Another year older, another year wiser. Yesterday I celebrated my 34th birthday (Yes, I am already 34! Hehe!) and it’s been a yearly tradition for me to reflect back on the past year and jot down my little learnings about life.

And so, here are 34 things I have learned at 34! They’re about anything and everything, basically little quotes and anecdotes from my experiences. They’re little reminders of how far I’ve come. Yup, they’re words I now live by. 🙂

Hope my learnings teach you a few things too. It took me 34 years to realize these things, haha! ☺️

1. True friends are few. Treasure and nurture relationships that matter.
2. Pursuing your passion is a commitment. When the fire runs out, you gotta have the grit to keep the fire burning.
3. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. The important thing is to learn from them and to move on with a better version of yourself. Its true what they say, just learn to fail fast and bounce back often.
4. Your health and wellness truly is your wealth. When you run yourself ragged chasing material riches, your body, mind, spirit, and relationships suffer. In life, balance is key.
5. Be kind. Understand that not everybody is coming from the same background or mindset or set of experiences.
6. Never underestimate the power of compassion.
7. Dream big. If you are going to chase goals, they better be worth your time.
8. Learn how to discern distractions from things you really, truly want.
9. Aim true. Always make decisions guided by your moral compass. Sometimes the easy, more popular course of action is not necessarily the right one. Be a tough cookie on never compromising fairness.
10. Happiness comes in many forms. Allow yourself to be surprised.
11. Never let a bad mood get in the way of respectfulness. The smallest words and actions can hurt the people you love.
12. Always come from a place of sincerity. Be yourself and never apologise for being you.
13. When you are positive and good, the universe conspires to help you. Whatever energy you put out in the world comes back to you ten fold.
14. Wear the sunscreen. I mean it. And moisturizer. Invest in skincare early on. Skincare over makeup, all the time!
15. Invest your time wisely. Learn to look at your time the same way you look at your financial investments. Spend your time on things that matter to you to you the most. At the end of the day, time truly is finite and you want the most out of it.
16. Never do the envy. The jealousy. The bitterness. There’s too much of that going around. Comparison is truly the thief of joy. Be happy for others and don’t be afraid of being left behind. Everybody is on a different journey.
17. Keep studying and learning something new. Always be an empty cup. Be open to new ways of thinking and keep challenging your worldview.
18. Run a full marathon. It will teach you a lot about mental grit.
19. You lose out more when you don’t share. Collaborate, co-create, share.
20. When you love or care about someone, don’t be afraid to show it. Say what you feel. Show what you mean. Don’t overthink it.
21. Don’t be afraid to trust people but know that trust is a two way street. You have to build on it, nurture it, and prove it. The other party has to do the same.
22. Learn how to save and save as early as possible! I find that saving 6 ways really works. Have money for 1) Play, 2) Charity, 3) Education, 4) Investments/Business, 5) Long Term Savings, and 6) Necessities.
23. Age is all about mindset. If you think you are old and gray, you will feel that way. Be youthful and enthusiastic in your outlook about life.
24. Never underestimate the power of taking care of your body. It truly transforms your life – all the different aspects of it.
25. It’s okay to feel down and sad at times. You should let yourself have bad days. Everybody has them. The important thing is making sure that you bounce back as soon as you can, and stronger than ever.
26. Find your tribe. That group of people who believe in you and support you and want you to succeed. Love them hard. Believe in them. Support them. Help them succeed.
27. Never place your happiness in things. True happiness comes from within you. No thing or no one else can create happiness for you.
28. Don’t be afraid to expect more out of your relationships. You deserve no less. At the same time, those you have relationships with deserve no less from you, too.
29. Simplify your life. Aspire to live with less things. Declutter. Free up your life from the un-necessary.
30. Speak up when you truly believe in something. Not everybody has the courage to stand alone but if you share your voice, others might be inspired to do the same too.
31. Travel. You have to go out and see the world. But, know that you have to hustle so that you can see the best that the world has to offer.
32. You do not find your purpose. You build it. And your purpose evolves with time.
33. Cut out negativity from your life. You have the power to do that.
34. Believe in yourself. No one else can do that for you. You are meant to do many, great, amazing things and all you have to do is to go for it. Accept the fact that you are meant to be the hero of your own life’s journey. Own it. 🙂

To everybody who took the time to greet me and make me feel extra special on my birthday, thank you so much. You truly made my day.

Love, Tanya