HappY bIrthday to meee!
I’m writing this for you as I look out on the most beautiful view of clear turquoise water and white sand with two of my bestest friends by my side. As I reflect on another completed trip around the sun, I’ve solidified a couple important realizations that have been brewing for a while...
1. Spend time with those you love. Those who light you up. Those who TRULY add something to your life. Don’t waste your time with people who drain your energy. We do not have enough time on this earth to waste our moments with those who aren’t contributing to helping us feel the way we want to feel. And make sure you allow yourself to actually have this time to spend with your fire starters. I’ve laughed so much in the last week and I realized I don’t do it often enough. I had a blast with my girls in NYC for a pre-birthday dinner, and then with two of my oldest and bestest friends on this trip. Laughing until crying is definitely the best birthday present I got this year. (Get the game Heads Up- really helps jumpstart the laugh fests.) And I have to thank my friend Lucy for making it all possible. She found a hotel deal in Turks and Caicos a month or so ago and asked if our friend Ross and I would go with her because she loved us and couldn’t imagine two people she’d rather take this adventure with. My knee jerk reaction was, “Oh, no. I can’t. I’m already traveling so much in October, and....” And about three seconds into that line of thought, I stopped myself and told her I was 100% in. Like I said, life is too short, people! Do the thing. Take the vacation. The money will come. Your clients won’t ditch you. The world won’t end if you’re on vacation for a couple of days. In fact, you’ll add emit even more amazing energy after being charged up by all the positivity you’re soaking up.
2. Confidence. I was listening to Jenna Kutcher’s Goaldigger podcast the other day (everyone should listen- she’s amazing and the podcast is super motivating) and Jen Sincero author of one of my fave books- “You Are a Badass” (read it. Now.) was on! She’s on #282 if you want to give it a listen. She had some great insight as always, but one of my faves was, “Age is the most wonderful gift when it comes to confidence.” And it’s so true. As I get older, I realize I literally don’t have enough time to freak out about what other people think about how I’m acting or what I’m doing. I’m too focused on getting sh*t done, because I’m sick of beating around the bush and not living life the way I want to live it! She also talked about how you’ll have so much more energy to spend on things you actually give a crap about when you STOP “giving a crap” about what other people think! And I’m all for more energy. Energy efficiency, people! It’s all about saving it up when you can, not spending it on crapola you don’t care about, and soaking it up when you’re creating it with good friends, good times, and fulfilling experiences. 🎉
Oh, and go to Turks and Caicos. Even if you think you’re not really a beach person. It. Is. BEAUTIFUL. Very peaceful, relaxing, helps give you clarity and reground you by providing the perfect background for sitting in the quiet and listening to yourself. As much as I always say I’m not a beach person, the ocean really helps with this, too. Connecting with nature, whether it’s in the mountains or by the ocean, is so, SO important for me when it comes to listening to my soul. My Turks and Caicos conclusion: amazing food (Coco Bistro is the bomb dot com), service (loved staying at The Sands at Grace Bay) parasailing (hell yeaaaahhhh Captain Marvin!), snorkeling, and very easy to get to. Direct flights to and from JFK on favorite airline JetBlue. Don’t know why I haven’t been coming here my whole life. This snow bunny gives two thumbs way, way up. 👍🏼👍🏼 Oh, yeah. And wear sunscreen. 😎