An Open Letter To Me

In four days, the calendar will flip to October 22, 2020. On that day, I will have walked, run, biked, flown, crashed, wrecked, and fallen down on this rock for...

• 55 Years
• 660 Months
• 2,860 Weeks
• 20,075 Days

I've always thought to myself, "hey you, if you could do this thing over again, what would you do differently?"

I'm not talking about regrets - what I call the minors; I'm talking about the Big Rocks; the things that although simple in nature, could and would make a major difference in where you are today.

With that in mind, I will spend the next four days breaking down - in no certain order - the

55 Things I Would Tell My Younger Me

1. Run To The Cross - There's nothing more important in life than your relationship with your creator - Jesus Christ. Everything you do, everything you view, every reaction, every step - EVERYTHING - will hinge on this. It won't make life easier, but it will make life easier to handle. It won't ensure that struggles, loss, hurt won't come, but that relationship will be the harbor in life's storm when they do hit.
2. There are no shortcuts in life. The law of the farm is true in every aspect of life. You must sow seeds; you must fertilize those seeds; you have to pull weeds and rocks from the fields and if you do all of this, there's still no guarantee of a bountiful harvest. Either way, keep your hand to the plow and keep looking forward, just like the farmer does.
3. The only thing that is short-sighted and discriminates in life are humans - hurt, pain, disappointment, loss of health, finances, sickness, death, struggles, etc. all cross the lines of class and race.
4. Wake up every morning and ask yourself, "what can you do to win her heart today?" Your wife's spiritual, physical, and emotional health became your earthly responsibility the day you said: "I do." Do is an ongoing, active verb. It never stops; never ceases. So keep DOING!!
5. Nothing - I mean NOTHING - takes the place of hard work!
6. Never stop exercising. You're physical well being - 2nd only to your spiritual well being - will sustain you when life punches you in the face.
7. Bad news is not like wine, it doesn't get better with age. Be honest, but be kind.
8. Family - there's nothing more important in your life. Sow seeds of love, grace, goodness in their hearts. Be their champion, but also their critic - but never less than a 2:1 ratio. The world will beat them down enough, you need to be their shelter in the storm; their lighthouse in the dark waters of life.
9. Wisdom comes in all shapes, sizes, and ages. Always be looking to learn! Others have blazed paths before you. Learn to walk in their footsteps when you can.
10. Listen! And HEAR! Genuinely take an interest in the lives of others. Caring and empathy don't cost you a dime, but the dividends will last a lifetime
11. Life is about giving - not taking. More than that, it's about giving with no expectation of getting anything back. Whether the receiver has the ability to give back or not - give all you can...then give some more! I've never heard of anyone saying on their death bed, I wish I had given less!
12. Make time for God daily. Ideally at the start of your day (your first fruits), but if not then, JUST DO IT! That being said, nobody - not even your Father - enjoys eating leftovers at every meal.
13. You have a choice each day - VICTOR or VICTIM. The way you view your life will dictate your daily path.
14. Eat well daily! Avoid food that is handed to you through a window. Add color to your plate at every meal...oh, yellow and white ARE NOT COLORS!
15. Write down your thoughts, dreams, goals, wins, losses. If not for you - although you'll be glad you did later - do it for your kids and grandkids. Give them a roadmap to life's pitfalls, valleys, and mountaintops

If you're interested in seeing the remaining 40, reply TAG ME in the comments below and I'll make sure and tag you in the next three day's posts so you can see what has been mulling around in my head.

On another note, what is the ONE THING that you would tell your younger self that could or would change the course of your life today if done differently?

#55Years #LessonsLearned #WriteALetterToMe #BenaiahConsultingGroup