35 Truths about Life @ 35

I grew up in a family that celebrated birthdays well.

They fussed over the birthday boy or girl and made us feel loved and seen. One of our longstanding traditions has been to have a birthday dinner with the menu of the honoree's choosing. Everyone goes around the table and says something they love about that person. (My introverted husband was thrilled by that tradition the first time he spent a birthday with my family, which was one month into our dating relationship!).

I believe we should celebrate birthdays because they are a day when we are reminded of our uniqueness and how precious life is. The odds that everything would come together biologically in exactly the way they did to create you and not someone else are staggering.

As an adult, I've developed my own traditions around my birthday, like taking the day off to do whatever I want. I also use part of the day to reflect on the year and all that I've learned and how I've grown. I dream about what might happen in the year to come.

With each year, I get clearer and clearer about who I am, what I'm meant to do, and what I believe.

This year, in particular, I focused on what I believe. I was inspired to think about what I believe after a conversation with Peter Shepherd. Our beliefs guide our thoughts, which guide our actions. The more clarity we have around what we believe, the easier it is to be ourselves with confidence and without apologizing. These beliefs serve as guiding principles in my life and impact how I show up and what I say and do. They are the guides along the path of my life's journey.

Have you ever taken time to think about what you believe and how that affects your life? I invite you to take a moment to read through my list and come up with one of your own.

35 Things I Believe @ 35

Here are 35 things I, Rachel Druckenmiller, believe at the age of 35:

1. Everyone wants to belong and be seen, heard, known, valued and loved.
2. Belonging is healing.
3. You are worthy of love and acceptance without being impressive or accomplished.
4. We feel more authentic and connected and HUMAN when we are unmasked and unmuted.
5. You have to ask for what you want and need. Other people are not mind readers.
6. You are called to release what is inside of you - not force or push it out - so you can receive what is meant for you with open hands.
7. The happiest and healthiest people have quality connections and deep, meaningful relationships.

1. There is power and freedom in sharing our stories.
2. Each of us has been assigned our mountain to show others it can be moved.
3. You can make a significant difference in someone else’s life by telling them how they’ve impacted yours.
4. Our words carry more weight when they come from a place of experience, not a theory; from a place of caring, not judgment.
5. Kindness and gratitude are contagious. Be someone who spreads both generously.
6. If we only appreciate the summits, then we'll miss out on the joy of the journey to get there.
7. Too many people die never knowing the impact they've had on other people’s lives.
8. People don’t want to be fixed or helped. They want to be served and loved.
9. The most “difficult” people are often people who really want to be seen, heard, and appreciated. Extend grace.
10. Living out of our core strengths and values brings out the best in us and helps us bring out the best in others.
11. Being curious and asking questions is how we learn and gain perspective.
12. A fulfilling life is lived by design and with intention, not by default or on autopilot.
13. There's more to happiness than a glass of wine and Netflix. There's nothing inherently wrong with those things, but we were meant for more.
14. Relationships are hard work, but what we learn and experience through them is what brings us the deepest joy and fulfillment.
15. We need more kindness and connection in our world.
16. Growth happens when we’re willing to get a little (or a lot) uncomfortable.
17. Allowing people who know us to reflect the truth they see back to us is one of the most powerful ways we can begin to shift how we see ourselves.
18. Writing thank you notes the old fashioned way with envelopes and stamps is a lost art that I continue to practice. Everyone loves snail mail that doesn't end up in the recycling bin :)
19. It is not selfish to focus on yourself and your needs and desires.
20. What is meant for us will not miss us.
21. Change is possible.
22. Our deepest struggles often lead to our greatest stories.
23. It’s time to redefine success beyond achievement.
24. The world is desperately in need of people who are truly awake and joyfully alive.
25. Being in community and in relationship with people means being together as who we really are – joyful and sad, broken and healing, scared and excited. It's time to stop hiding who you really are.

33. Being in radical, authentic, transformational relationships requires us to be willing to speak the truth in love for the betterment of another person…and have the humility to receive truth when it is offered to us.

34. We have to take initiative, let our guard down, and let people in to receive the love they want to give us.

35. When we give ourselves permission to expand and be seen and heard for all that we are, we empower others to do the same.

That's my list! Because you're a human, I'm certain that at least one of them resonated with you in some meaningful way. Hold on to that. Consider what your life would look like if you intentionally lived from that belief.

Reflect

What are some of the beliefs that shape and guide your life and how you show up in the world? I'd love to hear from you in the comments below! :)

If you liked this article, I invite you to read past articles I've written on this topic:

• Born to Belong
• Receiving Love: The Gift of Belonging
• Strangers on a Plane: Be Willing to Be Bothered
• Be, Belong, Become: A New Vision for the Workplace
• The 3 Cs of Wellbeing: A Return to What Matters Most
• Rehumanizing the Workplace: Hope for the Future of Work
• When the Student Is Ready, Breakthrough Appears
• When the Truth Hurts: The Gift of Courageous Friends
• The Future of Workplace Culture: 5 Shifts We Need to Make