This is 40...What Would I Go Back And Tell My Younger Self

Life offers us little lessons every single day. Are you paying attention?

February 28th, 2022 was my 43rd birthday. When I turned 40, one goal I had was to share forty lessons I've learned so far.

What would I go back and tell my younger self? What are the little lessons I've learned that have fundamentally changed how I lead, parent, and show up in my life?

What could I share that I used to mess up that might offer someone else a new perspective or value?

Well, life happened, and I never got around to it at 40. When I turned 41, I said it would be the year – still didn't do it.

Now I'm just going to go for it, and I am on the hook by declaring it here!

Over the next few months, I'll share 40 life lessons + three bonus ones (in random order) and I will update this blog post as we go. All lessons are listed below and you can click "read more" to read the full story and lesson where I shared.

Let's get started . . .

Life Lesson #1: It's never too late to get started.

I have often had goals and aspirations over the years that silently swirled in my head or took WAY longer (maybe years longer) to get any real traction. But, if it's still calling to you, I believe it's there for a reason.

And if you don't listen to your intuition and what's in your heart, you might miss out on something extraordinary or what you really want or important growth or all of the above.

So, what is a calling to you? What is a change you've wanted to make for some time, but you tell yourself that you are too old or not qualified enough or it's too hard or too risky or that it's not the right time or maybe you missed your window?

What's one action you can take to get things going?

It could be "one day" or today could be "day one". You get to choose!

#2: What do you NOT want? What you want is on the other side of it. Read more

#3: What you really want is what you must really go for. Read more

#4: You’re probably not going to want to do it (so don't be surprised and do it anyways) Read more

#5: Hunt for the good every single day Read more

#6: When things feel hard and overwhelming, slow down and do less, instead of plowing through Read more

#7: You can’t see how all the dots will connect YET Read more

#8: Take the trip! Read more

#9: Give yourself permission to take something off your plate . . . now Read more

#10: Your best will look different on different days Read more

#11: Stop sacrificing the very things that give you joy and leave you feeling good Read more

#12: Impatience is a sign when you are out of balance Read more

#13: Today is a great day to be alive Read more

#14: Your life is happening right now (so stop missing out on it)

#15: An extraordinary life comes from getting the small, ordinary moments right

#16: You can do hard things (and it's easier to do the hard things when you take care of yourself) Read more

#17: When you change the question, you change what's possible Read more

#18: Sometimes you don't get it right the first time and that's okay Read more

#19: Change is messy Read more

#20: It doesn't have to be all or nothing Read more

#21: Focus on what you are saying 'yes' to when you feel bad about saying 'no'  Read more

#22: Love yourself first (you'll have more to give to others when you do) Read more

#23: Do not compromise or lose touch with who you really are and #24: remember to smile Read more 

#25: You won't get this moment back. So don't put off to tomorrow what really matters today. You might not get tomorrow.

#26: When you work less, you will achieve more.

#27: It's can feel hard to keep boundaries, say no or create the change you want. But what you are doing now is also hard. Choose wisely.

#28: You always have a choice. 

#29: Happiness is a choice within you. Stop looking for it everywhere else.

#30: It takes as much or less energy to be happy as it does to be unhappy stressed out every day. You get to choose.

#31: If you have time to complain, you have time for gratitude.

#32: Keep the main thing the main thing.

#33: I matter (you matter).

#34: Being hard on yourself is a complete waste of your energy and time. 

#35: Walk your talk. 

#36: Let go of the drama. Being stressed out every day makes everything harder. You are also not that much fun to be around when you're wrapped up in your own drama.

#37: Slow down and breathe. 

#38: Give people the benefit of the doubt.

#39: You are more than enough.

#40: Don't let others bring you down or dim your light. Trust in yourself more. They don't always know better.

#41: Perspective changes everything. You have that power with your mind.

#42: You will get it wrong sometimes. You will also get it right way more than you get it wrong. 

#43: Alone time is a wonderful thing. Give yourself more space for what you need. This is when you can hear your own voice.

What Next?

You can sign up for Stacey's masterclass, The Confident "No" here.

Stacey L. Olson is a Leadership and Certified Positive Psychology Coach, has 15 years of corporate experience and has gone through her own transformational change from burning out to balanced in life while performing at a high level (both in her corporate career and own business). She works with professionals who want to work less, live more and be their best even with all the demands, high expectations and messiness of everyday life. Stacey is the founder of The Balanced Leader™ program and offers executive and leadership coaching, workshops, and speaking.