You don’t know what you don’t know.
When I nervously wrote my first blog post back in 2017, I had no idea that I’d still be going eight years and three hundred posts later. That’s probably a good thing. The pressure would have stopped me in my tracks.
When I think back to all the life lessons I’ve learned and written about, a handful of recurring insights rise to the top. Here’s what I’d consider to be the top keys for a healthy, meaningful, and enjoyable life:
Answering the age-old question “Who am I?” sets the foundation for everything else. I’ve realized that basing my identity on anything temporal is shaky ground. If I use my career, my abilities, a relationship, or my season of life, what happens when I’m laid off or retire, my skills fade with age or lack of use, a relationship ends, or my kids move away? Who am I then? For me, I’ve found my deepest, unshakeable identity as someone who belongs to God. Whatever you choose for you identity’s foundation, make it something worthy of the wonderful person you are.
Find a worthwhile pursuit that you enjoy to focus your energy on. It could be a career, helping others, a hobby, learning a new skill, travel, volunteering, etc. Life is far more meaningful and enjoyable when you have something that makes you want to get out of bed in the morning.
The older I get, the more I realize the importance of pursuing my own path in life. I am NOT a norm-breaking pioneer by nature, but choosing to be a professional musician, then a published author, and now someone who lives nomadically were each non-traditional paths. Not surprisingly, they’ve been among the most rewarding aspects of my life, and I wouldn’t change them for anything. Set aside your worries about what others may think and go with whatever path truly brings you life.
Hope is the fuel on which the engine of my life runs. Without it, everything grinds to a halt. As author John Eldredge says, there are three kinds of hopes—casual hopes (ex: “I hope we have cheesecake tonight”), precious hopes (ex: “I hope I survive the layoffs at work”), and ultimate hopes (ex: “I hope I really matter”). All are important for a rewarding and energized life, but ultimate hopes have that name for a reason. I’ve pinned my ultimate hopes to God. Whatever you choose for the fulfillment of your ultimate hopes, make it something reliable and sustainable that gives your life momentum. (I wrote more about this idea here).
Seasons and circumstances will inevitably change; the trick is to learn to maintain inner peace through them all. Ironically, some of my greatest inner turmoil has been during times of outward tranquillity, while some of my deepest calm has been in times of chaos. Meditation, scheduled rest, exercise, time in nature, prayer, connection with loved ones, and routine all help me find my internal balance regardless of season.
Which of these lessons resonate with you? Which ones come more naturally and which are a struggle? Claim your identity. Pursue your purpose. Embrace your individuality. Harbor your hope. Prioritize your peace. If you do, you’ll be a balm to a wounded world, and you’ll take a giant step toward Becoming Yourself.
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