40 things I've learned in 40 years

Growing up, like most kids in non-Western countries, I was blissfully unaware of my birthday. In rural farming communities where I was born, parents typically remembered seasons—harvest, rainy, or dry—but exact dates? That was as elusive as a chicken with GPS. My situation was no different, and unfortunately, my parents passed away before I was old enough to ask, "Hey, when did you two decide or accidentally unleash me upon this world?"

My dad died at 33, and all my life, I grew up with that number as a goal. There was a wrinkle in that plan. I did not know when that will be...is it in 5 10 or 20 years. I didn't know. Besides, I mean, who needs "live to 100" when you can aim for the ripe old age of 33, right? That became my North Star, my personal Everest of life expectancy.

Fast forward to when it was time for me to head to the USA for college. I needed a passport, and it turns out having a birth certificate is kind of a big deal in that process. Who knew? This requirement forced me to go on a dusty archaeological dig through my past. Surprise, surprise! It turns out I was born in a hospital. Useful intel, right? Armed with this groundbreaking information, I marched over there and literally turned pages in musty old record books from the '80s. To my astonishment, I found my name, birth date, and time. Tuesday, July 10, 1984, at 12:01 PM. I was officially a child of the '80s, born just in time for lunch!

Today, I turn 40. I have a whirlwind of emotions swirling in my mind. I have long beat 33. And lots of life has unfolded with more things to live for. Rather than trying to decipher what's playing in my head—which, let's face it, probably sounds like a mix of "Time After Time" and the theme from "Indiana Jones"—I decided to share 40 quotes, sayings, proverbs, idioms...etc that have spoken to me deeply in my 40 years of life adventure. Who knows? Maybe by 50, I'll discover I have a long-lost twin or that I'm actually royalty from a small African principality. Stay tuned! Until then, here are the 40 things I've learned in 40 years.

1. Kindness is never wasted.

2. When you stop failing you stop growing

3. Health is true wealth.

4. Relationships matter more than possessions.

5. Respect is like air; when it is present no one hardly notices. But when it is missing, it is all anyone can think about

6. People are not against you they are for themselves

7. Climb mountains not so the world can see you but so you can see the world

8. The most dangerous risk of all is spending your life not taking the risk of doing what you truly want thinking that you'll buy yourself the freedom to do it later

9. The person that you're going to spend most of your time with is yourself, so you better make sure you're interesting.

10. Learning is a lifelong journey.

11. Positude and gratitude transforms perspective.

12. Time is our most precious resource.

13. Authenticity trumps perfection.

14. A burned-out change maker cannot make any change

15. Listening is more valuable than speaking.

16. Forgiveness frees the forgiver.

17. Courage is feeling fear but acting anyway.

18. Those who lead with a “give first mentality, receive the most.”

19. Patience truly is a virtue.

20. Laughter is the best medicine.

21. Curiosity keeps us young.

22. Diversity enriches life.

23. Mistakes are opportunities in disguise.

24. Honesty simplifies everything. When you lie, you have to spend extra energy to keep the lie straight.

25. Self-awareness is the foundation of growth.

26. Empathy builds stronger connections.

27. Actions speak louder than words.

28. Flexibility is key to resilience.

29. Vulnerability is a strength not a weakness

30. Passion fuels perseverance.

31. Comparison is the thief of joy.

32. Gratitude is the antidote to anxiety.

33. You are a lifelong startup invest in yourself.

34. Nature has healing power.

35. The present moment is all we truly have.

36. Everyone is fighting a battle we know nothing about.

37. People will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel

38. Consistency beats intensity.

39. It's never too late to start anew.

40. Love is a choice we make on the daily.