Today I’m celebrating my 37th birthday! In celebration of my 37 years, here are 37 things I’ve learned throughout the years I wanted to share with you!

1. Live a healthy lifestyle. It is true that your metabolism slows down as you get older. (Mine pretty much has gone on a permanent vacation since I turned 30!) The choices you make about what you eat and if you exercise really do make a difference!
2. Your definition of love changes as you get older.  That hot, fiery beginning of love is great, but if there’s nothing to sustain that fire, it will go out. Find someone who you truly enjoy being with, you can laugh with, and cry with. 
3. Blood doesn’t make or define a family, unconditional love does. Sometimes families are torn apart by greed, jealousy,  anger, or other reasons. A real family is those people who love you despite your flaws and love you through it all. Don’t forget to return the favor!
4. You’re old enough to remember when life was harder, and you’re too young to have forgotten how subpar the “good old days” actually were. You can appreciate progress. Two words: dial-up internet.
5. Friendships change. Friends come and go as marriage, divorce, job changes, moves, and children happen. 
6. Learn how to manage your money when you’re young. Money is a tool. Once you learn to use it as a tool instead of letting money control you, life gets a lot easier. 
7. You’ve finally reached full brain maturity. This explains your 20s. Forgive yourself.
8. Take vacations.  Many people wait until they are older to travel. Guess what? There are just as many expenses when you’re older as you have when you’re young. Even worse, sometimes as you age, your health fails and you can no longer get around like you could when you were younger. Pay with cash and travel. See the world. Broaden your horizons. Make memories.
9. Don’t waste your time worrying about what other people think about you.  Do your best, be a good person, and live your life. Life is too short to worry about things out of your control. People that care about you accept you for yourself, those that don’t are missing out.
10. Learn to say that you are sorry.  It takes a big person to step up and apologize. Be the brave one, you might save a relationship.
11. Find a career that you love.  You will be doing it for another 30-some years. Feel good about what you are doing. You will be a happier person.
12. Take chances.  Playing it safe can lead to a life of regrets. Don’t be someone who played it so safely that you look back on your life and wish you had been brave enough to follow your heart.
13. Learn how to take care of yourself.  Practice self-care. Sometimes the only way that you are going to be taken care of is by doing it yourself. Read, write, and do those hobbies that you love. Don’t forget that you are worth it!
14. Silver hair is en vogue. I’m rocking my roots like it’s going out of style. But it’s not!
15. You are not too old to make a change.  I remember when I was 20 thinking 37 was old. It’s not. Trust me!
16. Surround yourself with people who make you a better person. 
17. Be the mentor you needed in your 20s to someone in their 20s. There are a lot of people lost that need someone to come along and help them develop into the person they want to be. 
18. Learn how to cook at home.  Not only is this cheaper, but it’s healthier. You might even like it!
19. Write down your goals.  People reach their goals more often when they write them down. 
20. Read more than you watch television. 
21. Payoff your credit cards.  It’s really hard to live your dreams when you are drowning in debt. 
22. Pay yourself first each pay period and set up an emergency fund. 
23. Learn how to say no to yourself. It’s always easy to make up an excuse that we “deserve” something. Sometimes we might, but can’t afford it. Say no until you can. 
24. Leg hair is losing its grip. I was like a gorilla in my 20s, and now my leg hair has gone all soft and downy. It’s easy to wax with those little Nad’s strips, and it’s also easy to leave alone, because body hair, like silver hair, is now en vogue. And also because of 37-year-old DGAF.
25. Be grateful. Practice gratitude journaling. Say thank you. Mean it.
26. Give back. Each of us needed help somewhere along the way.
27. Some people are users. Find friends that support you and support them back. Let the others go.
28. Know your priorities. Don’t be afraid to say no to something that’s taking time away from those priorities!
29. You can invest everything you have into a relationship and still have your heart broken. Sometimes it’s not your fault. There are no guarantees with people. 
30. Be trustworthy. Don’t spread gossip. You never know who you are going to hurt by doing so!
31. Learn self-discipline. It will get you very far in life!
32. Be yourself. You are uniquely created by a wondrous God. The world needs more of you.
33. Smile.  Life might not always be easy or fun, but it costs nothing to smile. 
34. The less stuff you own, the easier it is to keep a clean home.  Clutter results in extra, extra time spent trying to find something, extra time cleaning and taking care of things, and extra money buying duplicates because you can’t find the first. Keep the things you love. 
35. You’re so accustomed to your metabolism gradually slowing down, you don’t even notice anymore. 
36. Sex is better
37. Let it go and have some fun.  Sometimes we get so caught up in “grown-up” things like our jobs and bills that we forget to have some fun. Live life. 37 years have gone by very fast. Those are words that I never thought that I’d say. Enjoy the ride!

So happy birthday to me! I will celebrate by drinking until I can no more!

Lots of love,

Scarlet.