Yesterday was my 57th birthday. If you are wondering if life is over in your final quarter, the answer is, heck no! I’m enjoying my late 50’s more than I enjoyed my 30’s! No, I can’t do all the things I once could. I certainly have a physical body that reminds me of my limitations, with great fanfare. But I love what I do. I love my wife. I love my kids, and my grandkids. I live in freedom and peace. So, yeah! Life is good!
Thanks for all of the birthday wishes. I really do appreciate them!
Over the past 57 years I have learned more than I could possibly convey in a BLOG post. Most of them were learned out of failure, fear or frustration. For your sake, I’ve trimmed them down to a list of ten pretty good lessons.
- All of life is a season. Don’t allow yourself to get stuck in a difficult season without looking forward to better days. They are coming your way!
- Very few things that happen in our lives are worth the stress and anxiety that we typically apply to them. Choose to take the high road. You’ll be glad you did.
- When you are wrong, own it. When you acted poorly, say your sorry. When you forget your way, get back to the Divine’s way for you. In short, don’t whine, shuffle blame, or hide behind something else. OWN IT!
- If you want a great friend, be a great friend. Relationships that matter are cultivated. These relationships are more valuable than gold. Treasure them!
- Do your best to laugh and enjoy the day. Humor, especially with others – about you – is humbling and captivating. Don’t take yourself too seriously.
- Start every single day with gratitude. Gratitude is the secret sauce to an awesome marriage, family, career and life. Be grateful – it will make what you already have, more than enough.
- Read more, and then read more. Readers are leaders, and leaders never stop learning. Don’t surrender your ability to lead by surrendering your willingness to learn. Your vocabulary and you mental health will thank you. Read every day.
- Don’t squander your early years on chasing somebody else’s dream. Dig for the dream that the Divine has for you and start today! Yes, He has a plan for you. Plans for you to succeed wildly. Don’t waste a single second chasing anything else.
- When you love somebody, tell them, often. Show them so, in every way. And spend all the time you can with them. As Paul stated, “and the greatest of these is love.” Love is patient and love is kind. These are essential to life. Live your life with wholehearted love!
- Spend time in daily meditation. Listen to the Divine in quietude, read His Word with an eagerness to know Him more, and pray like you are on an open microphone to Heaven. Centering and focusing your life will soften your heart, thicken your skin, and freshen your soul. I’d give anything to relive my 20’s – 40’s with a focused, centered soul.
I really trust that these are an encouragement to you. I’d love for you to let me know your thoughts!
—Chuck
