Forty things for Forty

Hey...so I have been thinking lately about what life has taught me so far. Life lessons are a funny thing, because often you think you may have learned something, sorted something out or got a kind of 'take-away' from a situation, only for life to turn around next time and say 'Just kidding, what you learned last time..well that just doesn't apply any more, or at least not right now'. Life is a tricky code to crack. Anyway...here are forty things I have learned so far in my forty years on this crazy rollercoaster. Some are kind of universal , some may not be. I'm sure we all have some in common...and a lot that are unique to journeys. I would love to know what lessons you have learned so far, or what is in your manual to life you are writing as you go, and the mantras you live by. Here are mine.

Hard work pays off : go the distance.
Everyone (and I mean everyone) is winging it. You are not alone in this. Some people just hide it better than others.
Don’t be afraid to shoot for the stars. Is fun to see how far you can go. Throw caution to the wind a little.
What you want may not necessarily be what you need. Not getting what you want may to turn out to be a good thing. The universe has totally got your back. Trust it.
Be prepared to grow: what mattered once may not matter now. We can both out grow and grow into ideas, dreams and people. Don’t hold on just for the sake of it. Don’t resist for the sake of it either. Go with the currents. Life is not supposed to be linear.
Don’t complain about something unless you are willing to do something about it.
Whenever possible, pay it forward.
A rising tide raises all ships: help others reach their goals along the way. Share your knowledge. Compassionate Competition wins every time. We all succeed together.
It is more effective to be to be disciplined than to be motivated.
You are never too old or too young to begin anything
There isn’t much that spending time with the ocean can’t fix.
Do not let perfect get in the way of good
Anger can be useful. When harnessed it can give you strength.
Don’t treat a gift like a burden.
Every day is a brand new, sparkling and exciting new page and a new chance.
It is totally possible to derail your own train. Be careful.
Life is not fair. That is not the point.
What matters is what you intend.
Sometimes you have to start before you are ready
Grief can run faster than you.
You are never going to be completely sorted. Sometimes you forget who you are. Life is about falling over sometimes and getting up always. ‘Fall down seven times, get up eight’.
Be as kind on social media as you would be in person.
Find your tribe. These are the ones who are your cheerleaders when you are rocking it and your support crew when you are not. Reciprocate.
Everyone is struggling. No one’s life is all Instagram Unicorns and Facebook Rainbows.
When dealing with bureaucracy, it is definitely easier to ask for forgiveness than permission
Owning your own business is seriously hard. It’s also seriously worth it (sometimes).
If you want to make sure you do something, write it down.
Look back long enough just to remember where you came from, but not too long or you may trip over in the present.
Some people won’t like you. That is not your problem. As Glennon Doyle Melton says “You will be too much for some people. Those aren’t your people’.
Feminism is not about being a Working Mother or being a Stay at Home Mother. It is not about whether you wear sparkling pink or matt black. It’s about women having the choice to freely do as they choose, with no judgement, always.
Embrace your own brand of chaos. Its ok to be complicated.
Know your worth and honour it.
If you can do it now, and you need to do it, then do it NOW. This applies to doing the dishes, folding washing and changing careers.
Allow yourself to fail sometimes. Do not beat yourself up when you do.
We do not all have to agree to get along.
Give back to your community when you can
Never EVER ask anyone if /when they are planning on having children. You have no idea what struggles they could be going through.
Local is the new black. Shop local as much as you can.
Wool is just better.
Do not be quick to judge. Be quick to listen. Tell your story. Listen to others. Talk Hard, Listen Harder.