Day 13 of the 30 Days of Gratitude Challenge: A life lesson.

Answer: Okay, I totally cheated on this one. It’s been a long day and today’s prompt was a little deeper than I had the energy to dive. I figured that surely I had something in a past blog post that could give me some inspiration. But I was totally surprised by what I found. Turns out I had actually created a list of life lessons — ones that I had written from experience. No quotes, no attributions — my own words! Who knew?

Given that I still agree with the lessons from my list, I’m stealing these shamelessly from my previous post:

– Don’t be with someone hoping they’ll change. Choose someone you hope never changes.

– “Please” and “thank you” are magic words.

– Listen to understand, not to formulate how to respond.

– You’re the only person who should hear you chew your food.

– In your career, know your worth, but know your place. There’s a fine line between appearing confident and having an inflated or overbearing sense of self-importance.

– A slow, deliberate, deep breath is our body’s reset button. Utilize it often.

– Every problem has a resolution. Some solutions are more comfortable than others, but after all this time, you’re still here. So there’s not been a mistake or problem that you haven’t worked through.

– It’s okay to ask for help. It takes courage to admit that you don’t know something.

– Enjoy your own company,  but don’t withdraw from the world. Friends are important.

– Be your authentic self, not the one you think the world will approve of or like better. Someone needs exactly what you have to offer.

– Weekends are sacred.

And to add a few additional lessons I’ve picked up since then:

– Make your bed every morning. It’s a small way to start the day feeling like you’ve accomplished something. Even if it’s the only thing you do all day, it’s still something.

– Rest has super powers. Allowing yourself time to do so does not require permission or explanation.

– “Unfollow” is one of social media’s greatest self-care tools.

– You can do it! But you know what? You don’t have to do it all. If it’s too heavy, put it down.

– Nothing unites cats and dogs in moments of peace like the prospect of treats. (shown above)