27

today i turn 27 and i wanted to put these thoughts together just because. i’ve seen people write “XX lessons at XX age” usually on their 21st, 25th or their 30th or 50th birthday. well, 27 isn’t an even number or a “milestone” year, but i suppose that’s all arbitrary anyway…

below are some valuable lessons from my 27 revolutions around the sun. these are things that i am working on. they’re a reminder to myself (as much of what i write here is…)

1. listen to the tone you use when speaking, especially to those you love. you may mean one thing, but they take it completely different because of the way you said it.
2. don’t assume people don’t care. just because they don’t show it the way you want them to show it, doesn’t mean they don’t care.
3. focus on being a better you.
4. not everyone is as dumb as you may think they are. be humble.
5. not everyone is as smart as you may think they are. have patience.
6. people have varying values that motivate them. don’t assume it’s always money that will motivate them. 
7. mental and physical health are the most important aspects of your life. take both seriously. 
8. if you’re focused on impressing others, you’ve got your priorities mixed up. 
9. nothing feels better than proving to yourself that you can do it.
10. don’t stop learning. learning doesn’t just take a hard stop when you graduate from high school or college. it’s at that point that learning is just beginning, on your time, the way you want, the subject matter you want and with who you want. 
11. don’t spread yourself thin.
12. remain steadfast in pursuing your mission. 
13. time off is good. that doesn’t mean it has to be a week-long vacation. you can take ‘time off’ in a 2 hour time slot or even a 5 minute one.
14. when anxiety creeps in, dismiss it quickly. 
15. make it count. every passing second is a second you will not get back. 
16. be yourself. if you don’t accept who you are, then make the changes necessary to be who you want to be.
17. lose phrases like “i was going to…” figure out, why didn’t you…?
18. use words like ‘always’ and ‘never’ sparingly. not many things are that finite.
19. no one can take away your peace of mind unless you let them.
20. discipline is the driver of execution. 
21. don’t waste energy being mean. if someone is bothering you, just ignore them and move on.
22. stay true to what you believe in.
23. be precise in your speech. speak clearly and effectively. say only what you mean.
24. strive to always be positive. don’t underestimate the power of a positive mental attitude.
25. find a healthy stress-relief outlet and maximize the use of it. you may be surprised at how good it will make you feel.
26. listen more.
27. the greatest gift (life) has an unknown expiration. spend your time the way you want.

edit: 11/23/2021 (29 today)

i added the following thoughts: ‘these are things that i am working on. they’re a reminder to myself (as much of what i write here is…)’