27 Lessons

27 lessons from 27 years: yesterday I celebrated my 27th birthday, and I got to thinking... Of all the living I've done in those years, surely there's some lessons in there! So as I lay awake last night I ruminated on what I've learnt and applied over the years and how that's shaped me into the person I am today. It's actually incredible how much life experiences have shaped me when you really stop and think about it! As my sister said to me on the weekend: "how are we so old already!?" The years keep coming and they don't stop coming, so make the most of them!

Here's some of the lessons that came to me when I thought about what life has taught me: 1. Do what makes you happy. 2. It's ok to be different. 3. If you don't show up for yourself, noone else will. Growing up, I was always the "crazy horse girl," so I learnt from a pretty young age that being different and having different interests than other people wasn't a bad thing, it just meant that noone was going to chase my dreams for me, I had to show up and go after them myself! In a world where everyone thought I 'should' go to uni, I applied to Ag College instead, and although I missed out on getting into the horse course, the general Ag course I did instead set me up in the right direction and I still got to break in my first horse and compete in my first campdraft thanks to my first full time station job that I got out of college! 4. Just be yourself, no matter what the situation. 5. Not everyone will like you and that's ok. Don't care what other people think. 6. Stand up for yourself. I remember a time in primary school when I had a so-called 'friend' over on the weekend. My little sister is 6 years younger than me, so we had a little kiddy pool, and since it was a hot day, this friend insisted we go swimming and play in this little pool, which was fine by me. Until we got back to school on Monday and she started telling everyone that I 'made' her go swimming in a baby pool and it was so dumb, etc... I was so bewildered about why she would lie about that, so I just told people the truth: yes, we had a kids pool at home. Yes, we went swimming in it on the weekend. No, I didn't make her do it, she wanted to. No, it wasn't my idea, she wanted to... And in that moment I remember not really caring whether people believed me or not, or thought less of me or not; I knew what had happened, and anyone who wanted to laugh behind my back, well they weren't worth thinking about! 7. Sometimes, parents really do know what's best. 8. Be grateful for what you have, even while working to create more. 9. Every life experience has led you exactly to this point - don't discount any of them. I always tell this story, because it's kind of funny, and it really just goes to show that sometimes parents do know what they're talking about! Growing up, my hubby's family and mine had a fair bit to do with each other over the years, so we've always known each other right through childhood. We were actually born in the same hospital 7 days apart! So I used to always get teased by my family that I would grow up and marry Josh... My response? "No way! I'm never going to marry Josh!!" ... And the rest, as they say, is history! Looking back I always find it so hilarious how against the idea I was... But sometimes things just work out! 10. Be kind. 11. Be patient. 12. Be gracious. Be a good human. Enough said. As I get older, the more I realise that people are fighting battles I know nothing about - even adults I knew through my childhood that seemed to have it all together. At the end of the day, you just don't know what someone else is going through! 13. Spend time in nature everyday. 14. Run, just because you can. 15. Getting another dog is never a bad idea. Ok, maybe that last one is a little controversial! It's funny, how as a kid I always wanted more pets, another dog, another horse, etc... And now, there's noone to say no, so you just... Do it? But seriously? Is there anything better than seeing a bunch of dogs running and playing and running around with them just for the sheer joy of it!? Go outside and spend time with your dogs everyday, it will change your life! 16. Food is meant to be enjoyed. 17. Conscious nourishment doesn't have to be difficult. 18. Your body is beautiful, even if it's not perfect. Ok, so I love food. And I have the biggest sweet tooth. But it can be so easy to fall into the trap of what we 'should' be eating, that we forget to enjoy what's just in front of us! Conscious eating for me is just enjoying what I'm eating and being aware of whether it's fueling my body or not - with no guilt attached. Yes, I still eat fast food! Just when I do, I do it conscious of the fact that it's not giving my body the best option, but sometimes it's the only option (any time after 12pm on a Saturday in my town, if you go looking for somewhere to get lunch, the only places open are the fast food joints!) Being conscious doesn't necessarily mean having to be 'right' or 'good' all the time, it's just about becoming aware! 19. Marriage takes work; but it's worth it. 20. Health takes work; but it's worth it. 21. Life takes work; but it's worth it. Remember as a kid when you just couldn't wait to be a grown up... Yeah, weren't we silly!? Adulting takes work! Being a grown up brings a whole range of responsibilities we didn't have as kids... But it's worth it! The work we put in to maintain our relationships, our health and our lives is so worth it if it results in us living our best life! 22. A clean home is good for your mental health. 23. Fresh air and sunshine is good for your mental health. 24. Not listening to the news, and staying out of the social media scroll hole is good for your mental health. We all have mental health. What do you do to take care of yours?? For me it's the little things: a tidy space, getting outside often, and avoiding negative energy (does anyone else feel so happy at the sight of a clean bathroom, or am I just old!?) 25. You don't have to stay in a situation that makes you unhappy. 26. Sometimes, standing still is more painful than change. 27. Not everyone is happy to see you grow. A couple of years ago, I was SO miserable; I was dragging myself out of bed to go to a job that I no longer enjoyed, I was keeping everyone else around me happy and I felt so stuck and stagnant. It's the reason I started my online business and created my brand Rural Healthstyle - I needed an outlet! Working online was an opportunity for me to do something for myself; to find myself again and grow myself. It allowed me to stay in the financial security of my job while I did this on the side until June this year when I was able to take a step back from a job that no longer made me happy. It allowed me to feel the growing pains, but welcome them in comparison to how I had been feeling while staying still. It has tested many relationships (most notably between me and my husband), because some people want you to stay still with them; they're scared that you will outgrow them. But that's ok, because they have life lessons to learn for themselves too! So here we are ... Older, and maybe wiser? But that's some of the key lessons I've learnt and remembered over the years. Here's to 27 and another year of learning and growing!