Lessons from My First 50

Being 50 should bring with it wisdom.  I would like to share some key lessons I have learned along the way. Here are 50 thoughts on 50 years:

1. Faith is a relationship, not a practice.
2. Trust in the Lord with ALL your heart and lean NOT to your own understanding~ Proverbs 3:5-6.
3. No mother should bury a child!
4. I can cry when I feel like crying-Darn it!
5. I matter.
6. Watch out for grown women who act like Mean Girls.
7. Your Daughter will model who you are and become a carbon copy.
8. Confidants are a rare find.
9. Beware of people who believe that their lives are somehow more important than yours.
10. Be careful what you say about other people's situations.  You may find yourself in the same space one day.
11. Journal Daily....it relieves tension!
12. The First half of life is to figure out who the heck you are.
13. NEVER, and I do mean NEVER make someone a priority that makes you an option!!
14. Don't give parties for anyone other than your husband.
15. Pay attention to the red flags when they wave.  YOU ARE NOT BLIND!!
16. When someone shows you who they are the FIRST time, BELIEVE THEM! ~ Oprah and Dr. Maya Angelou.
17. Hot Flashes Happen!
18. Age does not make you beautiful-Your spirit does.
19. Age does not make you ugly-Your spirit does.
20. Leave something to the imagination.
21. Be a mystery to a man and he'll respect you more.
22. Passive Aggressive people make me itch!
23. Don't allow the labels of other people to stick.
24. Rolling up in a velour blanket on the couch, watching Sex and the City re-runs is Self-care.
25. An unexamined life is not worth living~ Socrates.
26. IF you want what I have, do what I did to get it!
27. Should another persons behavior bother you...question yourself.
28. Beauty is skin Deep!  Ugly is to the marrow!
29. Depression is typical...pay attention to it.
30. Stress will kill you!
31. Sometimes it's good to simply STOP!
32. If I knew that being a Grandmother was so great, I would have had them before I had kids!
33. Get over yourself quickly!
34. Get over other people quickly.
35. It's okay to be philosophical if there is something in your head.
36. Don't just hang on-Zip line!
37. READ! READ!
38. Don't spend money on people who do not appreciate your presence.
39. There are some people who believe that they are entitled-They are delusional.
40. Don't "Dumb Down" to make someone else feel intelligent.
41. If you can get over me in ten minutes, I can return the favor.
42. Take a break between relationships--Pause!
43. Psychotherapy does not mean you are crazy!
44. Preachers belong in pulpits, not on pedestals.
45. Becoming the change you want to see isn't easy!
46. I am okay on my OWN.
47. Fifty and Beyond is fabulous!
48. If acceptance is a key factor of losing yourself....ditch acceptance.
49. Take a deep cleansing breath several times per day.
50. Learning to LET GO is not as easy as it sounds...but keep trying.