40 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW BY 40
Fuck me, I’m 40.
I’ve made it this far. Awesome. So, what have I learned in my 40 years?
What pearls of wisdom have I unearthed? …dug out with bleeding fingernails from the harsh and unforgiving reality of life on planet earth?
Well, here goes…
40 Years, huh?Not an insubstantial amount of time. Must have picked up a few hard-earned nuggets of wisdom in all those years…
But what has been the most important lesson? The one shining example that out-shines all others and could even, maybe, (just maybe), help someone else on their journey?
OK, here goes…
Enjoy the ride. Don’t take life too seriously. Love your family. Be thankful for your many blessings. Ignore the naysayers. Know your own value (it is far greater than you may realise) and live life on your own terms. Don’t waste your life chasing other people’s dreams… and don’t wait for other people to give you permission to be the best you can be. Get out of bed and take it for yourself. Stop caring what others think of you. It is your own insecurity and doubt that hold you back. And know, with unswerving certainty, that one day you will die, and everything you’ve done and everything you stood for, and everything you’re still yet to do, will be gone. You only get one life. Live it well.
What? That was more than one thing? Sue me!
(Only joking… Don’t sue me. Please).
OK, so instead of attempting to answer “The Meaning of Life” in one single statement, I thought it might be fun to list a countdown of some of the best things I’ve learnt in my 40 years on planet earth. 40 lessons for 40 years.
Right then… Here goes…!
(in no particular order)
“drum roll”…
40 Things You Need To Know By The Time You’re 40
40. Don’t chase other people’s dreams.
39. Embrace Fear.
38. The unknown is not always worse than the known.
37. Listening is almost always better than speaking.
36. Nothing is unobtainable.
35. Dream big dreams.
34. Look after your health.
33. You will never know everything.
32. You are MUCH better than you realise.
31. There is no substitute for hard work.
30. Family really are worth the trouble. Make the effort. You will be rewarded tenfold.
29. Happiness is never found at the bottom of a bottle.
28. Hangovers are guaranteed.
27. Too much of anything is bad for you.
26. Respect yourself.
25. Know your value.
24. Everyone is good at something.
23. There will always be someone who is better than you. Don’t let it hold you back.
22. Never look back. Seriously.
21. Few things are worse for you than lack of sleep. Rest well.
20. Exercise is not a punishment. It is a gift that should be enjoyed frequently.
19. Go outside. Get some air.
18. Sex is not a dirty word (unless you want it to be!)…
17. If you are lucky enough to procreate, you have already won life’s lottery.
16. Be thankful.
15. When you start seeing your worth, you’ll find it harder to stay around people who don’t.
14. Never say never.
13. Don’t forget to have fun!
12. Success is waiting for you to get off your arse and come get it.
11. Happiness is not your right. You have to work at it.
10. Stop letting it bother you. Just let it go.
9. Not everyone is going to love you.
8. It’s never too late to shut the fuck up and mind your own business.
7. Before you spend, earn.
6. Before you quit, try.
5. Doing up your shoelaces gets harder with age.
4. Travel.
3. Excuses will always be there for you. Opportunities may not.
2. You only get one go. Make it count.
1. Everything will be ok.
Thanks for making it this far down the page! Hey, I’m no prophet. Just writing a post with 40 things for my 40th birthday. Don’t agree with any of the above? Great! Tell me why in the comments below. Have something to add? Likewise, scrolldown, be brave, and post something!
Thanks for reading!
(photo credit: Steve Carell getting waxed(!) in The 40 Year Old Virgin from Universal Pictures)
