Hello lovely people! How have you been? July was a whirlwind and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I was watching a YouTube video and it made me reflect on life things. Here are 10 things I have learnt as I’ve gotten older.
10 Things I Have Learnt as I’ve Gotten Older
Working Hard
There’s nothing wrong with working hard however, working hard doesn’t always yield the results you desire. This is something that was a tough lesson to learn because I used to believe that hard work always paid off. As time has passed by, I’ve realised that you could work hard and end up with nothing. Instead, work smart and get comfortable with things not materialising the way you want. For me, I try to practice non-attachment which helps me immensely.
Grief
Some of you may know that my mother and aunt both died 6 months apart. It’s probably been one of the hardest and toughest lessons for me to grasp. I’ll be honest and say, I’m still not there yet and probably will never be as I continue to breathe. Grief of this magnitude never really leaves you. I’ve simply adjusted and the adjustment is juvenile at best. So if you’re experiencing grief, you will adjust and it won’t overwhelm you too much. Give it time.
Health is Wealth
If the passing of my mother, aunt and many others didn’t wake me up to this lesson, the pandemic certainly did. Life is long as well as it is not. Having your health in order makes it less stressful to get through the challenges that we will face. I suffer with regular migraines and every time I have an attack, it feels like my life is falling apart. I can’t function and I’m locked away in a dark room hoping the medication kicks in and sends it away for good. I’ve missed out on events and opportunities because of it so I do my best to minimise the continuous attacks.
On my Own
You know I’m in the solo traveller camp however, it wasn’t always like this. When I did my first solo trip to Barcelona, I was scared but my desire was stronger than my fear. I do a lot of things on my own and have grown to enjoy my own company. It doesn’t mean I don’t have fun or disklike doing things with others, I do! But balance is the key for me and seeing that I will be with me for the rest of my existence, I may as well get used to doing things on my own. Also, waiting on others meant I missed out on things I really wanted to do. Never again!
Friends and Family
The next thing I’ve learnt is to cherish your friends and family. Call, text, email, send a smoke signal to those that you love. Life is short and we oftentimes take people for granted unintentionally. We think they’ll always be there when in fact, they won’t. Yes, some people may take advantage but that’ll be the minority. If they’re the majority, find your own tribe.
Continuous Learning
My goodness I cannot express how important it is to keep learning. So you’ve left school and hurray! But have you learnt everything in the world? Read, travel, take short courses, Google things and use YouTube like you’re getting your Masters. Tiktok has a wealth of really smart people who are happy to share their expertise all for free! I’ve been able to solo travel through Sicily and get by with my limited Italian. So keep learning.
Taking Care of my Skin
The skin is our largest organ and it does a really good job at protecting us. I’m going to do all I can to look after it and support it whilst it does its job. Yes that does inlcude spf. Quick story! I was on the back of a truck in Zakynthos and forgot to apply spf on my legs because I was wearing jeans. There were holes in my jeans and I ended up with sunburn where the holes were. My legs looked comical and eventually it faded but lesson learned. Protect my skin.
Life Timetables
I’m over 40, divorced, don’t own my own home and childfree. By some standards I’m a failure because of those things. I’m not on anyone’s timetable but my own and I don’t have one. I’m well travelled, a photography career I’m building, have great friends and family and a decent human being who like dogs and cats. Don’t allow anyone else to project their stuff on to your life. Go at your own pace.
Finances
Given the economic climate, I think it’s safe to say that we all need to look at our finances. Having savings is so important in my humble opinion. Diversifying your investments, ensuring you have a pension and not sticking your savings under the mattress is my advice. Or better yet, check out the Money Helper service for free advice. I’ve decided that surviving simply for surviving doesn’t work for me and I want to thrive.
Wellbeing
The final thing I’ve learnt as I’ve gotten older, is to look after my wellbeing. It encompasses more than my physical health but my emotional, mental and spiritual wellbeing. I realise that we human beings are more than just what we see and a multi-prong approach to my health is needed. I meditate, pray, journal, beat a drum sometimes, dance, sleep, get a massage and a lot more to look after my wellbeing. I’m important and so are you.
If you made it this far, high five and thank you! These are the 10 things I’ve learnt as I’ve gotten older, what are yours? Leave me a comment below and I will reply!
Thank you for reading and until next time, be well! x
