Ten Things Thursday: 10 Things I have learned in my 30's

So I have decided to create a Ten Things Thursday segment ( thanks to Vickie at Aoibheal's Lair for making the graphic!! ) to keep me in the habit of writing, and to distract me from my life lol. They might be all part of a basic theme, or they might be random, depends on what mood I am in that day! For my first post, I am giving you:


Ten Things I have learned in my 30's

1. Moisturize.

Seriously. The older I get, the more my skin feels like a dried up corn husk. Slather on the lotion or coconut oil or something. Just do it. You will thank me later.

2. Think things through.

Having blue hair sounded fun, and if I were still in my 20's it would be okay, but I have realized I worked to damn hard to become a respectable adult, and the fact that strangers look at me with their lip curled bothers me. I much rather be remembered as the chick with awesome red hair than the middle aged chick trying to hold on to her youth. Maybe if I lived in a more progressive city it would not make me feel so out of place, but I live in Backwoods County and I feel awkward.. I do not like being looked upon without the respect I deserve and worked so hard for. So when my roots grow our or the color fades, whichever comes first, I am going back to red, where I belong.

3. Move around. 

This is probably not much of an issue for most people, but if you are mostly sedentary as I am, due to body pain or any other issue, get up and move around. I do not mean that you have to go out there and jump around like Richard Simmons on crack, but take a walk a couple of times a week. You can weigh 120 pounds and still have shitty blood pressure and other issues that a simple walk can help. If you can not walk, do leg and arm lifts while in bed if you are able. I have lost 35 pounds by doing those three simple things.

4. Take time for yourself. 

This is the hardest one for me, and probably a lot of other people. I am a Mom, a wife, a best friend, a daughter, and 47 other things every single day. But if I am going bat shit crazy then I am no good to my family or myself. Take a bath or read a book after the kids are in bed or after a busy day at the office or whatever. Listen to some music. Write, draw, cook, create something, if those are the things that bring you joy. Call a friend. Write a letter. Even if it is ten minutes a day before you collapse in bed for the night, take some time just for you.

5. Laugh at least once daily.

Really. It helps so much. As most of you know, I am bi-polar, and my life is pretty much shit right now, but if I can laugh, everything seems to be a little easier to take. I know it sounds cheesy, but the website Damn You Auto Correct has probably literally saved my life more than once. No matter how low I am feeling, I can go there, and in 5 minutes or less I am sitting there with tears rolling down my face, looking like a mental seal, clapping and beating on my desk, unable to breathe. So a quick dopamine fix can do wonders for you. Not to mention it engages over 15 muscles in the body each time you laugh, so you get a tiny workout while you do it ;)

6. Learn something.

The older I get the more I have to keep on myself about not getting mentally complacent. I do not have the option to go back to school at this time, so it is easy to fall into the " I did my time, I do not need any more life skills, I know enough to live out the rest of my life" mentality, and in my opinion, that is a slow form of death. Keep filling up that brain. Education, even if self taught, is so important in my opinion. In the internet age, there is no reason to just sit around..there is a whole WORLD out there waiting for you to discover it!

7. Sleep.

Ten percent of the population suffer from sleep deprivation, which can cause a host of health issues, from mood swings to an increased risk of heart problems and even diabetes. Sleep is also important for our body to take care of free radicals, which can increase the risk of cancer. Skip Letterman, DVR your favorite late night show, skip guys or girls night out every now and then, and get some shut eye. You need it.

8. Make friends.

I do not mean go out there and be a social butterfly. I mean have one or two really good friends that you can confide in, count on, and share your life with. They do not have to be someone you go party with, but even having someone there who is willing to listen ( or read, if you have an aversion to phones, as I do ) can make all the difference in the world. Even better, be that friend for someone else. You just might save a life.

9. Don't make promises you can't keep. 

We are each as only good as our words. Your word is your bond. Throw in whatever cliche you want, the point is still the same. Never promise anyone anything lightly. You just might be the one thing that can save a person from going under, and because you promised, it gives them hope. If you break that promise, or treat it like it was nothing important, you destroy valuable trust and credibility. Learn how to say no if you must, it is better to be honest and unable to do something than to lie about it or not follow through and shatter someone's hopes and sense of trust. Trust is something very hard to earn and keep. Don't be the person everyone knows they can not rely on. This includes making promises to yourself as well. If you tell yourself that you are going to do it, take all possible measures to ensure that you do it. If you can not rely on yourself, how can anyone else?

10. Love yourself.

The most important one of all is that you have to learn how to love yourself. Flaws and all. You are a human being, and we make mistakes, we screw up, things fail. As long as you are not the type of person who just says and does things lightly, then you can pick yourself back up and try again. You are the best YOU that you can be. No one else can take your place, no one else can be YOU. You have talents and thought processes and emotions that no one else experiences quite like you do. When you screw up, tell yourself " It is OKAY" and try again. When you do something well, be the first person to clap yourself on the back, be your own biggest fan. You are the smartest, kindest, most beautiful YOU. You are worthy of love, and the first person who should give it to you is yourself. Fill yourself up with love, and let it radiate from within you. Everyone will see it, everyone will notice it. It does not matter if you are with someone or single...when you love yourself, you are never alone.