Dear Friends,

Here it is my 68th birthday. Oh what a day! As I was starting my morning in a warm tub of water these lessons started coming to me. There is something about inspiration and water when it comes to my writing. These are lessons that I have learned in my 68 years of living and the last twenty-five years of Finally Loving Myself. These are not in any order. They are as random as my sidetracked thoughts. I hope you enjoy them as much as I have writing them down.

1. It is OK to be sidetracked because sometimes the path you take brings you out into the most wonderful places.

2. Getting dressed in the morning is easier when my clothes are waiting for me. I don’t have to make any decisions to put them on.

3. My dentist loves me when I floss my teeth. With my before bed routine post-it note I rarely forget it.

4. Drinking plenty of water every day makes my face and skin look and feel great.

5. Beautiful music filling my home and car keeps away the bad news.

6. There are no good days or bad days; just days that are better than the day before.

7. I don’t have to try to remember everything; that is what my calendar is for!

8. Alarms don’t forget either; that is if you set them!

9. If I sweep or dust mop my floors every day; they never seem to be that dirty.

10. Dusting is so easy with a feather duster in my hand.

11. Sink shining is an obsession that changed my life.

12. 15 minutes is an amazing amount of time. I can do anything for 15minutes and then I get to stop!

13. Weighing every morning helps me to see where I am and celebrate. It is just a number; not a reason to beat myself up.

14. Being in a hurry doesn’t get you there any faster.

15. Smiling is contagious to everything around you.

16. Walking into our bedroom and seeing a made bed makes me smile.

17. Birds at our bird feeders make me happy.

18. A little swish and a swipe every morning; blesses my bathroom for me and anyone who comes for a visit.

19. Feeding myself every few hours like we feed a baby keeps me from getting too hungry and fires up my metabolism.

20. Our home is not a landfill. Getting rid of clutter saved my life!

21. Our home is not a museum either. Tossing out the bad memories saved my sanity.

22. Lace up shoes empower me!

23. Shiny sinks encourage me!

24. Cleared coffee tables inspire me.

25. Flowers growing in our gardens are like God smiling down on me.

26. Routines make keeping house seem automatic.

27. Attitude is everything! If you think you can; you will!

28. Hate is like the poison pill you take to kill the other person. It only hurts you!

29. Martyr attitudes are just self-pity expressed to hurt the people you love.

30. Laundry really does only take 5 minutes when you don’t let it pile up and stay stuck in the washer and dryer.

31. Forgiveness is freeing to your soul.

32. Listening to waterfalls is calming.

33. Front porch rocking chairs are essential any time of the year.

34. Telephones can suck the life right out of you if you will let them.

35. Listening is a skill not to be taken for granted. Sometimes you hear more than words.

36. Meditation sheds God’s light on your life.

37. Learning to break big tasks into babysteps gave me a new lease on life because I was no longer feeling overwhelmed.

38. I don’t have to arrange flowers in a vase perfectly to love them and have them bless me.

39. Routines are not strait jackets they are the framework that helps us to be creative without the guilt.

40. You don’t have to cook to lose weight; you just have to make good choices for your body when you eat out.

41. Taking my supplements every day keeps me energized.

42. Taking care of me keeps me feeling healthy, wealthy and wise.

43. I can’t help someone who is not willing to help themselves.

44. My closet is not allowed to talk mean to me. I purge clothes that are too big and too little. I only have clothes in my closet that make me feel like a million bucks. When I feel pretty everything falls into place.

45. It takes all types of people to make the world go round. Without the Born Organized people helping to take care of you; I would not be able to be FlyLady.

46. It’s OK to finally grow up at age 43. Establishing routines helps you to mature and find out what it is you are supposed to be when you do grow up!

47. Most everything is small stuff; so what doesn’t matter; just doesn’t matter.

48. Getting out of the house every day to go to work is not only good for me but for my sweet darling since he retired a few years ago. He doesn’t have to hear my music and the Hallmark Channel.

49. Earplugs help me get a good night’s sleep.

50. Going to sleep at night saying my ABCs of “I am ….” helps me find peace. Thank you Dr. Dyer for “Wishes Fulfilled” it was a life changing book for me.

51. Life is too short for regrets. “Dying to Be Me” taught me to live life without fear.

52. Following my gut is harder for others to understand, but I can’t NOT do that!

53. I don’t have to do everything! Learning to delegate is the hardest thing I have ever done.

54. When someone shows you who they are; believe them. Tigers rarely change their stripes.

55. Dreams are powerful tools to understanding when you write them down.

56. Laughing every day is good for me; even if I have to laugh at myself.

57. Love like there is no tomorrow, because one day there will not be a tomorrow.

58. Finally Loving myself is the best gift I have ever given myself and the world. This is the cup that over flows and keeps on giving. In order to receive love you have to give it and it starts with you. It is time to FLY!

59. Sometime decluttering means walking away from the negative people in your life. It is O.K. to take care of you.

60. Starting your day with praise and prayer opens you up to inviting the Holy Spirit to guide you! I am thankful for the hour of power in my life! Praise Jesus!

61. There is always room for someone new to love! Finding a long lost sister has been a joy to my family. Be open to the love in your life. If you give love you get love!

62. Patience doesn’t cost a dime but the benefits are worth more than gold!

63. Two minutes can get rid of my procrastination! Anything is doable if I only have to set my timer for two minutes. This makes our home look wonderful!

64. Be thankful for your health! Do everything you can to take care of yourself! Always treat people the way you would like to be treated!

65. Being prepared brings peace of mind! My pantry is stocked!

66. Spending more time with the Lord opens up my heart for the Holy Spirit to come in and dwell with me! I am learning this every day!

67. I have to be Ready for whatever comes my way and by the Grace of God and his Holy Word; I stand Ready to spread the God News!

68. Everything that we have has not been provided by me or my husband; It is a gift from God! When you realize this; God gets all the Glory! I am humbled by this daily!

Here’s to living my life in the present and finding joy in everything I do.

FlyLady

The best birthday present you can give me is to share your success with FLYing with a friend. Flying Buddies keep each other accountable.