Lifestyle

10 Things I Learned 5 Years Later

One Teaspoon Laddered Whiskey Sweater

I started this blog shortly before I turned 30, and to mark my milestone birthday, I wrote a list of mantras / Ten Things I Learned this past decade. Today I turn 35, and I thought it would be fun to take a look back at what I wrote. I was so shocked that everything I wrote still resonates with me today, even though my life has changed dramatically in the last 5 years. When I wrote this, I was living with Bryan and our dog Bella in a rental apartment in Manhattan and launching this site. Since then, we had two baby boys, bought our first house in Greenwich, and we are about to welcome our third child and become a family of 6. That just goes to show that #3 is true AF. In fact, there are 3 things below that I believe even more wholeheartedly half a decade later. I was also struck by the fact that exactly 5 years ago, I was getting ready to donate my hair to charity, and I am preparing to do the same this year. Life is nothing if not cyclical I guess. For posterity, here is the original list (which I actually would not change today):

  1. It’s been said more than a million times that you can’t choose your family. But the truth is, your family chooses you. They are the people around you, blood or not, who have stuck by your side through the good, the bad and the ugly.
  2. Care less about what people think, and always remember when you get anxious that no one else pays as much attention to your faults as you do. Unless of course you have a crazy sick stalker. If that is the case, call 911.
  3. Don’t concern yourself with “milestones.” Rich, right? Coming from me on my birthday. Anyway, if people around you are getting promoted, getting married, and having babies or curing diseases or saving orphans and you’re not, don’t sweat it. Be happy for them if they are happy. Don’t measure your happiness against what other people are doing. Please.
  4. If you are truly happy and your friend is not happy for you, they are not your friend. Within reason of course. If you run off with a meth addicted drummer after knowing him or her for two weeks and this friend questions your choices, he or she is probably your friend.
  5. Be a good listener, and a good observer. Take the time to really listen and see how people’s words turn to action, and think about what you really want to say and do before speaking and acting. Even if it takes a while.
  6. If you are not happy with what you are doing, change it. You are the only person in charge of your life and in case you haven’t heard, you live once.
  7. If you are passionate about something, make time for it. Whether you start a meetup group, a blog, bake croissants, or volunteer your time or paint on a canvas, knit or sew, always feed that fire.
  8. If you don’t wear SPF on your face and exposed skin every day, start now.
  9. Take a walk every day. You’ll get exercise and do your best thinking.
  10. Wear what makes you happy and take what you like from trends but don’t be a slave to any of them. The best personal style is your own.

Thank you for reading!

xo BB

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