Top Ten Birthday List

By Beckie Carlson

I had another birthday last week, I know....seems like only last year that I did that celebration. My daughter has informed me that I can 'park it' at 36 and no one will be the wiser. I'm going with it. 36 is a nice number...not too old and not too young.

Each year, I like to look back and what I've learned and share that smidgeon of knowledge with the general public. Here you go. My top ten lessons of my....er...36th year of life...again.

10. One is never too old to learn. I started a double master's program this last year and it is amazing to me how much I am learning! I always thought Brad was the smart one. Truth be told, he was just the one 'learning'. Look at me now!

9. People will be whatever you let them be. Treat someone like an idiot and voila, they are an idiot. Treat someone like a world class jerk and they most definitely will be one. Treat someone like they matter, they make a difference, they are valued....and you've created something beautiful.

8. Multi-tasking is not always a good thing. I actually watched a TED video on this. When a person is multi-tasking, their endorphin's go down which results in a feeling/sense of depression. Focus on ONE thing at a time and you feel happier. This explains the general public's feeling of inadequacy.....

7. Being vulnerable will not surely kill you. I am a strong, capable, intelligent woman that doesn't need anybody. Except, when I let down my guard and LET someone help me....it's pretty great. I'm still all those things, but I've share and maybe even strengthened a relationship.

6. Clean houses don't matter. I used to STRESS over my house. Must be clean or no one can come in the door. Must seem like super woman every day. Guess what? It doesn't matter. Let stuff slide now and then and all you do is give yourself room to breathe. 

5. Seeking first to understand is not always easy. This is one of Covey's habits I really try hard with. Maybe it comes from my dear mother, but I tend to take things way too personally. Nine time out of ten, the insult I felt was just someone else not paying attention. People don't usually try to hurt your feelings, they are too busy trying to make themselves not look stupid. 

4. Sleep is good. I know, you all already knew this one, but seriously. I haven't slept much in the last......25 years or so....and I'm just now realizing that sleep can do wonders for just about everything. When they say "sleep on it"...that's good advice!

3. Diversity is a good thing. I know I've beaten this one to death, but it's true. White bread is boring.We need to smear some nutella and jam and sprinkle nuts on there. That's when things get good.

2. Creativity isn't a gift, it's a muscle. When I taught craft classes, I didn't understand why people couldn't just "do it." They were such babies at times, wanting me to 'hold their hand' and it was mind blowing to me. Now that my life is not filled with daily card making, scrapbooking, sewing...etc...I can totally understand. When I try to make a card my brain freezes up and I want to crawl in a hole. My muscles are weak.

1. Pay attention. Life goes by pretty fast. If we don't stop to actually pay attention to what is going on, we miss all the good stuff. Babies laughing, puppy smell, kids saying crazy things, weeds growing, days and weeks and months just passing us by. Stop for a minute and be present.

I'm no genius with revolutionary insight into the world, but I'm glad I can say I learned something this year. What did you learn?

Cause I said so.