you’re doing a good job
- Ask for help when you need it
- Be the person *you* want to be, not the person you think other people want you to be
- Own your flaws. Self awareness is really attractive
- The optimal wine price point is between £8-£15, anything under is hit or miss, anything over isn’t worth the money
- Never take criticism from someone you wouldn’t take advice from
- An afternoon on the sofa is never wasted if its what you need
- If you have a gut feeling about something, it’s almost always right
- Learn to swim as young as possible
- Stick with languages at school
- Being untidy isn’t the horrific character trait people like to make out it is
- If you do keep only one room tidy, make it your bedroom, it helps with the whole good nights sleep thing
- Watching murder documentaries all day makes you have horrific dreams
- Fill silences with music
- If someone asks for something, its ok to say no
- Take your make up off before you go to bed no matter how tired or drunk you are
- Impressing people shouldn’t be an effort
- Everybody. Everybody love the Backstreet Boys. You were right all along
But trust me, on the sunscreen.
