41 » This Little Miggy

Well I’m 41 now, which means I know a lot. This is a picture of me standing and thinking about all the things I know. It helps when I use my hand to rest my chin. So now that I’m 41 and I know all the things, I thought I’d share some of the most important life lessons I’ve learned in… you know, life.

1. CHILL. This is not always easy because life is hard and mental health issues are real, but find a good therapist, maybe get on some meds, make your mental health a priority and just TAKE IT DOWN A NOTCH. I used to think mental health only affected a small amount of people all of the time, and a somewhat larger amount of people some of the time. Well I think that’s bull honkey. I don’t know anyone who has never had a cold, the flu, strep, or some sort of physical illness, therefore I think all of us will have mental health issues at one point or another. And just like physical illness, some people are more suspectible and maybe deal with it more often, but we’ll all deal with it at some point. Because one thing I’ve learned that is bad for your mental health is LIVING LIFE but I don’t know a loophole to get around that. So get help. You’ll thank yourself for doing so.

2. Sit down and relax. Related to mental health above, I realize I need to do a better job at separating productivity and being busy. Too often I find my laptop on my lap (Dammit! They planned it that way didn’t they?) as a natural reflex, even when I’m not writing or actively working on something. The difficulty is so much more of modern life involves being online–looking up phone numbers, recipes, reading the news, even books–so it’s not that it’s all a complete waste of time. BUT I when I don’t have a specific reason to reach for my computer or phone, and I reach for them anyway I find myself wasting plenty of time. Busy, but not productive. I’ve actually noticed I even have a harder time relaxing these days because I want to check my phone during a show or a movie–just a quick browse on FB or looking up to see what else that actor was in. This is a problem. I need to learn to step away and see the productivity in doing less. More quiet, more meditation, more reading, more naps, more time outside touching trees and breathing fresh air. Less is more.

3. Move! Dance, work out, hike, climb, do yoga, swim, play soccer, sway back and forth in a fancy dress in front of a large swimming pool for no reason just MOVE. Do things that make you feel alive! Choose it. Feel your body and love all that it can do, no matter how much or how little it can actually do. Use it, feel it, love it, shake it, wiggle it, quake it… do it all.

Well that’s it. Being 41 makes you totes smart as you can tell. In all seriousness, I am so grateful to be where I am, who I am, what I am with all the wonderful people in my life who love me and cheer me on. Thank you for reading this little blog and for being a part of my life. It really means so much!

Happy Birthday to me.

XO,

Miggy