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Over the weekend I quietly celebrated my 42nd birthday. It was lovely. It was full of much contemplation. It included delicious food and wine and the last day of the year brought the sunshine which found me out in my garden preparing for spring.
Over the past 12 months all of our lives experienced unexpected moments, ahas, wonderings, fears, break-throughs and endless other unplanned daily routine shifts and lifestyle adjustments.
Perhaps some of the lessons I share today won’t come as a surprise to you if you follow TSLL blog and podcast and for every lesson I share, if there is a post or episode which explores the idea further, I will be sure to link it for further reader. All in all, much has been learned, much unexpected, and much I am incredibly thankful presented itself and equally am I thankful I chose to try to understand why it said hello in my life.
1.Fresh flowers in the home immediately boost the peace and comfort in the daily routine
~12 Simple Ideas for Beautiful Flowers in the Home
2. Beneficial reassurance can only come from within
3. Gardening is a way of life which elevates life
4. Quality investments made before they are necessary allow for a life of more ease and a stronger foundation when times become rough
5. Reading is one of the best ways to spend time in lockdown: growth never ceases.
6. Quality lamps provide more comfort, better ambiance and a true sense of welcome and warmth.
7. Thinking well is a choice.
8. Thinking well enables you to live well.
9. Quality chocolate and quality butter create a delectable, satiating dessert.
10. Match strikers – style mets function
11. Mental strength is fundamental for a life of true contentment
12. Shedding the layers of ‘should’s from the outside world, identifying them and liberating yourself will simplify your life choices and fundamentally change your life journey for the better.
13. Slowing down as a regular way of life is a better way to live
14. Creating a cosy home, creating a welcoming home is my driving focus.
~34 Ideas for Adding Cosy to Your Everyday
15. Moments of temporary discomfort along the journey as you intentionally change your life are a sign of your old life wanting to draw you back to what it ‘knows’. This is normal, and it will gradually subside. Strive forward toward your new way of life. Life will reward you with deeper contentment.
16. Trust yourself when it comes to your décor. Have patience, seek out expertise and then proceed confidently without seeking approval from the masses. Style over trends.
17. I love crêpes
18. A good cuppa is an everyday necessity
19. Tending to our tasks only and letting go of tending to others is to set yourself free.
20. Being present, engaging with the world as it presents itself to you creates amazing magic.
21. Trust your intuition and be motivated to follow your hopes, not remain where you are because of fear.
~read How Fear Can Be an Opportunity for Amazing Life Changes
Each birthday is the celebration of the year and lessons and gifts from the past, and it is also a gift to have another year commence full of auspicious possibility. Thank you for all of the birthday wishes shared in the comment section on Friday’s This & That post. And may your birthday, wherever it falls on the calendar be as bright and as hope-filled as you dare to allow it. 🙂
SIMILAR POSTS FROM THE ARCHIVES:
15 Life Lessons Learned during my First Year into my 40s, episode #279
Petit Plaisir
~read a review by The New York Times
~learn more about the writer of the adapted screenplay of The Dig – Moira Buiffini.
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The happiest of birthdays to you Shannon. Here’s to another trip around the sun!
Happy birthday!! I whole heartedly agree with your lessons, esp. chocolate…I am on year 51 (jan baby) and have come to pretty much the same conclusions. Oh the things we learn on our journeys! I will be settling in with a good cuppa (it should be embarrassing how excited I become for my first cuppa of the day..) and watching “The Dig.” I am working on letting go of past hurts and moving on from those whom consistently inflict them. This year I want to try things I just assume I will fail at..for example, gardening. I am plant hospice and I just transition them to Jesus. However, this year, I am putting time into studying how to approach it and if I only grow one thing, I will be happy with my efforts!
Happy Birthday Shannon! I hope you had a wonderful day and an even better year.
These are such beautiful lessons Shannon. I will reflect on each one and actively seek to incorporate as many as I can into my own life’s journey. I watched The Dig when you first spoke about it and I feel that your review of it (in your accompanying podcast) was spot on. I found the story, the acting and the writing to be exquisite. Bonne journée!
Happy Birthday, Shannon, and many more!
Thanks for sharing your talents, great insights, book and film recommendations, decor, cooking, and gardening tips with us. I do enjoy it all!
Your insights will be something to ponder this week. Covid has helped me to release a lot of “shoulds!”