It’s my birthday week, and I always love reflecting on the things I’ve learned about myself and life over the years. Unfortunately, so many people don’t pause to reflect on how far they’ve come and how much they’ve grown. I’m not just talking about physical growth, but emotional, mental, and spiritual too.
That’s why each year, I take time to think about everything I’ve accomplished and overcome. I believe it’s through this reflection that I can genuinely celebrate turning another year older. As you can tell from the picture, I absolutely love anything chocolate. Nine times out of ten, I’ll choose a chocolate dessert over any other. I guess I’m what you call a chocolate fanatic!
How about you?
Well, I can’t believe next year, I’ll have lived four decades, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves. This week I’m celebrating my 39th birthday, and in honor of it, I’m sharing things that I’ve learned about myself and life.
It’s also a big week because this is the first blog post I’ve written and published. There is a lot to be grateful for this time of year.
So, let’s dive into what I’ve learned about life after celebrating my 39th birthday.
1. I’m stronger than I think.
I didn’t always believe this, especially when I experienced scrutiny in my job and debilitating anxiety as a result. However, if 2020 taught me anything, it’s that I’m stronger than I think. With the right support by your side and your inner strength, you can overcome anything.
2. Working with my first life coach changed my life.
Speaking of having the right support by your side, my first life coach literally changed my life! I experienced severe anxiety due to being scrutinized at my job, and I didn’t know how to overcome it. My mom was worried about me, and it isn’t fun being around someone that isn’t living in alignment. This investment helped me find joy and fulfillment in my life again.
3. Positive affirmations have also changed my life.
We all know that our outer world reflects our inner state, and it’s our mindset that plays a significant role in what we attract into our life. If we are unhappy and complaining about life, we will continue to stay that way. It’s one thing that truly helped me get out of my head. I post positive affirmations around my house that I say daily.
4. Everything happens for a reason (even if I don’t know what that is at the moment).
This is a big one! It’s hard to hear when things don’t turn out the way you want or expect them to turn out, but there are always lessons to be learned. We might not see them right away, but they will appear when we give ourselves space and grace.
5. Fear and worry rob me of the present.
Raise your hand if this is a hard one? Most of us live in the past or future. We worry about what could have been, or we are stuck in what if. All this does is rob us of the present moment. In the present, peace and calmness reside, while it’s in the past or future is where unrest and uneasiness live. When I worry about the past or future, I pause and remind myself I’m perfectly safe right now and to let go of the worry in that particular moment.
6. All I have to do is stop and look around. Joy surrounds me daily.
Richard Rudd calls this the art of contemplation. It’s a lost art because, as I mentioned in number five, most of us live in the past or future. We are worried about it, and it doesn’t allow us the time to stop and look around. Perhaps the joy is watching a mama bird feed her chick in a nest you spotted or enjoying the beautiful evening sky light up with orange and pink hues. However, if we are caught up with worry, we miss these wonderful opportunities to experience the joy surrounding us daily.
7. Everything always works out for me.
It might not look like what I expected, but the universe is always working in our favor. However, if you try to control the outcome, you’ll miss the opportunities that are meant for you. This requires the practice of letting go and surrendering. Easier said than done, I know, but the older I get, the more I realize that I don’t have control over my life. My first life coach always said to me, “Meena, everything seems to always work out for you.” It is so true and confirmation to trust the universe and its divine timing.
8. My students have taught me about love and patience.
Children are our greatest teachers. Do you agree? If you have kids, you’ll likely understand, and if you don’t but know kids, watch them the next time they are near you. I love how they are so full of life, playful, imaginative, and tell it like it is taught me a lot of patience as they don’t always do things on my schedule or in my way and when they don’t understand, I have to find a different way to teach them until they grasp the concept of what I’m saying.
9. Mistakes are a part of learning.
The fear of failure is something a lot of people experience or the need to get everything perfect. I love to make sure things look good and sound good, but making mistakes is part of learning. It’s from the mistakes that real growth can happen. We just need to be gentle with ourselves when we do make mistakes. So many women beat themselves up over things they did wrong or didn’t get right. Be gentle with yourself because mistakes are often unavoidable. In fact, I believe they are a part of learning and growing.
10. Learning never ends.
I believe that learning never ends. After all, I am a teacher. I tell my elementary school students this too. If you don’t already, find ways to learn every day so that you can grow and become the best version of yourself. I like to read self-improvement books, invest in coaches and mentors to guide me, and get out of my comfort zone by speaking on podcasts and doing Facebook Lives.
As a bonus, there is one last lesson I would like to share. It’s to love life now! It’s the mission behind what I do and why I’m so passionate about helping women truly love life now. It might sound cliche, but it’s true. We only have one life to live. Go after your dreams so that when you’re 80, looking back on your life, you can smile knowing you lived a happy, joyful, and fulfilled life. Don’t be afraid to pursue what your heart desires.
So here’s to 39! 🙌🏼 May it be the best year of my life.
All the best,
Meena Aithal
Founder of the Align Your Life Method
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