*After the Hurricane - Charleston, South Carolina; Kim Brundage Photography*

I turned 55 this month! It feels like a milestone.

As a 55-year-old woman, I have learned many valuable lessons throughout my life. These lessons have been hard-earned through personal experiences, trials, and tribulations.

Looking back on my life, I realize that each experience taught me something new and helped shape me into who I am today.

I’m grateful to be alive!

In this blog post, I share my top favorite lessons.

*I’m learning that life is something that happens for you. Kim Brundage Photography*

My Top Life Lessons

#1: Meditation is a game-changer

I resisted meditation for a long time and complained that I had a monkey brain and couldn’t do it. I started following Dr. Joe Dispenza and took two of his in-person conferences. It finally clicked with me, and now I meditate each morning for an hour and then follow it with journaling.

I cured the chronic fatigue I had for almost a decade. Being quiet and still helps ground me and I’ve realized I had an anxious hum running in the background that’s not there anymore.

Today, I do my best to relax and release the events that come up each day that I didn’t expect and don’t necessarily want to happen. They’re pretty much little annoyances, and I move forward, not giving them the energy I used to.

*I relish journaling in bed and having creative inspiration. Kim Brundage Photography*

#2 Love Your Body

I’ve spent most of my life at war with my body!

It’s so sad, because I’m not alone. Most women have issues with body image. We’re taught that in every direction, we’re not good enough.

We didn’t come into this world to hate our bodies, abhor our wrinkles, and freak out about the weight we gained.

Truth be told, I have daily talks with myself as I still catch myself feeling negative about my body. I try to change that to be positive quickly. Most times, I compliment myself in the mirror and thank my body.

I’ve written blogs on body love and acceptance.

This ties into Lesson #3.

#3 I am worthy

“I am Worthy”

This has been hard for me, as I grew up in a home that cherished discipline above all else. I was spanked with a belt for small things. In my child's mind, I came to the conclusion that I was a ‘bad’ person. I continued with that line of thought because I married a narcissistic man who blamed me for everything, and I believed it was indeed my fault.

Thankfully, our brain has neuroplasticity, and I can change those negative pathways to be positive.

*I decided to be a ghost in an old abandoned mine. Kim Brundage Photography*

Lesson #4: Creativity is vital to my happiness

I used to be externally motivated and worked in the corporate world. Today, I’m internally motivated and feel inspired to try different photography techniques, settings, etc. Being deeply connected and a conduit to Source energy feels so good.

I believe everyone is a creator, and being tapped into that helps people to feel alive and happy. Listen to your still, small voice and move toward your dreams.

Lesson #5 - Embrace Change

Change is inevitable, and it is essential to embrace it. It can also be scary, whether it is becoming an empty nester, selling almost everything and living in an RV, losing your parents, or a health scare.

However, embracing it and seeing it as an opportunity for growth and new experiences is crucial.

I used to think having a positive mindset was being naive and not seeing the risks associated with the issue. However, I’ve learned that having a positive mindset can help me move through a difficult situation faster and help me let go and move forward.

Change can be difficult, but it can also be rewarding.