This is the 3rd installment of my birthday series. Here’s the previous post:

https://steemit.com/life/@nickelnerds/36-lessons-in-36-years-part-2

It’s Friday and we’re rolling into the weekend. I've been 36 years old for just a couple days now. It also marks the end of my first full week on steemit!

The cake was good :)

Here are a few more lessons:

Go for a Walk

This is an aspirational tip for me. :) I’ve never regretted taking a walk. It clears my mind, gets me out in the fresh air and I get a little exercise. I’m a suburban girl, and unfortunately that means I’m living a car life. I need to walk a bit more.

Get some Sleep

I had a complicated relationship with sleep when I was younger. I wore lack of sleep like a badge of honor. Look at me! Only four hours! I feel differently now. I appreciate sleep, how it repairs my body + mind. I feel a noticeable difference when I don’t get enough. 6.5-7.5 hours per night works for me. And I'm an early bird; who knew?! :)

Be Humble

I keep myself grounded by acknowledging the strengths that other people possess. I have a few things to teach but so much more to learn. Smugness is a silly feeling. It’s sort of delusional. So I get over myself.

Leave a Legacy

Or more specifically, leave a legacy you can be proud of. I have a teenage daughter who will be launching before too long. I want to help her find her own life lessons, and give her a solid foundation to work from. I want to set an example that encourages goodness. I want to leave some resources that make life a little easier. It’s important to me that I leave the world (even if it’s just my own little family world) in a better condition than when I found it.

Act With Love

When I think of love, it’s not necessarily the romantic, sappy variety. Love in it’s purest form is caring deeply. Care can be expressed in a number of ways - through thoughtful actions, hard work, diligence. I want my actions to be guided by the best of intentions and in service to the people I love (care about).

Ask for Help

I used to think that asking for help was a sign of weakness. I neglected to recognize how often successful people ask questions. When you approach someone for advice, you’re paying them a compliment. In my experience it is very rare that anyone will turn down the chance to help within their area of expertise. At one point or another they probably had the same questions. It’s so much easier when I don’t feel like I need to “tough it out”.

Be Polite

Say “please” and “thank you”. Hold the door open. Give credit where credit is due. Let the other person finish talking. These cultural norms serve a purpose. They help endear us to each other. They’re worth it, to me.

Have a Plan

…and a backup plan! Some people crave spontaneity. Plans keep me going. I like to track my progress, set mini-milestones and to check items off my to-do list. I can appreciate surprises, and plans can change. But I like to look at the big picture to make some decisions about where I’d like to go, not just wander aimlessly. :)

Thanks for reading :) Check back tomorrow for Part 4!