In four weeks’ time, I will be celebrating my birthday, and there’s nothing like being reminded that you’re another year older to make you reflect on the little things in life.

Since I am not one to be backwards in coming forwards, so to speak, I thought I’d share with you some of my little “pearls of wisdom”, if you will.  You may not agree with them but that’s OK. I’ve learnt to accept that I can never please everyone 🙂

These are a mish-mash of things that came to mind but are in no particular order, and by no means an exhaustive list.  However, you can probably guess why I have chosen to list forty 🙂

So here goes nothing!

1. My mother may not always be right, but she always has my interest at heart.
2. Family always comes first and will always be.
3. You can choose your friends but not your family, so it’s best to accept them as they are.
4. Words are mightier than the sword, so choose yours wisely.  The saying “sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me” is rubbish.
5. There will always be idiots doing and saying idiotic things. It’s better to ignore them and walk away. Don’t let them ruin your day.
6. Choose your battles carefully. Some are just not worth the effort.
7. Look at the big picture but don’t ignore the details
8. Common sense is not common, otherwise there would be no such thing as planking or the Darwin Awards
9. It’s not nice to call someone stupid, no matter how much you want to. People do stupid things. There’s a difference.
10. I believe in God. Having Faith helps get me through the days – good and bad.
11. Your life is yours to live but how you live it impacts everyone you meet. Think about that and make it a good life.
12. People will always want to give you advice. It’s up to you which voice you listen to.
13. It does make me feel better to say “I told you so!”
14. There will always be someone who is taller/skinnier/smarter/prettier/richer than you but they are not you. Don’t dwell on what you are NOT and value what you ARE.
15. It’s OK to think you are awesome.  There will be plenty more days when you will feel anything but that. Repeat after me: “I AM AWESOME” and smile 🙂
16. Fairytales are fiction. Happy endings take a lifetime of peaks and troughs to achieve.
17. It’s OK to admit you are wrong, but always aim to do right so that you can be right.
18. Open your eyes and enjoy the beauty around you.
19. It is important to spell correctly. Grammar and punctuation are also important. E.g. “an apostrophe is the difference between a business that knows its sh*t and a business that knows it’s sh*t” (quote from a tweet I read and how right that is!).
20. Always mind your “Ps” and “Qs”. They can make a difference to someone’s day.
21. Death is a part of life. How you live that life is up to you. Make the most of it.
22. You’ll meet thousands of people in your life. If you can have a positive impact on at least one of those people, it’s a life well lived.
23. Karma is real.
24. Instead of blaming my mother for my laziness, I give her credit for my intelligence so that I can afford (occasionally) to be lazy.
25. My Dad doesn’t act or look his age. Neither does my Mum. I have good genes 🙂
26. Kids will always surprise me.  My nephew will always make me laugh.
27. Getting older is a good thing. The bigger the number, the more blessed I feel that I am still around.
28. Social media is addictive and powerful. Don’t abuse it.
29. Movies are not always better in 3D.
30. I have the best sister in the world. I am the second best sister in the world. She is my only sibling. You do the math.
31. If you lower your expectations, you may avoid disappointment. But if you lower your standards, you will be accepting mediocrity.
32. Giving in to the demands of an attention-seeker is like beating your head against a brick wall. Your head will hurt like hell but nothing will change for the other person.
33. Holding a grudge is fruitless. Chances are the person you are holding a grudge against isn’t even aware of it.
34. True friends are hard to come by.  When you find them, hold on to them and let them know how much they mean to you. Return the favour.
35. Ice-cream tastes just as good at midnight as it does at any other time of the day. It defies all seasons. There is no time that is not the “right” time for ice-cream. Enough said.
36. Sh*t happens. Deal with it, get over it or fix it. Don’t dwell on it.
37. When you leave a mess (literally and figuratively), clean it up. Don’t treat the world like it’s your personal garbage bin.
38. Fear can either drive you or derail you. Don’t let it be the latter.
39. The 1980s produced the best music…so good that they’re being remade now. ’80s fashion…not so much.
40. I will never be too old to be my Mum’s “baby”, even when she’s sitting in the middle of a shopping centre pointing out how many grey hairs I have 🙂