I am turning 40 this week. Yikes. 40. That sounds old. Time has flown by.

“The bad news is time flies. The good news is you’re the pilot” – Michael Altshuler

I am sharing with you 40 tips, discoveries, ideas, quotes, and other random things I have learned in my 40 years. These have shaped who I am today (still a work in progress of course)

1. Just because I am having a bad day does not give me the right to treat others poorly.
2. Cut the fluff. Aside from a little bit of “zone out” time, if it’s not making me grow, it has to go! (This one is HARD)
3. Being stuck in fast forward is no way to live. Slow down and enjoy the moment.
4. I have yet to meet a person that could not benefit from yoga.
5. Dogs are an absolute gift from God. They are smart, loyal, and loving until their last breath.
6. Sentemental jewelry is the prettiest.
7. A gratitude journal is the single most important habit I have formed in my lifetime.
8. I love the way Sundays “feel”
9. Call me a dork, but I still get excited when I buy new pens, notebooks, and books.
10. Read!! Read!! Read!!
11. Drink a lot of water. Your whole entire body will thank you.
12. The golden rule is the only rule you really need.
13. Growing old is a privilege. I am learning to like the fine lines. It is ok to help yourself age gracefully, but looking fake is way worse than looking old.
14. Be you – everyone else is taken.
15. Eat a well balanced diet and you won’t need to be on a diet.
16. Some of your proudest moments happen outside your comfort zone.
17. If it feels wrong, don’t do it.
18. Even if your impact is small, it is still an impact. “As one person I cannot change the world, but I can change the world of one person.” Paul Shane Spear
19. It is truly more fun to give than receive.
20. Prayer is ALWAYS the answer.
21. Read and study the Bible.
22. Make quality time for the relationships in your life.
23. Don’t waste your God given talents. We are all good at something. Find your thing(s).
24. Birds are beautiful to look at and sound so pretty when you take time to watch and listen.
25. Lazy mornings are rare but precious. Bonus if it is a rainy, lazy morning.
26. The older I get, the less I care what others think about me.
27. Take a girls trip at least once a year, even if it is just for a day.
28. Money doesn’t buy happiness.
29. Being outside in nature is healing.
30. Never underestimate the power of good music.
31. Routines make me happy but so does mixing in some spontaneity once in a while.
32. Stretch every day. I wish I would have stretched more when I was younger.
33. Mentors-find one for yourself and be one for someone else.
34. Don’t just treat your medical issues with medicine. Get to the root of the problem. Ask questions.
35. Unsolicited hugs are the best.
36. Deep breathing is cleansing.
37. Netflix, Amazon, and Podcasts. Enough said.
38. Wear sunscreen.
39. Being a wife and mom are 2 of my favorite titles.
40. Take lots of pictures and videos.