33 Life Lessons Learned by Age 33

Inspired by a post by Marc and Angel (26 Life Lessons Learned by Age 26), I’ve put together a list of 33 life lessons I have learned so far. This is my own reflection on what has resonated most with me. I’ve no doubt there’s plenty more lessons in the coming years. I’m sharing this list with you so you can take a moment and reflect on your own journey. Thank you to all the special people in my life who’s helped me learn and grow (you know who you are).

1. Maturity isn’t correlated to age.
2. Your uniqueness is your currency, use it wisely.
3. Learn the ‘why’ before the ‘how’.
4. Don’t wait around for opportunities to come your way, make it happen.
5. Sadness is part of the journey.
6. You can only change yourself.
7. It’s cliché but… time really does heal all wounds, but only if you let it.
8. It’s OK if your dreams change.
9. Say what’s on your mind, cause it’s probably written all over your face.
10. The best classroom is the world, so get out of your comfort bubble and travel.
11. Remember to take dance breaks, hula hoop breaks, or whatever you fancy that gets your heart going (*wink wink*) Play everyday.
12. Always listen to your body. If you don’t, one day it WILL break on you. (Learned that the hard way.)
13. Perspective is everything. Try not to sweat the small stuff. Ask yourself: “Will this matter to me in 5 years time?”
14. Happiness is a choice and it’s an inside job. Don’t rely on material things, your work/job title, accomplishments or other people to determine your happiness. Be happy just because you are.
15. That hunch, that inner voice, your instinct, your gut, your heart, whatever you want to call it – LISTEN TO IT. It’s your soul trying to tell you something.
16. Always make time for friends/family. You’ll never regret those times.
17. The greatest truths in life are the truths that you already know within you. Be still and listen. I love yoga because it helps ground me and teaches me to be more self-aware.
18. Place more importance into making memories vs. making money.
19. Soulmate is not a romantic term. He/she is someone who challenges you. I’ll explain in another post.
20. Success is relevant. Know your definition of success, else you’ll be slaving away trying to accomplish someone else’s definition of it.
21. That thing that you’ve been wanting to do… go do it. Life’s too short for ‘next time’.
22. Dogs will teach you more about yourself than you’ll ever know.
23. Time is finite. You only have X amount of time in a day, in a week, in a year, in your life… make sure you are spending it the way you want to spend it.
24. Take lots of photos. Photography teaches you to see the beauty in life.
25. Never let fear cause you to miss an opportunity. Let me digress, I’m scared of heights but I did TreeGo last summer anyway with some friends, and if it’s taught me anything, it’s that I’m much more braver than I think I am. When you’re up 50 feet in the air and you need to get to that next platform, all you can do is focus on that next platform ahead of you, say ‘Fuck it’ and go! So, whatever course in life you’re at, just focus on where you want to go, say ‘Fuck it’ and go. Don’t hesitate. You will never be fully ready to do the things you need to do, you just do it.
26. If you fall, get back up. It doesn’t have to be right away or the next day, we are human after all… Take a moment, eat some ice cream, cry, bitch, go for a walk, do whatever you need to do but make sure you get back up and keep moving forward.
27. There’s no such thing as seeing too many sunsets or sunrises. These are some of the best joys of life, and it’s free!
28. Never underestimate the power of doing small, kind things for others.
29. Diets don’t work. Just stop it. Eat sensibly (the less processed food, the better). Live actively. Moderation is key. Dark chocolate and red wine is supposed to be good for you, right?!
30. Fresh flowers make the best home decor.
31. I used to be the girl that says ‘That’s such a pretty dress… but when would I wear it?’. I had a good friend/roommate in university who gave me a really nice candle for my birthday once. You know, the kind from Chapters, all artisan and nice smelling, the kind you want to stick on your shelf as decoration cause it’s too pretty to be lit. Well, I finally lit it this past year and wished I had lit it the day I got it. Where am I going with this point? Hmmm… Buy the dress. Light the candle. Don’t wait for special occasions to do these things.
32. Sometimes you just have to reinvent the damn wheel.
33. Always make time for yourself. Enjoy your own company.