55 years, zero tolerance for nonsense. Here are some life lessons on self-love, boundaries, and protecting your peace — with a little sass.
I’m turning 55 tomorrow, and if there’s one thing life’s taught me, it’s to stop tolerating nonsense and start living unapologetically.
Here are a few hard-earned lessons with zero filters (and honestly, it took me way too long to figure some of this out).
#1. A strong sense of purpose will get you through just about anything.
Even if your only purpose today is making it to bedtime without throat-punching somebody.
Purpose doesn’t have to be world-changing. Sometimes, it’s just showing up for your kids, your fur-babies, or yourself.
And that’s more than enough.
#2. Stop caring what other people think.
Seriously. Most people are too busy obsessing over themselves to care about you.
And the few who are thinking about you?
They’re probably just mad that you remind them of what they wish they could be.
Clap for your damn self.
“Not caring what people think and feel about you is true freedom.”
#3. Help people, but don’t be an emotional landfill.
It’s not your job to carry other people’s baggage while they skip off light as a feather.
Protect your peace like it’s the last piece of chocolate cake at a family gathering.
Guard it with your life.
#4. Not everyone is your friend.
Some people smile in your face and roll their eyes the second you turn around.
If they don’t clap when you win, cut them off like split ends.
Energy vampires, seat-fillers, fake supporters — I see you. Bye.
“When people betray you, be grateful. They’re doing you a favor by telling you who they are.”
#5. Jealousy has no seat at my table.
I don’t care if we share blood, a last name, or a mutual Netflix password.
If you don’t speak well of me when I’m not in the room, you don’t belong in my life.
Period.
Grown folks should know how to act, and if you don’t, audition for someone else’s life.
If your envy shows, you go.
“People who harbor jealousy or envy don’t belong in your life.”
#6. Trust your gut.
That little voice inside you? It’s not paranoid, dramatic, or “doing too much.”
It’s trying to save your life. Listen.
“Your intuition is your Spidey sense. Never second guess it.”
#7. Stop trying to fix, heal, or rescue people.
You are not Jesus, Oprah, or Home Depot.
You can love people without sacrificing your mental health or making their chaos your job.
Be the example, not the martyr.
“Don’t get in the way of people’s karma. It was sent to help them learn certain lessons.”
#8. Less is more.
I don’t need a house full of stuff, a phone full of contacts I don’t talk to, or a calendar packed with things I don’t even like doing.
Simplify. Breathe.
Let quiet be a flex.
#9. Cherish your time with your kids and fur babies.
The ordinary days, the lazy afternoons, the goofy moments — those are the ones you’ll wish you could get back.
Don’t miss them chasing things that don’t matter.
#10. Self-love is discipline, not indulgence.
It’s not just bubble baths and $8 lattes (though those are nice, too).
It’s drinking your water, setting boundaries, cutting off toxic people mid-sentence, and loving yourself enough to call yourself out when you’re slacking.
“There’s no magic pill for self-love. Like anything good, it takes work and commitment.”
#11. Be independent.
Have a curious mind. Question the status quo.
Avoid groupthink. Don’t follow the crowd — most of them don’t even know where they’re going.
Walk the path less travelled. Choose quality over quantity.
And don’t be afraid to walk alone. Some of the best views are on solo hikes.
#12. Learn to enjoy your own company.
If you can’t stand being alone with your own thoughts, how do you expect anyone else to?
The inability to sit with ourselves without distractions robs us of clarity, self-awareness, and true peace.
Silence isn’t scary — it’s sacred. Put down the phone. Be with you.
“The inability to sit with our thoughts and enjoy our own company without distractions robs us of clarity, self-awareness, and true peace.”
55 years have taught me that happiness is an inside job, peace is a choice, and people’s opinions don’t pay my bills — so they’re none of my business.
Life’s too short for bad coffee, fake friends, and ignoring red flags.
Here’s to loving louder, living simpler, and keeping my standards high – and my circle tight. ✨