34 Things I've Learned In 34 Years...

Hooray It’s My Birthday!
 

Today I’m 34 years old & I can’t help but feel significant gratitude for all the incredible people I’ve met throughout my life thus far... Not just the ones that are still here, but for anyone who has touched my life & been part of my journey in some way, shape or form.

I’m deeply grateful for all the memories I’ve created & lived through... Not just the happy ones, but for the challenging ones & times I didn’t think I’d have the strength to push through.

If I have one message to leave you with this year it's to embrace your "weird" and be your truest most authentic self! You'll attract all the right things into your life by simply doing that one thing & you'll wish you started sooner.

34 Things I’ve Learned in 34 Years

1. Everyone was born with an innate gift. Once you discover it & make it the focal point of your life and allow everything else to revolve around it, you’ll experience true fulfillment & happiness.

2. Instead of always trying to be “busy” or “productive”, focus on being purposeful.

3. Empathy is a skill that helps us to better understand people & situations that we have a hard time understanding. 

4. Kindness is not weakness. You can treat people with kindness and still have your own opinion & beliefs. Kindness in my opinion, is a great strength since it can be much more challenging to be kind to unkind people… but remember, they’re the ones that need it the most.

5. People will hate you for being you. Know that this comes from their own insecurities and hatred that they feel towards themselves & the hate they’re projecting onto you has nothing to do with you. 

6. Creating a life you truly love requires a lot of intentional effort & discipline. Things that are good for us aren’t always the most fun in the moment, but are always worth it.

7.Country music always knows how to say it best.

8. Our most valuable currency in this lifetime is our time. Be intentional about who you spend it with.

9. Be picky with your friends. Friendship is a gift & not an obligation. When you find “your people” you’ll know. Pay attention to how you feel after spending time with people, if you feel uplifted and energized you know they’re you’re people. If not, then kindly move on. 

10. Boundaries are essential in every single relationship. You get to decide the extent of your own boundaries & you’re responsible for upholding them. We teach people how to treat us.

11. People are just people. They aren’t intimidating. They aren’t scary. They aren’t perfect. They aren’t without hardships. They aren’t better than you. They are just people, trying to do their best. 

12. You’re never too busy to take care of yourself. Stop pretending like you are. It’s not serving you & life is not a competition for who is the most busy.

13. Haters will always be there to try and bring you down. Their opinion of you is none of your business and is completely irrelevant in the trajectory of your life. Block. Delete. Repeat. 

14. What makes you different is precisely what makes you beautiful.

15. Temptation is all around you. People. Food. Alcohol. It’s your responsibility what you say yes to & allow into your life. 

16. Confidence is not “I’m better than her” It’s “I’m great… And she is too”.

17. Being successful & having money doesn’t automatically make you a “bad” person. Money amplifies the type of person you already are. So if you’re a caring & generous person, you’ll be THAT but with more money. Money is an amazing tool & can help to create massive change in the world. LOVE what money can do & stop being ashamed of it. 

18. Running a business is like… Being chewed up, spit out & booed off stage… or wait, that’s an Eminem song. This is one of my favourite quotes from my book The Million Dollar Bakery.

19. You do not need to start a business to be considered “successful”. Not everyone is meant to be an entrepreneur and believe me, it’s not as glamorous as it sounds. Sometimes finding a job you LOVE and working really hard to move up within the company is the better option.

20. What we aren’t changing in our lives, we are choosing. Everything you complain about in your life can be completely changed when you decide to stop being the victim and start taking control over your life & happiness.

21. Fear is simply a compass to point you in the direction that you need to go in order to grow & live your best life. Stop using fear to hold you back and instead use it to propel you forward.

22. If you practice anything for long enough, you will improve upon it. It’s impossible not to.

23. Determine what your top 3 values are in life and do not ever sway from them or let anyone into your life who does not resemble those qualities. It’s a disaster waiting to happen if you do. I’ll never allow anyone into my world who does not exemplify: integrity, authenticity or kindness.

24. Holding people accountable is not mean or unkind. 

25. Either complain and DO SOMETHING about what you’re complaining about or STFU… Seriously. 

26. Consistency always, always, always trumps intensity. It’s actually the key to achieving anything in your life. Slow & steady wins the race.

27. People pleasing is in essence being two-faced. If you go around trying to please everyone, you’ll end up pleasing no one, and they won’t trust you. More importantly, you’re being inauthentic to yourself. People have more respect for you when you have your own opinion but can also be kind and listen to others’. 

28.  As an introvert, I’d always believed that being around people automatically drained me. While there is truth in that, I’ve found that being around like-minded people actually lifts me up. 

29. Simplicity is so incredibly beautiful. Allow yourself to laser focus on all the small moments and details throughout your day. The sound of your coffee brewing. The sight of raindrops dripping down your windshield. The smell of fresh crisp air when it's cold.

30. Everyone has a story to tell. Share yours with the world, you never know who it will help, impact or inspire.

31. It’s totally ok to not want to have kids. There’s nothing wrong with you.

32. Life is magical, beautiful and a gift… or it’s difficult, miserable and sucks. You get to decide & whatever you decide will be. 

33. A difficult childhood or past trauma does not inevitably mean a lifetime full of suffering and unhappiness. You weren’t in control of what has happened to you, but you’re 100% in control of how you choose to let it affect your future. 

34. Mindset, attitude, kindness, self development, vulnerability & growth is the path to success, happiness & fulfillment. If success, happiness & fulfillment is your ultimate goal, hop on this path today and never, ever evvvvveeeeerrrrrrrr look back. Also, you’ll be in great company on this path because the people on it are the kind who lift each other up along the way. See you there!
 

Thank you for following my journey and supporting my business. I look forward to seeking out inspiration & sharing it with you. I’m so grateful for the extraordinary connections that I’ve formed with so many of you, thank you for your kindness & encouragement.
 

Nothing means more to me!
 

Cheers to 34!