I turned 37 last week while we were on vacation in Europe.  We had the best vacation by the way and I’ll recap soon!  I wanted to write down some thoughts…just some random notes to myself I wanted to remember along the way….xo Becky

1.  The older I get the less STUFF I need or even want for that matter.  After all you can’t take it with you.  Making memories and having experiences is far more valuable than any tangible item.
2. Why is this weight not coming off like it used to?  Like, seriously I eat less now than I did in my twenties yet it’s sticking to me like super strength Gorilla Glue!!!  I always used to roll my eyes when people said that, but it’s so true.  I can’t just shovel anything in my mouth anymore.
3. Looking back on my life I wish we would have had at least one more kid.  I feel like 37 is too old…not sure why…but my body isn’t the same as it was almost 10 years ago.  I would tell my younger self if you are going to have another kid to have one sooner rather than later.  Time flies!
4. I love our house, even thought we still don’t have a kitchen.  Ha!  I can’t wait until it’s finished and I can share the before and after pics!  I feel like we are finally in a comfortable place in life, with a good house, school, location, etc.  It only took like 17 years of marriage to get here…Again I would tell my younger self that, unfortunately, any kind of success doesn’t happen over night.  It takes HARD work.
5. I miss my family, but I love living in another state.  I love my family back home in Arkansas and I go through moments every day where I struggle with missing out on things and feeling not included.  But, I also feel like moving to another state has been freeing.  I’ve learned how to stand on my own and make friends out of nowhere.  It’s given me a grit and a grind I don’t think I would have discovered unless I had been forced to under the circumstances.
6. My husband is my best friend.  No matter what anyone says, or how many arguments you have, marriage takes work.  If you can lay your head down at the end of every day and feel at peace and in love with the person laying next to you….there’s nothing like it.  I feel so blessed God brought Terence into my life.  I never expected it to be so young, or to go through the trials we have, but that just means we have more time together & we are stronger for it.
7. I didn’t learn to like coffee until my mid-twenties.  Shocker…I know!  But I really need to figure out a coffee drink I like without sugar….taking suggestions.
8. It’s not the size of the clothes that matter, it’s how you look and feel in them.
9. Always be nice.  Be sincere.  Be honorable.  People can see straight through almost anything.  Don’t be someone you aren’t…chances are they’ll know anyway.
10. I’ve always had a sarcastic sense of humor.  The older I get, the less I put up with things I used to let slide.  I don’t know if it’s impatience or the fact that I’m tired of caving in…but I am definitely more opinionated these days.
11. Travel.  See the world.  It will open your eyes from the bubble you live in.  A man once said to me “When you are young you have the health to travel, but not the money.  When you are old you have the money to travel, but not the health.”  JUST DO IT.
12. You don’t need a ton of friends, you just need a few REALLY good ones.  I’ve learned that over the years the hard way.   I wear my heart on my sleeve and I want to be everyone’s friend!  Not everyone feels the same way back…so find your people and love them hard.  Make time for each other and lift each other up always.
13. I really wish I would have invested in Google, Amazon, or even Starbucks 20 years ago…LOL!  What do you think the next big company will be?
14. READ.  Reading books is an escape for the soul and mind.  You’ll learn things you never thought you would just by opening a book and escaping reality for a bit.
15. Don’t rush so much.  It’s easy to wake up in the morning and the moment your feet hit the floor it’s GO GO GO!  Try to make a conscious decision to breathe and slow down.  Savor a bite of food or take a little more time on your makeup.
16. Quit comparing yourself to everyone online.  It’s so easy to do, especially since some “online lives” can seem so perfect.  Everyone is always searching for that perfect photo, angle, or unique shot.  I promise you their life isn’t perfect and every photo doesn’t have to be edited to perfection, because I know my life isn’t edited to perfection either.
17. Black truly is the best color ever.  Seriously though…clothing, nails, shoes…you can’t go wrong with a good black!
18. It’s okay to cry.  You don’t have to be tough ALL.THE.TIME.  One of my favorite quotes is: “I don’t cry because I’m weak, I’m crying because I’ve been strong for too long.”
19. COMMUNICATE.  I can’t read your mind and chances are you can’t read mine either.  Say something…do something…it’s not going to fix itself or be known by others unless you make it K-N-O-W-N.
20. Be present.  Stop wishing for the future to happen, or the past to recreate itself.  It’s fun to reminisce about past moments or imagine what life would be like if you won that $200 million dollar PowerBall…but chances are that’s not going to get you anywhere.  Move forward.
21. Eat chocolate.  I promise it’s okay.  It will make you feel better 🙂
22. Take a risk every now and then.  I’m not saying jump off a bridge, but you know just do something out of the normal routine.  Plan a fun date night, do something off the radar, surprise someone with something they would never expect.  You’ll get more joy out of it than they will.  I promise that too!
23. Bitterness will rot your soul.  Don’t sit there and churn over things you can’t change.  Don’t stir up problems you can solve.  Don’t try and change someone who doesn’t want to be changed.  Don’t be bitter about any of this because you have no control over it.
24. Walk down memory lane.  One of my favorite things Terence and I did recently was so silly, but so fun!  We were playing music from our high school days and seeing who could guess the title of each song first.  It was so much fun and we both just laughed and laughed at our guesses.
25. Enjoy the holidays.  Each and every one of them.  Decorate.  String lights.  Make it magical…because from that comes the best memories!
26. Start a blog.  I get so many questions about how to start a blog or why I started one 12 years ago…my answer is JUST DO IT…the words will flow and the rest will come.  I love looking back on my blog and seeing all the stuff I wrote.  It makes me laugh or cringe….I’m not sure! Lol!
27. Take too many photos.  I’ve never heard someone look back on their life and say “I wish I didn’t have that photo!”  Chances are you are going to wish you HAD taken more….so just take out the camera already and capture the moments.
28. Hold Hands.  Kiss.  Show affection.  That’s another thing we often forget to do, but it’s a simple gesture that makes someone feel wanted and loved.
29. Splurge.  Every now and again it’s okay to get something fancy for yourself.  Don’t feel guilty, just do it.  Like I said…you can’t take it with you.
30. Stand by your FAITH.  I know that in your heart of hearts you know what you stand for and believe in.  Don’t let anyone discourage you of your beliefs.  Stand strong and be still and know.  People will respect that confidence more than if you just brush it off in conversation.  I’m a Christian and I am HAPPY to talk to anyone about it who will listen to me 🙂
31. Listen to music.  Change it up too!  Don’t just listen to the same old station you listen to every day.  Music is therapeutic and can also bring back happy memories and joyful thoughts.
32. It’s okay to Netflix binge.  Nobody can judge you because everyone does it…and if you find a good show please share it!
33. Write letters.  I love getting mail!  I don’t know what it is about opening the mailbox and actually getting something meaningful and handwritten.  It’s so special and not many people do that anymore.  It’s okay if you get a hand cramp after the first couple sentences, it take practice!
34. Make mistakes.  Nobody is perfect and mistakes are how you learn to correct yourself.  Also, don’t be too hard on yourself if you do screw up….someone out there probably did something way worse.
35. Speak kind words.  Saying kind things aloud and making your words known to others is good for both parties involved.  Nobody likes a Debbie Downer…mmmmmkay….
36. Sprinkle some glitter into your life.  Glitter and sparkle make me happy!  I don’t know what it is about a little “bling bling”, but it just makes me SMILE 🙂
37. I’m a work in PROGRESS.  I’m not in the beginning…but I’m not at the end either.  I’m still learning and growing every day just like all of you.  LIFE:  It’s not the destination, but the journey.