Friends— I have officially entered the 4th decade this week. As I reflect on my life so far, I feel grateful for the valuable lessons I’ve learned and the growth I’ve experienced and I am excited to share my top life lessons with you!
- Practice soul care! Because taking care of yourself is the only way you can continue taking care of others.
- Forgiveness is freeing. And it’s not for them, but for you!!
- Gratitude should be a daily practice. Thinking of the things you’re grateful for keeps your joy intact.
- Drink more water!! Stop blaming your bad mood on the devil when it might just be dehydration!
- Success isn’t the goal — faithfulness is. Be faithful with whatever God gives you.
- Be present and set screen time limits so you don’t waste your life on inanimate things when the intimate is right in front of you.
- Learn to say no often. It will protect you from burnout.
- You have so much to learn. Always be looking for opportunities.
- God’s Word is the only thing that can replace our trauma with truth. Get in it daily.
- Worship should be the rhythm of your day. It keeps your heart aligned!
- Your body matters. You can’t preach the gospel to all the world if you’re not taking care of your health.
- If you pour out a lot — make sure you’re also finding ways to fill up because empty people can’t fill anyone up.
- Work hard but then play hard! The best of life is lived in balance.
- Get in tune with your emotions— and then learn how to express them to the people you love.
- Just because you think something doesn’t make it true.
- Just because you feel something doesn’t make it accurate.
- Just because you want something doesn’t make it good for you.
- Just because it hasn’t happened yet doesn’t mean it won’t.
- Make sure you sleep enough. You need it to stay healthy.
- Find a few best friends who give-and-receive. And then hold onto them with everything you’ve got!
- Not all friends last for all seasons. Learn to let go at the right times.
- Don’t trust too quickly. Trust is earned not given.
- Talk to God, but then take the time to listen! We often do the first without the second.
- Live below your means so you don’t become a slave to debt.
- Give generously to those in need. You can’t take this stuff with you to heaven!
- Don’t just budget your money, budget your time!! Make the most of every minute!
- Don’t use people as your measuring stick. Comparison will rob you of contentment.
- Invite mentors in your life! You never want to be at the top of the totem pole.
- Confess your sins out loud. Acknowledgement brings healing.
- Stay teachable. You never know who God will use to get you to the next level.
- Listen to God’s Spirit whenever He tells you something! The more you listen the more you hear.
- Learn to see people through their wounded-ness. It will fill you with compassion.
- Make sure your private life matches your public life. Practice everything you preach— or stop preaching it.
- Learn to love the praise of God more than the praise of man. Theirs doesn’t last.
- Check your ego on a daily basis. God exalts the humble not the proud!
- Your marriage is your primary ministry! Serve inside your home before you serve outside your home.
- Don’t fixate on your spiritual health and neglect your emotional, mental, and physical health.
- When disappointment comes (and it will!!) remember- it’s not the end of the story.
- Be the kind of person you want to be married to! Everyday.
- Prayer is a lifeline. It’s the best gift you can offer yourself and others. Lean into it.
For more life lessons grab a copy of RESET!
DEBRA FILETA is a Licensed Professional Counselor, national speaker, bestselling author, relationship expert, and founder of the Debra Fileta Counselors Network. She’s written six books including Choosing Marriage,True Love Dates, Love In Every Season,Are You Really OK?, Married Sex, and RESET. She’s also the host of the hotline style Love + Relationships Podcast answering listener questions about love, relationships, and mental and emotional health. Her popular relationship advice blog, TrueLoveDates.com, reaches millions of people with the message of healthy relationships. Connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter or book an online session with her or someone from her team today!
