On October 9th, I turn 56 and per usual, I am deep in my feelings. You see, I should not have made it this far, and honestly, I never imagined I would. However, I believe in a higher power and purpose and do not take lightly that there’s a reason. Whatever the reason is, I do my best each day to wake up with gratitude and continue to love, support, and serve those in my care.
Last year, I wrote a list of 55 Wisdoms (and recorded a podcast with my bestie!), and this year, while I attempted to write a new list for 56, the truth is, the new list sounded much like last year’s so I’ve added one more and am sharing this list with you, again.
My intention in sharing this is for you to feel seen, understood, and loved. And just maybe, something on this list will help you feel more joy.
Take what resonates, and leave the rest. And if you feel someone would find value in this list too, please share.
Fifty Six Wisdoms at 56
1. Be where your feet are.
2. The power is in the pause.
3. Perfectionism is a myth. So is balance.
4. Find your rhythm.
5. Your rhythm will change like the tides. Surrender to it.
6. Cherish folks while they’re still here.
7. Make time for the shit that matters. Everything doesn’t matter equally.
8. The journey is short and quick.
9. Do the inside work as early as you can so you can feel more joy while you’re here.
10. Prioritize your “someday I’ll…”
11. Real confidence comes with self-awareness and experience.
12. People are complicated.
13. Allow others to have their own experience.
14. Give yourself and others grace.
15. Love is the foundation and compassion, and empathy are the walls.
16. Some days, weeks, months, years and decades are gonna be rough, hold on.
17. Release the resentment yet hold on to the lesson.
18. Compassionately honest has a more positive influence and impact than brutally honest.
19. Never stop caring.
20. Integrity can get lonely at times. Have it anyways.
21. Remind yourself often why you get up in the morning.
22. You are worthy of feeling joy.
23. Listen more than you talk.
24. You can be humble and also confident.
25. Blaming and shaming affect your own self-esteem.
26. Try to stay out of judgment. And when you go there, ask yourself why.
27. Lead with love.
28. Healthy boundaries build confidence and save a fuck ton of time and angst.
29. If you’re angry, take a time out, go within, and sort it out.
30. Most folks are scared.
31. You don’t know everything and you never will.
32. It’s ok to say I don’t know.
33. People will break your heart. Don’t let it harden you.
34. Tell people you love them, often.
35. You are not broken, you are a perfectly imperfect human.
36. You can’t un-ring a bell. Think before you speak.
37. Self-awareness comes with desire, curiosity, and time.
38. Stop waiting for the apology, it likely will never come.
39. Do the work upstream and spend less time fixing shit downstream.
40. It’s almost never about you.
41. Humans are inherently selfish.
42. Be generous with your gifts.
43. Your journey is yours to travel, design accordingly.
44. Not everyone is gonna understand you.
45. Some people are mean. Be kind anyway.
46. Life is hard. Business is hard. It’s all hard.
47. Managing your own expectations is the hardest.
48. You have no control over experiences outside of yourself.
49. Focus on what you can control (YOU!)
50. Daily gratitude lists help us with perspective
51. You can be grateful and also sad, angry, depressed
52. Do everything possible to retain a beginner’s mind
53. Your purpose + value are not tied to your productivity
54. Slow down enough to catch the magical moments
55. All folks really want is to be seen, heard, and loved. And that is not hard to do.
56. You can change your mind and perspective when you get new information, however, only if you care enough to do so.
I would never have made it here without you. It is an honor and privilege of a lifetime to empower you to make more aligned decisions and feel more joy in your journey. Thank you for your trust, support, and love.
With love, a fuck ton of gratitude, and in service to you- Nina (they/them)@passionsquared
PS: One wish that I do have this year is that give generously, through your time, actions, or money, to support vulnerable and marginalized communities. They need us. They need our compassion, empathy, and understanding now more than ever. Thank you.
In this episode of the pod, Nina shares fifty-five life and business wisdoms and lessons on their 55th birthday with special guest and bestie Gordon Miller of Hairbrained. Grab your favorite beverage and snack, take a listen and if you feel inspired, share some of your wisdoms and lessons with us on the socials. You can find Nina + Passion Squared on the gram @passionsquared@ninakovner and Gordon @gordnm@hairbrained_official Thank you so much for listening and for you trust, support and LOVE. We’re gratefulAF for you.
Your experience matters. We would be so grateful if you shared your experience with our podcast by leaving a review. It matters to us, and so do you. Thank you- Nina
In this episode Nina shares a recent experience she had getting stuck on a highway, alone, at night, in the mountains, in a snowstorm, and all the lessons she learned about being brave, our capacity for strength in scary situations, and the incredible kindness of strangers. Warning: this story may cause some fear and anxiety, but the lessons shared may be worth the temporary discomfort you may feel. You can find Nina on the gram @passionsquared
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Your experience matters. We would be so grateful if you shared your experience with our podcast by leaving a review. It matters to us, and so do you. Thank you- Nina
