When I turned 43 I felt softer, whole, more radiant and embodied than I ever have before.
I felt more at home within myself, with a stronger feeling of grounding and inner peace. Much of the inner war that I fought within myself through my 20s and 30s has subsided. My inner critic is no longer my dominant voice, and my loving inner wisdom has become a strong, consistent presence.
While old patterns still rise within me frequently, I am wise in how to navigate them. I now know that I can consciously choose to pull them out like weeds and replace them with new loving seeds of support.
What I am feeling within me now is a deeper level of love, acceptance, respect and reverence for who I am as a woman and for everything that makes me uniquely me.
None of this feels ego-driven or heady but has simply come from the passing years of living in this body and realising that fighting with myself will never make me whole. I feel grateful for the love that I have been able to create within myself.
So today, I wanted to share with you my 43 life lessons.
Read more: A letter to my 16-year-old self
43 life lessons
1. Starting with a quote: “The woman I was yesterday, introduced me to the woman I am today; which makes me very excited about meeting the woman I will become tomorrow.”
2. Spend time daily on your personal growth, growth is a beautiful thing. Remember; the major key to your better future is YOU.
3. Slow down and turn inwards. It’s OK to just be ♡
4. Discover your core values and live by them.
5. Be clear on your ‘why’. Why are you doing what you are doing? What is the reason?
6. I used to blame everything outside of me for my lack of progress until I found that my problem was inside.
7. Have a daily journaling practice – do a daily brain dump, don’t let thoughts recycle in your head.
8. Practice gratitude every day.
9. This is your life, your life only, and you’re in charge of it – do whatever you need to do to put your mark on it.
10. When in doubt, just listen to your intuition and take the next small step. Small steps lead to big changes.
11. Learn to differentiate between ‘want’ and ‘need’ – VERY IMPORTANT.
12. Simplify your life – Get rid of anything that isn’t useful, clutter weighs you down in many ways – The Art of Simple Living. Choose quality over quantity.
13. Save for things that matter, be mindful of where you spend your money – but when in doubt, remember this; time is not money, time is life (think of the hours of your life you spent earning that money you are about to spend).
14. Life is not just the passing of time. Life is the collection of experiences and their intensity.
15. Practice self-love and self-care daily.
16. Make peace with your past, release and let it go.
17. Don’t compare your life to others. What other people think of you is none of your business – you can’t please everyone!
18. Whatever doesn’t kill you really does make you stronger.
19. It’s never too late to be happy, but it’s up to you and no one else. No one is in charge of your happiness but you. If you’re going to have a rule for happiness, make it this: “Nothing has to happen for me to feel good! I feel good because I’m alive! Life is a gift, and I revel in it.”
20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don’t take no for an answer. Believe in yourself.
21. Burn the gorgeous candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don’t save it for a special occasion. Today is special – it’s all you’ve got! Don’t live your life waiting for tomorrow.
22. Curate your signature style; make-up, scent, hairstyle and jewellery.
23. Over prepare, and then go with the flow.
24. Do at least one thing every day that brings you joy.
25. Time heals almost everything. Give it time.
26. Believe in miracles – life itself is a miracle.
27. Get outside every day – connect with Mother Nature.
28. It is necessary to cultivate the habit of being grateful for every good thing that comes to you and to give thanks continuously. And because all things have contributed to your advancement, you should include all things in your gratitude.
29. Nourish your mind, body and soul
30. The best is yet to come…
31. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
32. Eat like you love yourself.
33. Turn your home/room into your sanctuary.
34. Listen and take care of your body. It’s the only place you have to live in.
35. You have two choices: You can make a living or you can design a life.
36. Reset, readjust, restart, refocus – as many times as you need to.
37. Check-in with yourself every day.
38. The process of transformation may not always be comfortable, but it’s meant to grow us and free us, moving us towards a new life.
39. Take chances, take a lot of them. Because honestly, no matter where you end up, it’s always just the way it should be. Your mistakes make you who you are. You learn and grow with each choice you make. Everything is worth it. Say how you feel, always. Be you, and be okay with it.
40. Be a curator of your life. Slowly cut things out until you’re left only with what you love, with what’s necessary, with what makes you happy.
41. There are always choices. Always.
42. Sometimes it’s the changes we never wanted that changes everything for the better… Trust yourself. You know more than you think you do. You have to fully understand and find peace with where you came from to get where you’re going. It’s never too late or too early to follow your dreams. Remember; life stops for no one – neither should you.
43. Take life one day at a time because every day is a different day with new challenges. When we get too caught up in the busy-ness of the world we lose connection with one another and ourselves. Life has no limitations, except the ones you make.
Find out more about Kiran and her work at: kiransinghuk.com