Hey all! Today is my birthday!
It’s been a long old time since writing a blog post so I thought I’d do something that isn’t necessarily art related (although there will be art related things in this list!). I won’t be putting them in order of importance, but just in order that they come to me.
This year has been a rather difficult one for me with lots of changes going on which have affected my health (peri-menopause particularly! Curse you, hormones!) which had a direct impact on how creative I’ve been this year. I thought I’d have a wee ponder about life and put down some of the things that I have learned over the years.
I was born in September 1976, so I’ve been around a little while now and I’m one of those people who actually gets quite excited about getting older and wouldn’t ever want to go back to being a teenager or twenty something (except maybe I’d like my physical strength I had then!). Some of these will work as general life advice, some are very specific to me! I hope you enjoy!
- Kindness is magical, it makes life run more smoothly when you spread it about liberally!
- What you love to paint and what art you love to look at might not be the same thing. Paint what you love, what moves you.
- Be patient with yourself .
- Know your strengths and embrace them.
- Be aware of your weaknesses and don’t beat yourself up about them.
- Learn and practice intuitive eating.
- Learn to cook well and you’ll always eat well.
- Perfectionism is a creativity killer.
- Make art for the sake of it, for the joy of it.
- Quality is always preferable to quantity.
- Surround yourself with people who have the same values, loves and passions as you.
- You can’t make art that you’re pleased with all the time, and that’s ok.
- If someone has upset you, let them know immediately, do not let it brew.
- Therapy is completely worth it (go if you can).
- Don’t be afraid of confrontation, communication is vital for healthy relationships.
- Have your meals at regular intervals, don’t skip them, nourish your body.
- Taking yourself on dates is a lot of fun. Go to the cinema, a meal, a walk. It’s lovely.
- Make a yearly plan. Goals, hopes, dreams – everything. Looking back on these each year is very illuminating (that goes for business plans and just general life ones).
- Be kind to yourself (not just others).
- If you feel there’s something not quite right (physical or mental), go and get it checked out, don’t leave it too late.
- Don’t let Dr’s brush you off, you know yourself better than they do.
- Move more (little reminder for myself there!)
- Write down every idea you have, even if you don’t think it’s that good right now, you might find it sparks other ideas at a later date.
- Don’t let anyone belittle your dreams.
- Keep your phone on silent and turn off notifications!
- Develop a hobby or two that is just for the joy of it.
- Your artistic voice has value. You do not have to be a master of your craft to move and inspire people.
- Ask for help when you need it. It’s ok not to be able to do everything on your own.
- Be generous as often as you can.
- Your value is not in how you look.
- Widening your worldview is very important, learn from people who have a different experience of the world.
- Sometimes things don’t work out, you can change your plans. It’s ok to give up.
- Not everyone is going to like you and not everyone will be happy for you.
- Being silly is a gift.
- Don’t let people take advantage of your kindness. Learn to recognise when this is happening.
- Be vulnerable.
- Food doesn’t have any moral value. There is no ‘good’ or ‘bad’ food. Food isn’t ‘naughty’. It’s just food.
- When you’re younger you think that people who are in middle age have suddenly got it all figured out. They haven’t. EVERYONE is winging it.
- Remember what people share online is the tip of an iceberg. It might seem idyllic, but you don’t know the full story. Don’t assume that other people have it easy, even if it looks like it.
- Success comes in many different forms.
- Take your time, the journey truly is what it’s all about, not the destination.
- It’s never to late to learn a new skill.
- Observing animals/pets reminds us to live in the moment.
- Never apologise for being enthusiastic, spread that magic everywhere!
- Take your time.
- People are so caught up and busy in their own lives that they aren’t going to notice that thing you’re worrying about.
Please share your own favourite life lessons below if you have any you’d like to add, I’d love to hear them!
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Happy belated birthday!! Iām with you on not wanting to go back to my teens. Love the 46 notes to self, they resonate with me quite a bit š
Thank you Jenny! I’m so glad they resonate with you too. I could have probably written at least 100 haha!
I still quote # 2 on the regular, thank you so much for that one! A grand list from start to finish. Happy 46th!
Thank you Kristin!!
Three words to live by: It just doesn’t matter that much.
One of my favorites for years. š
Yeah that one is important as we all tend to forget that we are tiny little specs of dust on a big old ball of rock!
Although it isn’t just three words š
Teehee. ššš®
Happy birthday to you! š¶.. you’re exactly 1 week older than me lol what a fogie š… hope you’ve had a great day.
Haha thank you!! X
Happy Birthday Dear Emily! We are the same age and I feel warmed by your reflections…and realize, I’m not alone.
<3. Thank you for sharing!
Thank you!!! X
First of all, a very happy belated birthday to you! Secondly, I think doing this would be a wonderful idea for us all to do every year on our own birthdays. I loved reading through your list. There were many things that I could identify with. I wondered what my additional lessons would be since I’m now 67. Thank you for the smile your list gave me today. It was perfect. š
Thank you so much Jan! X
Iād love to hear yours!
Congrats on the birthday! Very well said, your post!
Thank you!! X
Happy birthday! š Lesson learned, don’t be so afraid to be open to other people and they’ll respond in kind.
Great advice and worth the risk!
Happy Birthday Emily,
Very wise words,
Defo all winging it, sometimes when so much stuff you can not control, it is all we can do, at least that is where I am right now. I’m just waiting for it all to settle and see what the future holds.
Love Yvonne.
Thank youuuu! X