Halt!! If you haven’t skimmed Part 1 yet take a moment to do so. We’ll leave the light on for you.

I recently “celebrated” my 51st birthday, and I say that with tongue planted firmly in cheek. Don’t misunderstand…it wasn’t a terrible day. It was a normal, average, run-of-the-mill day like so many others, and that’s okay. Birthdays aren’t really that much fun after a certain point. Growing older brings about a level of introspection, which isn’t always a positive experience. It’s been a pretty intense thing for me since The Sickness made the world stop a few years ago, and the truth is that I don’t necessarily enjoy what I see when I look back on my life. I feel like I’ve been sleepwalking thru the past three decades. Exercises like the current one are nerdy fun & quasi-therapeutic, but tend to exacerbate those feelings of discontent. At the end of the day though I am a Samist, which necessitates being open minded while addressing issues with faith, critical thinking, reason, & common sense. That’s just a verbose way of saying I’ll continue get up every day and do what I can do.

21 Give people a second chance, but never a third.

In general I agree, although circumstances alter cases. Such decisions tend to be situational. The gist of the idea seems to be “don’t let people take advantage of your kindness”, which isn’t bad advice. Conversely, the more pious among us might point out the endless chances God gives us daily and the boundless opportunities we have to reconcile with Him via a relationship with Jesus Christ. I wouldn’t argue with that perspective.

22 If you want something and have put in the work to deserve it…ask for it. Remember, closed mouths don’t get fed.

It never hurts to ask. The worst that can happen is that you’re told no. Just be prepared to deal with that. One of my favorite Dadisms is “if you don’t dare you don’t share”.

23 Never take advice from people on the sidelines.

Ehhhh…I don’t know. I can only speak for myself, and lots of folks might opine that I’ve spent the last several years “on the sidelines”. That doesn’t necessarily invalidate my input.

24 Learn one dance move that you can reliably bust out when you inevitably get pushed into the center of a dance circle at a wedding or event.

Well I don’t think I need to worry about that. IYKYK. It’s not a bad idea to learn how to shake your groove thing though. What that looks like will evolve throughout your life, but it’s a good skill to have on some level.

25 Be bored for at least 15 minutes per day. Boredom unlocks creativity.

There’s a happy medium. I wish I had more going on in my life, that I was a busier & more productive person. However, I would never want to be a crazy busy person that’s always on the go. Downtime can be healthy. Does it unlock creativity?? That’s a much more complex query than I want to tackle here, although I assume different people would have a variety of answers.

26 Invest in personalized stationery and use it regularly.

Does anyone actually use stationery anymore??

27 If you’re struggling to fall asleep, try the 4-7-8 method: Breathe in through your nose for a 4-second count, hold your breath for a 7-second count, and exhale for an 8-second count.

That’s a lot of math if I’m trying to go to sleep.

28 Make decisions that your 80-year-old self and 10-year-old self would be proud of.

I’m not 80 yet, but I already know that my 10 year old self would be so disappointed. I had such high hopes & big plans. Unfortunately I lacked the vision & drive to follow thru. That’s as far as I’ll dive into that very deep rabbit hole.

29 Do one hard thing every day when you could do it the easy way.

I don’t disagree, but neither do I believe it’s realistic. We are a culture addicted to convenience. Most of us will always choose the easy way over the hard way. I’m just keeping it real.

30 Spend more time doing things you never regret.

Easier said than done. Think about it…would people do things they regret if they knew in the moment that they’d regret them later on?? Hindsight is 20/20. Perhaps it would be more prudent to say make smarter choices & use your time wisely.

31 When trying to break a bad habit, wear a small rubber band on your wrist and snap it (lightly) on yourself each time you do the thing you’re trying to stop.

I’d be quite curious to know if that actually works. It seems rather simplistic, but hey, if it’s a method that produces positive results for you there’s nothing wrong with utilizing it.

32 If you’re trying to make conversation with someone intimidating, ask what they’re currently working on that they’re most excited about.

Not a bad idea. People love to talk about themselves and what they’re passionate about. Also, people tend to become less intimidating as you age. You realize that they are human beings who aren’t any more special than most people. Maybe they’re really great looking or possess tremendous talent, but as my father would say “they put their pants on one leg at a time just like you & me”. Learn to converse with people. It is invaluable. I am a quiet & reserved person, but if I had the confidence three decades ago that I have now when it comes to interacting with people it might’ve opened a few doors.

33 If you’re about to take an emotion-induced action, wait 24 hours.

Yes, absolutely. Don’t make emotional decisions. Doing so will generally end badly. There’s nothing wrong with having or expressing emotions, but be really careful making snap decisions. Sleep on it. Pray about it. Talk to friends & family. Sure, sometimes that isn’t possible in certain situations, but whether it’s personal or professional just be smart.

34 Be interested in everyone you encounter.

Chances are whoever you are interacting with is much cooler & has a more interesting life than you. That’s not a bad thing. Learn. Ask questions. Listen. Being a good listener is one of the best character traits anyone can possess.

35 To start the day with energy, try the 5-5-5-30 morning routine: when you wake up, do 5 push-ups, 5 squats, 5 lunges, and a 30-second plank.

No 😂

36 To eat healthier, do your shopping on the outer perimeter of the grocery store.

Well I do my grocery shopping online. No matter how you go about the task though, there’s no trick to it. Apples & chicken are healthier than ice cream & cheeseburgers. You already know that, but probably still make the wrong choice way too often. Be smarter & learn self-control. It’s not complicated.

37 Treat your credit card like a debit card.

I don’t even use credit cards unless it’s absolutely necessary. A debit card is cool because you don’t need to carry much cash, which in today’s crazy world is a good thing. Most of the people in my orbit are struggling on some level, so wise financial decisions are essential.

38 Create an automated deposit for a small amount of money into an investment account every month.

That’s a great idea of you can spare some extra cash. Financial literacy is woefully lacking and should be taught in schools. If you start putting away a few bucks consistently when you’re a young adult it will become one of the best decisions you ever made a few decades later.

39 Carry a notebook everywhere you go. Stop trying to remember things and just write everything down.

I use the notes app on my phone.

40 Have one thing in your life that you are bad at (but love doing).

I can think of a few things that’d qualify for me. Being good at something is awesome, but developing a lifelong appreciation no matter what your skill level may be is a worthy investment of your time.