Last Of The Life Lessons

Here are the last of the lessons I've learned over the years. That's all I’ve got. If you need more, ask someone who is way smarter than me.
31.) Trust your intuition. If you are in a stable place emotionally, then go with your gut. Do you have red flags about a relationship? Keep looking at that. Does a conversation feel crazy? Then it probably is. Should I make that purchase? What does my heart say? (And bank account.) I rely strongly on my intuition, and it has served me well. (If you are hormonal, then disregard what I said. The only gut feeling I have when PMSing is rage.)
32.) Aromatherapy works. I light a mistletoe candle in the winter for a pick-me-up, and a floral-scented one in the summer. Lavender spray on my kids’ pillows makes them sleep better. Chanel #5 reminds Super Hubs of our dating days. Certain scents will lift your mood. Go have fun sniffing at a candle shop!
33.) Try Flylady. (www.flylady.net.) She is my on-line Life Couch for organizing my home, meals, life, etc. I highly recommend this amazing woman! I couldn’t live as fruitfully without her.
34.) Welcome your children’s friends often. It speaks volumes of care to them. I keep frozen snacks and cookie dough on hand, and try to take time to look them in the eyes and ask about their well-being. Some of my kids’ friends come from messed-up families, and I want to be at least one loving person in their life that day.
35.) Have goals. I write down my goals in a notebook and pray over them regularly. What do I want to be doing in 1 year, in 5 years, in 20 years? What do I want my life to look like? I’d rather live purpose-filled then wiling away the hours.
36.) Boundaries are loving. I used to be co-dependent, thinking I owned others’ feelings and needed to fix everything for them. It burned me out and wasn’t healthy for them. Now I know where I end and others begin, and give out of the overflow of my heart.
37.) Pamper yourself. It’s crucial to treat ourselves regularly! I like bubble baths, good books, and gourmet food. Super Hubs likes playing with his toy trains. What’s your pleasure? Love on yourself and you’ll be a more balanced person.
38.) Try Family Read-Alouds. Reading aloud to your children improves their memory, concentration, vocabulary and comprehension. It’s also bonding, as you share the same “friends.” It’s one of the greatest gifts you can give your children.
39.) Seek beauty. Collect art books, buy fresh flowers regularly, take a nature walk, put glass prisms on your windowsill to reflect the light. Expose yourself to beauty daily and thereby care for your soul.
40.) Redeem your past. Rise above, overcome, get healing for past pain in your life. I had a crazy mother, so I work hard to be a healthy, loving mother to my children and some of their friends. What others intended for evil, God can use for good in your future.
41.) Life should be fun. Anyone who knows me well understands that I love to have fun. And clearly, life is not always a bundle of laughs. So choose joy when you can!
42.) Writing is therapy. Somehow on paper, my jumbled thoughts seem to align themselves aright mystically, and allow me to peer into parts of myself that I didn’t know existed. It’s feels eerily vulnerable and yet immensely healing. The morphing is consistently astounding to me. It’s like having free therapy.
43.) Age is just a number. I refuse to act my age, whatever that means. I’ll go into the nursing home wearing a mini-skirt and saying, “Lata gata!” Embrace your age. Be proud of it. Yea me! I’ve survived this many years!
44.) Grow old well with God. I heard this at church recently. I don’t know what that’ll look like for me, as I am still not old yet. (See #43.) But I plan on this.
So there you have it. And now you know my age. I’ll be 44 tomorrow and damn proud!
It's your final shopping day!