Good morning! I’m away from my devices this weekend so The Sunday Spark will be back next week. Yesterday was my 60^th birthday. To celebrate this milestone, I put together a list of 60 valuable life lessons from my years on this planet. I hope you’ll enjoy reading them.

I’ve written about many of these things on my blog over the last five years, so I’ve included links to previous blog posts where one exists. As for the others, I have a new list of things to write about.

Here we go…

60 valuable life lessons I’ve learned in 60 years

Practical things

1. Don’t put a wool sweater in the washing machine if you ever want to wear it again.
2. You can take a 2-week trip with just a carry-on.
3. Drying laundry outdoors saves money, makes your clothes last longer—and they will smell oh so good!
4. Homemade soup is the best comfort food.

Happiness

5. Don’t postpone happiness. Enjoy today because tomorrow isn’t guaranteed.
6. Avoid depending on other people to make you happy. True happiness comes from within.

Relationships

7. Find things to love about yourself.  If you’re not happy with yourself, you’re not ready for a relationship.
8. Being a mom is hard sometimes, but it’s so worth it.
9. When your kids grow up and leave home, you’ve done your job of raising them to be independent adults.
10. Our family stories matter so we need to share them. That’s one of the reasons I started the Clutter Tales series.
11. True friendships stand the test of time and distance.

Success and personal growth

12. If there’s something you want to do, just do it. That way you’ll never have to ask, “What if?”
13. The real learning starts after you leave school.
14. There’s always something new to learn, and you’re never too old to learn it.
15. Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t do anything. Tune out the naysayers.
16. Do your homework and form your own opinions.
17. Be satisfied with progress instead of seeking perfection.
18. Choose your own success criteria rather than measuring your success by the standards or actions of others.

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Money tips

19. Don’t buy more house than you need. In fact, don’t buy more of anything than you need.
20. Always set some money aside for emergencies because rainy days will come.
21. Get into the habit of saving early in life and save as much as you can.
22. Pay off debt as quickly as possible.

Health

23. Health will always be more important than money.
24. Trust your instincts when it comes to your health. If something doesn’t feel right, look into it.
25. How you feel matters more than how you look.
26. You don’t need to be an athlete, or even have any athletic ability, to live an active lifestyle. There’s a lesson I wish I’d learned before high school gym class.
27. Exercise gives you energy.
28. Getting outdoors every day boosts your mood and increases creativity. And it makes winter bearable.

Simple living

29. Material possessions aren’t the key to happiness. You can be happy with very little.
30.  Quality over quantity in all things.
31. Take time to appreciate simple, everyday pleasures.
32. Appreciate what you already own rather than yearning for the next thing.
33. Don’t get sucked into FOMO. There will always be someone with bigger, better, or more things than you have.
34. A handwritten note will make your day…or someone else’s.
35. You don’t really need the latest and greatest of anything.
36. Schedule downtime in your calendar.

Life’s challenges

37. Things don’t always go as you plan, but they always turn out the way they’re supposed to.
38. Don’t sweat the small stuff. In a hundred years, it really won’t matter.
39. When tested, you will find strength you didn’t know you had.

Aging

40. Your age doesn’t define you.
41. Be grateful for the privilege of growing older.
42. Choosing to age gracefully is liberating.

Outlook on life

43. Laughter really is the best medicine.
44. It doesn’t matter what other people think of you.
45. Don’t get sucked into negativity.
46. Kindness costs nothing.
47. Be authentic.
48. Music makes everything better.

Faith and community

49. Strong faith makes life’s troubles easier.
50. You can count on your faith community in difficult times.
51. Volunteer. You’ll get back more than you give.
52. Giving to others feels good.

Work and career

53. The people you work with and the relationships you form matter as much as the work you do.
54. It’s okay to change direction and choose a different career path.
55. Your career is just one aspect of your life. Keep it in perspective.  
56. Fully disconnect during your vacation time. No matter your role, work will survive without you.
57. Retirement is a beginning, not an end.

Time

58. Make time to do things that make you happy.
59. If something matters enough to you, you’ll find time for it.
60. Finally, the years will fly by. I don’t quite believe I’m turning 60 and often wonder where the years have gone. In my head I’m still 18. That’s why it’s important to enjoy every day and not take life for granted.

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I hope you enjoyed reading my list of life lessons from the first 60 years of my life. The Sunday Spark will be back next week.

What are your most valuable life lessons? Drop me a comment below and let me know.