Greetings and Salutations,
Well this weekend...Sunday to be exact...I will be celebrating the
35th anniversary of my birth on Earth. So it got me to thinking. 10
years ago I did a newsletter called the "Reflections of a Quarter
Century" where I compiled a list of lessons learned. So it only
makes sense on the eve of the eve of my birthday, I revisit the concept.
But first...
Here's a review of the lessons learned 10 years prior (I will
spare you the entire couple of newsletters where they originated)
1)
To Thine on
self be true- I never
really knew how important this was until recently. You have a lot of
people who claim to know what is best for you. People have opinions on
what school you should attend, what occupation you should have, and even what
person you should be with, but at the end of the day you have to do it for
yourself. (That sounds familiar… former newsletter title?!)
2) You gotta learn to live with regrets- Self-explanatory
(Another former newsletter topic…I know I have great perspective)
3) Only
listen to advice of people who have earn the right to give it- If you do
run into a situation that you need advice, this is a good tip to
remember. Why would you accept advice from people you wouldn't trust
to water your plants?! We all have friends but sometimes you have to
use your own judgment or the judgment of your most trusted people. Anyone
else just won't do!!!
4) A little niceness goes a long way and too much
will kill you- I know from experience this lesson all too well. I
will spare you my tragedies on this newsletter but I will say this, PEOPLE WILL
TAKE YOUR KINDNESS FOR WEAKNESS!!! Sometimes they do it unintentionally
but it still happens. I can't say you need to go out and be a stingy but
you have to have a balance or you will spend years of your life doing so much
for others without even knowing what makes you happy. (Wow, that hit
close to home)
5) Follow your Dreams- I can't stress this
one enough. I see so many times people who just settle. I am here to tell
you, DON'T SETTLE ON ANYTHING!!! Why would you sell yourself short
doubting that you can't do it? A little hard work ain't hurt nobody!
(Excuse the grammar but I am emphasizing a point) I know some of you
people don't even settle for what they give you a fast food place, ("I
want anything but meat and bread cut in half" or "Could you put the
Baja sauce on the lettuce and not on the meat?) so why should you settle in
life?
6) If wearing your heart on your sleeve, it will
get dirty- If I had a dollar for every time someone laughed at something
that I was starting, creating, or just plain out excited about, I could buy
Halle Berry, literally. (Surprisingly I got it the most who was a poster child
for wearing their heart on their sleeve) I will never let anyone's negative
comments stop me. Hateration is always around. They hated on
Einstein, Edison, Dr. King, and shoot even on Jay-z. So any one that
wants to hate, bring it on. I will even invite you to my VH1 Driven show,
so you can hate on me there!!!
Now here's
what I know a decade later (it will be bullet points, I promise)
·
Just because I write lessons on a screen, doesn't mean I learn
them. I'm still struggling on every last
one of those lessons listed above.
·
Depression is a real, real disease. Most people who haven't gone through it just
think you're sad have no idea who to deal with someone who is going through
it. Don’t worry about the people who don’t
get it…focus on you.
·
I used to listen to music to look for the new big thing so I could
tell everybody I Christopher Columbus that (So to speak). Now I listen to what I like and don't give a
rat's ass about what people think about it.
(i.e. Taylor Swift’s Blank Space)
·
Kids truly change your life.
As a parent you decide if it's a positive change or a negative one. I tell people all the time that Brooklyn
saved my life. However I have seen
parents treat kids like an inconvenience.
*shrug*
·
Confidence shouldn't come
from looks or muscles or money. It comes
from within. Yeah...it's cliché but I am just now figuring it out.
·
For 35 years I have been my own worst enemy. I constantly get in my way and have defeated
myself 90% of the time. I am my
nemesis. I should try to be friends with
myself...I'm such an easy person to love.
·
And finally...you never know the impact that you make on someone's
life. It's always the little
things. A simple wave, a friendly smile,
a "I'm just checking on you" text. Life is about the little
things...always remember that...
But those are
just my thoughts...right or wrong...just what I'm feeling at the time!!!!
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