If I liked cake, this would be my cake
I spent so much of my childhood wishing I was older, and now I’d be surprised if I can actually remember 90% of my childhood and teenage years.
But I’ve held onto enough memories to have learned a few things. Some of these will be familiar to you if you are a regular reader. Some will not be familiar to anyone.
The big 32
- Family is everything
- Friends are next
- Things are never so bad that they can’t improve
- Whatever it is, get over it sooner rather than later whenever possible
- When I’m bored with my physical training, I’m usually close to a breakthrough
- “A lack of personal excellence” is the greatest description of a bad haircut that I’ve ever heard
- I can’t be pessimistic when I’m sitting by a fire
- Everything passes
- Clam chowder is my equivalent of crack
- If someone is so close to me that I can see my reflection in their eyes, I rarely have to wonder how I look through their eyes
- Compassion always trumps intelligence
- There are worse things than being punched in the face
- Goals are great, but only if you make this one
- If I was on an island with only one exercise to do for the rest of my life, it would be the deadlift
- If you are in a situation you can’t control, introduce something into it that you can control
- There are only two things worth the effort of sweat. Lifting weights is one
- Writing is healthier for me than medicine
- Not speaking for three years is a great way to get to know people. It forced me to learn how to listen
- Learning that my parents were not perfect is what allowed them to become my friends
- The best part of my day is when my toddler Max gets out of the bath and runs in a tight circle on the bed for 30 minutes, laughing his head off
- I have learned to like many things about myself. My wife is the only thing I have learned to love about myself
- It is easier for me to forgive others than to forgive myself
- Habits start early, both good and bad
- Trying to defuse a bad situation with humor can be a catastrophe
- I am always astounded by how many tears the body can produce
- Someone else’s pain does not invalidate your own, even if it seems insignificant
- Chiropractors can be a big help
- I would give a great deal for one minute of perfect, beautiful, physical stillness while I’m awake—but I’m through begging for it
- Online friends can be real friends
- Nothing strengthened my marriage like bonding over failed pregnancies
- I want a kettlebell on my tombstone
- Never underestimate the effect of a kind word at the right time
Now–off to eat some pie.
Thanks for helping make this my best year yet
Josh
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{ 47 comments… read them below or add one }
Number 22 rings true for me as well. I used to wear that label as a badge of honour, but as I get a bit wiser I realize being hard on and being fair to are not the same. I need less of the former and more of the latter. And 32 years old eh! My friend you are just a baby. I think your wife should have made you wear a diaper for that lost bet. Now that would be humbling.
And now the diaper jokes will roll in!
Happy birthday my friend. I think it’s safe to say that #29 is huge for me – it’s how I met you. You’re a great friend and teacher. I’m glad our paths have crossed. Hugs to you on this day from across the Internet.
Hug accepted.
Happy birthday Josh! I also turned 32 this year but have very different circumstances to you and have learnt very different lessons. despite this a lot of what you say rings true and I admire the compassion and honesty of your list.
Thanks Milo. I just started reading your blog, by the way. You have a great sense of music and the ability to break it down.
I’m delighted to hear that Josh, thanks for the kind words
Happy Birthday to the best husband and father in the world. Here’s to celebrating the next 50 together. I love you more than these lame words can express. And I’ll keep the diaper idea in mind for our next bet…
No diaper!
Happy Birthday Josh!!
Thanks Boris. I’m waiting for a picture of that $1 shirt.
i trained it in last night – video and everything. It wasn’t exactly magical, but I’ll try to post it late tonight.
Happy Birthday Josh You Kid! I liked Numbers 6, 7 and 13 the best. Max runs for half an hour after a bath laughing his head off? THAT’S GREAT! My neice Linda splashed in the tub so much as a baby and a toddler that she got “swimmers’ ear” at the ripe old age of 6 months. Now—Janette—let’s hear more about this “diaper idea”. . . . . ::insert evil chortle::
Happy Birthday, man! Deadlifts rock!
The diaper is not going to happen.
Oh, darn! Would have been funnier if it did, but oh well. Deadlifts STILL rock! X-D
Hey Josh,
Happy birthday. Definitely an interesting list of life lessons you’ve taken from 32 years on the planet. I wonder if you though you’d possibly be a potentially published author just 1 year ago. Glad we’ve become friends.
A year ago, I wondered if I’d have anything to say that would take the blog past month one. And I’m glad we met.
Have a world’s strongest birthday, Josh! Your wife is one lucky woman to have you
Diar, I’m going to print that out and put it on Janette’s mirror so it will be burned into her brain forever!
Happy Birthday Josh.
#9 is so true…very addicting!! One of the main reasons my family goes to Cape Cod on vacation every year. Over there, it’s the best!
Oh yeah I’m with you on this too.
Josh,
I relate to so many of these but it was a blog I wrote about a lost pregancy Seven Years, that made my wonderful wife nominate me for the East Cobber 2009 Father of the Year that I then won. Lost pregancies are so hard but they do bring two people together.
It’s bad stuff, Kevin, but I’m glad you also got something good out of it.
Josh, Those are 32 very good things. I’m 52 and don’t have close to even 32 things (or at least not the patience or curiosity to see if I do)…although one I thing I’ve learned which covers a lot of general territory: Stop waiting for things to work out because they are not going to. Things are never going to work out because they already have worked out. This life you have right now? This is how things have worked out.
Amen to that. Are you all recovered? I did make it over to Boulder that day. Seems like an interesting place.
Yes, thank you…I was down until Sunday really…yesterday was the first day I felt back to 100%…Boulder is a fun town. I’m really disappointed we couldn’t hang.
Happy Birthday, Josh! Thanks for sharing such a great list.
Oh, and in the next day or two, you should be receving something to help you learn more about sharks. . .
Hmm…it’s not a shark, is it?
lol. Nope, if Ethan had a shark, he would never give it up!
Josh, if I baked cakes, I would bake a skull cake and bring it to your home. Happy birthday.
Happy Birthday! Are we allowed to make guesses about the one other thing worth sweating for?
We had about 5 years that were defined by pregnancy loss and two stillborn babies – those were dark times and we were becoming tragic, but rising from it, growing from it, we were strengthened both as a couple and individually. I wouldn’t change a thing about those bad years. I hope that I’m a better person for it and I know that I’m a better parent because motherhood didn’t come easily for me. You’re right, family is everything.
What is there to guess about? I was clearly talking about the Navajo sweat lodge.
Mmmhmm. Hope you have a sweaty birthday;)
Hi Josh:
Happy birthday…I enjoyed your list. I like how writing is healthier than your medicine. On an unrelated point, my YMCA just got a few kettlebells. I immediately thought of you and David Cain. Now, I’ll have to go back and look for some exercises on your site. Have a great day!
Awesome points, as always
Completely agree with them, especially the first two about friends and family.
It’s funny how I spent most of my childhood hanging around with my buddies and having fun and now I worry too much about work and don’t have time for my friends. My priorities are completely skewed!
Happy Birthday, Josh. This is a great list, good for you for compiling and thanks for publishing. Have a great day!
Happy birthday Josh! Hope you have a grand day.
“If you are in a situation you can’t control, introduce something into it that you can control.” This struck me the most. I will always remember these words. Thanks for sharing what you have learned.
100% agree with #14.
Happy birthday Josh.
Happy 32nd, Josh! Hope everything went down well (whatever “everything” might have been, birthday-wise…)
HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOSH! I enjoyed reading this list because I know you own each of the lessons that you have learned over the course of your life. With that being said, I completely resonate with the FIRST and LAST!
1. Family is EVERYTHING…
-This is such a pivotal lesson for everyone to realize because far too may people take their family for granted because they believe that they will always “be there,” in their lives. Your family is your foundation and like a house, your relationship with these people will enable you to grow.
32. Never underestimate the effect of a kind word at the right time…
You never know how far a good deed will travel because kind words are VIRAL and once you share them with people who are in need, they will continue to spread this message to assist others who yearn for support. This is simple yet profound, and once we begin to adopt this lesson into our lives, we will begin to realize the power associated with the words we choose and our ability to communicate what is on our mind.
Great post Josh and I hope your Birthday has provided you with everything you could have wanted and more!
-Jared
Well, happy Big 32! What a great list this is — you’re wise beyond your years. Thanks for all the insights. Cheers to a great year ahead.
Belated happy birthday wishes Josh! Your entry has inspired me to write down my 35 years’ worth – or may be I’ll wait till the first of Feb next year! Now, whenever I do and NLP-K process and say “Be Strong”. I think about you. BE STRONG!
I am always interested in these types of blogs to learn from others life wisdom.
Yours had the added advantage of having some deep ideas that struck deep for me as well.
Thankyou.
You just keep getting more and more interesting to me, Josh.
Happy Birthday, Josh!!!