BOLD Living at 49

My friend Cindy says May is the Month of Mayhem. She makes a good point, what with the end of school, graduations, birthdays and barbecues galore, and so many charity runs and events. It's no wonder May flies by, and that so many of us find ourselves spinning and flitting from one thing to the next.

Something unusual happened to me this May. I paused.

Blame -- or rather bless -- the rain. According to the team at Weather5280, Denver saw nearly 21 consecutive days of precipitation. And still coming. All this rain has slowed me down, which means that I actually took time to reflect on turning a year older. I celebrated on May 7 and as a gift to myself -- and you -- I offer insights and strategies about BOLD Living at 49. Why BOLD Living? Well, why not? Life's richer when you write the story you want to live.

1) Be right where you are. You are enough.

2) Self-effacement is attractive; belittling yourself isn't.

3) Whatever it takes... rid yourself of shame. Use a sledgehammer if you must.

4) Strive for transparency.

5) Two pounds lost. Three pounds gained. It's a wash.

6) Find something to be passionate about, real or imagined.

7) Know that catastrophizing only leads to despair.

8) You can't will things to happen -- or not. You just aren't that powerful.

9) People are quirky. So are you.

10) Assume the best. If you're wrong, you'll know it soon enough.

11) To be alive is to be vulnerable. To be vulnerable is to be alive. You can't have one without the other.

12) Beauty has many forms. What you deem as beautiful is largely up to you.

13) Embrace the gray of everyday life -- the joy and sorrow, good and bad, painless and complicated, all at once.

14) Sitting with uncertainty helps you see more clearly.

15) Piles of laundry only accumulate.

16) The shower door won't get repaired until you make the call.

17) There will always be errands. That's life.

18) Realize the impossibility of getting "everything" done.

19) Go ahead and take an afternoon nap.

20) Consciously try to break routine if you feel stuck.

21) Change your environment every so often, even for an afternoon.

22) Try your hand at something new -- like building a bookcase, learning Spanish, or baking pie.

23) Reward yourself with a metaphorical cookie every day. Acts of kindness are cumulative.

24) Focus on doing one thing well rather than ten things poorly.

25) A scattered life is a scattered mind.

26) Dismantle your fears. You will feel braver.

27) Money matters but you can also find happiness on top of a mountain.

28) Your children are not you. Let go of those expectations.

29) Too much of anything is too much.

30) Stretching's a pain, but your body will thank you.

31) Have the humility to know what you're good at and what you ought to delegate.

32) Asking for help could be the most powerful gift you can give yourself.

33) Be a voracious learner -- of knowledge and life.

34) Define achievement for yourself. What does it really look like?

35) Disengage from all media at least once a day. You wired mind needs a break.

36) You don't have to be an extrovert but watch what happens when you smile at others.

37) Rushing almost always leads to mishaps.

38) Try to distill your racing mind.

39) Angst will strangle you if you don't face it.

40) Feelings can be overpowering but only if they're facts.

41) If you look hard enough you'll always find gripes.

42) So much better to see the good around you. Chances are it's right under your nose.

43) Abe Lincoln was spot on: "Most folks are as happy as they make up their minds to be."

44) Make the time to connect with those you love.

45) Do one BOLD thing each week. A phone call. An outing. A passion fulfilled.

46) See your life as a prism of possibility.

47) Commit to movement.

48) Don't stand in the way of your own success.

49) Ask yourself, If not now... when?

What are you waiting for? Join me in a year of BOLD Living. And do write to share what you're learning along the way.