This April I turned 30. I celebrated by traveling throughout Southern California with my family and friends. Thanks everyone who was involved, especially my lovely wife who organized and made everything amazing! Just one quick picture with some of the folks involved in Big Bear :)
Whenever I go to a birthday party for a close friend, I make a point of asking them if they have any special wisdom to share on their birthday. Usually I get a funny or flip answer, but occasionally people have spent some time reflecting on their last year and give me something interesting. I feel that it’s only fair that I reciprocate with this blog post and discuss a little of what I’ve found to be important over the years.
Three ideas I’ve been reflecting on recently:
- You make your own happiness. It’s ultimately up to you to choose to be happy with your circumstances no matter what bad things may happen along the way. You’re the one who has to live with the consequences, so take ownership of your own joy.
- Say yes more often. When someone describes something new and interesting and you’re interested, speak up. There’s no better time than the present to start something new. The downsides of failure are often obvious but the side effects of success are often not.
- Remember to enjoy the basics. Family, friends, hugs, the feeling of sunshine and the wind on your face, the smell of cheddar cheese: whatever does it for you. What’s the point of earning money or advancing in your career if you can’t live at all?
Okay, so these are all bit cheesy (get it, I mentioned cheddar cheese!) and Chicken Soup for the Soul-y, but honestly, I’ve found that these ideas have helped me make decisions about what I should be doing over and over again through the years.
Let me know what ideas you think I should focus on the for the next ten years :).