This is a big year for me. I hit the halfway mark on this amazing journey on June 3. Well, not really the halfway mark. At age 13, my Grandparents took me to the East Coast to celebrate our nation’s Bi-Centennial. I remember standing in front of the Liberty Bell on July 4, 1976 and thinking I want to be here for the Tri-Centennial. So I guess I’m almost halfway.

At any rate, when you have walked on this beautiful blue and green ball for five decades, you have had many experiences and have met many people. I’d like to share the 50 things that I now know that I couldn’t have possibly known without having my feet on the path for 50 years

1. Life is short, do what you love.
2. Life is LONG. Do what you love.
3. Everything we need to learn in life can be summed up in the word ‘Namaste.’
4. If you always do what you’ve always done, you will always get what you’ve always got. Change it up!
5. Madonna has a great voice, and a really shitty personality.
6. Bono has an amazing voice, and still has time to kiss his fans on the cheek. Take time, no matter who you are.
7. The best way to overcome your fear is to jump. Just jump. I highly recommend skydiving on your 50th birthday.
8. There is not a soul on the earth that gets enough compliments. Be generous with them.
9. A life of smiling makes prettier wrinkles than a life of scowling.
10. Parents of toddlers are just one step short of crazy. Full fledged crazy.
11. Parents of teenagers have a lot in common with parents of toddlers.
12. If you’re in a bad mood, put on anything by Michael Franti. Instant fix.
13. The excuses for not working out are a lot more exhausting than the actual workout.
14. After three kids, it’s all just mess, and noise. (I learned that from Karl Malone and it’s 100% true).
15. One deep breath puts your mind in an entirely new place.
16. Parents might need more than one deep breath at times.
17. Children are the true teachers. If you don’t have them, be around them as much as possible.
18. Yoga is the fountain of youth. Jump in. A lot of crazies are swimming in the fountain. Learn to enjoy crazy.
19. Everyone has a story. If you want to make a lifelong friend, listen to someone’s story.
20. Kids these days are smarter than we were. Face it. They are our future.
21. The iPhone is waaaay cooler than ‘The Brick,’ even though at the time I thought it (I) was pretty damn cool.
22. If you want to know a lot about a person, look at what kind of dog they have.
23. Marriage is tough, and so worth the work.
24. Three words we should say every day, “I DID IT!”
25. Three words we should say every chance we get, “I LOVE YOU.”
26. One word we should never say, “CAN’T.”
27. Best feeling in the world? When your teenager still hugs you.
28. It takes exactly 2.5 spin classes to burn off a Hires Oreo shake. And totally worth every minute.
28. Do the touristy things. Go to the top of the towers and take pictures. You never know when they will be gone.
29. Always seek out the oldest person in the room and make them feel loved. You never know when they will be gone.
30. See yourself as others see you. We see the light in your eyes and the way you make us feel, not your thighs.
31. Your parents did the best they could at the time. Let them (and yourself) off the hook and get on with your life.
32. We regret the things we didn’t do more than the things we did do. Make the effort.
33. One hour of physical activity a day makes the other 23 so much more enjoyable.
34. What someone else thinks about me has more to do with them than with me.
35. Raising a kid who likes himself or herself is way more important than raising a kid who has a clean room.
36. Nothing can take the place of having a few loyal and loving friends.
37. Gratitude is the greatest healing tool we have.
38. If you hate the haters, that makes you a hater.
39. There’s a big difference between ‘THE Truth’ and ‘MY Truth.’
40. Brad Pitt should have married Jennifer Anniston. I’m still holding out for that romance.
41. Knowing the names of the baggers at the grocery store makes both of you happy.
42. Our brain can only process one clear thought at a time. We should choose a positive thought whenever we can.
43. Positive thoughts verbalized begin to create our reality. Speak it!
44. Spend less time around people who don’t agree with #43.
45. Everyone should do their age in push ups every day (in several sets, perhaps).
46. Especially everyone who said “I can’t” do my age in push ups!
47. Inner peace is always just one “thank you’ away.
48. There is no quick fix, magic pill, or one-size-fits-all diet. Clean eating and exercise are the only way. Period.
49. Human beings are resilient and amazing and have unlimited potential. The only limitation is in our own heads.
50. If you’ve wanted to do/be/learn something and you’ve been putting it off, start today. You will be 50/60/70 before you know it anyway, why not? Finish this sentence and post it everywhere: “By the time I turn ( ) I will _________!”

For more inspiration, fitness and yoga tips visit my website www.denisedruce.com.