Thirty-three Lessons in 33 Years

This past Monday I celebrated my birthday and said good-bye to being 33.

The number 33 has long been revered as a special number in many religious and spiritual teachings. For me the number has special significance. A few years ago, I felt as if I saw the number everywhere. When I researched it and understood its significance I started to realize, for me, it was a very sacred number.

Not sure if the “33 lessons…” is a trend but I’ve enjoyed reading and seeing them on the web, like this post by blogger Cliff Hsia, this post by blogger Amy Coates and my personal favorite, this YouTube video by one of my closest friends, Rebecca “Gitana” Torres. I’ve decided to share my own lessons on my 33rd year:

1. If you’re not in love with yourself, no one else will be either.

2. Nada dura para siempre. Nothing lasts forever, good or bad.

3. Sex isn’t everything but it’s extremely important. Don’t try to convince yourself that bad sex will get better with time. It won’t.

4. Thread count matters.

5. Nurture the quality relationships in your life. They are priceless.

6. Children need and crave structure.

7. Be a kid with your kids. The people that children usually gravitate towards are big kids themselves.

8. Children don’t need much. What they need most is your undivided attention.

9. Strive to be prompt. When you’re going to be late, call.

10. Ask yourself, “What is the one thing I would happily do for free?” That’s what you should be doing with your time. Preferably, as a career.

11. Being a hard-worker and a hustler is not the same. Be a hustler.

12. No one is that busy. We make time for things that are important in our lives.

13. Happiness is a choice. So is suffering. Choose to be happy and not to suffer.

14. Smile more- it can shift your whole day and always be the person who smiled first, not the person who denied someone a smile back.

15 Nothing is sexier than confidence.

16. Have a mantra.

17. Create rituals that help you get centered, focused, re-charged or just to give thanks.

18. Always trust your gut. It hardly lies.

19. When making a decision, be thankful you have a choice.

20. Sleep is your greatest beauty weapon. Don’t treat it as a luxury.

21. Avoid debt like the plague. If you can’t pay for it in cash, you can’t afford it.

22. Live below your means.

23. Ask and you shall receive- when you get clear about what you want, you’re able to manifest things into your life.

24. Practice something great EVERY DAY – daily habits create greatness.

25. People can’t read your mind so you have to speak up; for what you want and what you don’t want.

26. Get rid of toxic people. Yes, sometimes it can be those closest to you.

27. Sooner or later, we become a version of our parents. Take the good and ditch the bad.

28. Think positively. Your thoughts can transform your life.

29. As you become older, you learn not to sweat the small stuff.

30. Eat clean, as much as possible.

31. Hard times will build your character.

32. Don’t let the fear of success hold you back.

33. The cards are stacked in your favor.

What lessons would you add to this list?