Inspiration From Cocktails on the Beach to Tea in a Pandemic

On the eve of my 53^rd Birthday I know very well one of the Facebook memories that will pop up tomorrow is a post I made on my 50^th birthday while sitting on the Beach in Puerto Vallarta drinking cocktails … probably one too many, watching a young couple getting married!  How did I know it was one too many?  Well, I took this picture of my feet ….

With the caption of “disabled feet not looking disabled on the beach”!  Ughhhhh

Once my fascination with my feet ended, I became more serious, realizing this was a milestone birthday, I pondered the words of wisdom I would share on this momentous day! Because of course my facebook friends were waiting with bated breath! At least that’s what I told myself while stirring my Lime Margarita!

And so it went (With a few new comments upon reflection) …

1. Don’t throw away the old people in your life. They may get a bit cranky at times, but they’ve earned the right and their life lessons and stories are priceless.  Boy did this take on a whole new importance in 2020!
2. Be kind always. It doesn’t mean you’re weak it means you’re strong! Again, something that became a hot topic in 2020 and one that needs to be extended to yourself!
3. Love your family, you may not always agree with them and sometimes you might not even like them, but always love them!
4. The hardships in life can suck, but they make you who you are!
5. Stop feeling entitled to stuff. No one is!
6. Live for the small things, not the big ones!
7. Be grateful!
8. Try! Sometimes all it takes is one small step forward!
9. Being different is better!
10. Laugh.  Always laugh! But don’t be afraid to have a good cry! It’s healthy!
11. Respect nature it’s done nothing to hurt you!
12. Notice those less fortunate and help them when you can!
13. Don’t do things for a thank you, just do it because its the right thing to do!
14. Tonight look to the stars and remember the loved ones you’ve lost, not in sadness, but with gratitude!!  We had just lost our brother Vern the previous November and the loss was still quite raw!

Tonight, as I sip on my favourite steeped Ginger Lime Tea (yes that’s what 3 years of aging does … you become a thoughtful tea enthusiast!) that I bought from my sister’s, and now my favourite tea shop in Edmonton, I feel I need to at least get this list to an even 20 insights. Here they go! Tea provided by Acquired Taste Tea www.acquiredtastetea.com

1. Don’t wait to determine what legacy you want to leave behind!  As a magnet I have beside my computer screams in big letters, “NOW IS THE RIGHT TIME!”
2. You are never too old to learn!  This year I’ve taken courses with the Soul Center in Singapore and just last week I completed and became certified in Nutrition Coaching!
3. If you wrote a letter to your younger self about the course of your life and how you made it through 2020, what would you say to them?  I’ll be sharing my full letter soon.   
4. Reach out to someone you haven’t heard from in a long time!  My hope is we are already reaching out to people struggling in this pandemic, but I’ve also reconnected with people I just haven’t spoken to in months/years and I have enjoyed the experiences immensely!  I honestly don’t know if I would have reached out if it wasn’t for the change and shift in the way we now interact since the pandemic!
5. Slow Down and Breathe! It’s amazing to me how we’ve become a world where we feel guilty if we aren’t busy. But our minds and bodies were built to Require Time for Rest and Recovery! I also have to remind myself of this, even in “retirement”!
6. When you wake up tomorrow and hopefully going forward, start your day with just one positive thought or more if you can!  After one of my courses where we were challenged to do this everyday, I really have seen an improvement in my energy and quite honestly in the opportunities that are coming my way!  I am in no way saying crap won’t ever happen, it will!  What it has done, however, is frame my perspective and strengthened my ability to focus on leveraging what I can control and letting go of what I can’t!  This morning I started the day with these positive thoughts
   • I will be productive
   • I will be curious and learn 1 new thing
   • I will listen with my ears, eyes and heart
   • I will eat comfort food and not feel guilty
   • I will be positive

And now as a gift to my sisters who at times think my blogs are a little bit lengthy lol, I will stop here and switch up this teacup for a scotch glass!  Come on!  You knew that was gonna happen!  Cheers everyone!

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