Countdowns....

I can honestly say that this is probably the first year in a long time where I have not counted down the days until my birthday. (It's on the 9th.......) I'm usually super excited and have a laundry list of plans laid out in anticipation of the day. But, this year has been a lot.......

So instead of counting down the days until, I'm counting down some of the lessons & things I've learned over these last 33 soon to be 34 years....

34. Don't be afraid to say no. A lot of times I did things just because I was too scared to say no. What I've learned is, your friends won't mind as there is always a next time. And anyone who gets  mad at you for not wanting to do something probably is selfish and doesn't care as much about you as they should anyway. 

33. Bend but don't break. Piggy backing off the no, if you have to do something, at least be brave enough to do it on your own terms or at least compromise. 

32. Don't be afraid to buy something that you want every once in a while. 

31. Don't be afraid to try new things. Foods included. Had it not been from some convincing from a friend I would have never known the joy of Southwestern Eggrolls from Chili's. I'm still working on trying out sushi...

30. It's okay to be selfish every once in awhile. 

29. And if you choose to be selfish, make sure it's for a good reason. 

28. It's also okay to put your needs first. 

27. But, if you do decide to put you first, make sure it's not at anyone's detriment. 

26. Smile. 

25.  It's okay to cry. 

24. Don't compare yourself to others. 

23. Jealously is not acceptable in any situation because you never know the behind the scenes on any story. 

22. Everyone is not meant to be in your life forever. 

21. Season or a reason, is probably the most real advice ever. Period. 

20. Change is inevitable. Accept it. 

19.  Love doesn't hurt. In any form or fashion. 

18. If somebody is holding you down and stopping you from reaching your full potential, they probably don't belong in your life. 

17. Don't date just for fun. You want to be married, so don't waste your time on men who tell you up front they don't believe in marriage. 

16. If somebody cheats once, twice, fifteen times, stop forgiving them and move the hell on. 

15. Mother usually knows best, but not all the time. 

14. Some experiences are yours alone, and are not meant to be shared. 

13. Vibes never lie. 

12. Trust your instinct. 

11. Don't believe every thing you read, see or hear. 

10. Protect your heart. It's one of your most prized possessions and everyone doesn't deserve a chance to experience it. 

9. Be selective on who you give yourself to. Everybody doesn't deserve to experience that aspect of you either. 

8. It's okay to make them wait. 

7. And if you don't feel like waiting, then.....

6. Hard work does pay off. 

5. Risking it all every now and then isn't always a bad thing. 

4. Save something for a rainy day. Budget is important. 

3. Stop second guessing yourself. You know more than you think. 

2. Don't wallow in your pain. Although I'm still working on this one. You would think the proof would be in the pudding. But I digress. 

I think the most important lesson I've learned is:

1. Give people their flowers while they're here. Losing my grandmother the day BEFORE her birthday definitely changed my perspective on life and living. Not a day is promised. Not even your birthday. Even dealing with the issues with my father. I can only hope the I Love You's and positive memories are stored deep down inside in a place that disease can't touch. You have to let people know how you feel about them in the now. You have to live in the present and enjoy every moment you can because life is not for forever. Nothing is.