@ forty two

You know something. What do you know? Start with what you know.                  -charis brice

One of the nice things about being in the 5th decade of my life (wow) is that I know a few things about myself.  I've lived long enough to see some patterns, to figure out what is me vs my parents, and to venture down enough paths to discover what makes my heart sing and what isn't good for me. But sometimes I forget what I know and, as a result, I feel stuck - like I'm not moving toward the life I want, not being the person I most want to be.  When that happens, it helps me to stop, take stock, and get it down on paper.  It really helps me to see it, and I want to be known.  So I'm putting it on my blog for myself and for company.

Here are 42 things I know about myself today. . .

I’m a people person – once described as “highly relational” (thanks, Steve)

I love to BE alone (solitude), but I hate to WORK alone

 I’m 100% more effective on a team

I love church and I'm about as ecumenical as they come

I hated practicing optometry and loved mentoring college students

It’s good for me to meet regularly with an older wiser woman (mentor and spiritual director)

I love to be outside, and my favorite place is a remote deserted beach at dusk

I'm prone to inactivity, but I'm much happier when I’m busy

I always have room in my life for one more friend (or at least I always think I do)

My friendships work best with “pick up where we left off” kind of friends (see above)

I never tire of having conversations with people about God

I need exercise like I need air

I like exercise if that means dancing, diving, snowboarding, paddleboarding, and walk/talking

I feel better about myself when I'm relatively skinny

I do not like the physical changes that come with getting older 

l do like the emotional/psychological/spiritual maturity that comes with age

I like to give advice, and I think about 50% of it is helpful

I am warm, open, fun, and empathetic

Most people like me and I really like that

I love to talk and prefer to be in conversation about 4 hrs a day

I need to talk when I'm stressed, angry, confused, excited, making plans, or dreaming

I talk too much when I'm nervous or haven’t talked much in a few days

I’m a decent listener, but I’ll have to work on that for the rest of my life

I’m the most forgetful person I know, and it is frustrating to my friends and family and me

My love languages are (in order) WORDS, physical touch, acts of service, quality time, and gifts

I want everyone in my life to know this and respond accordingly

I am not good at nor do I enjoy doing acts of service or buying gifts (both stress me out)

I love to read, and I’m usually in the middle of 5 books (see sidebar)

I love to journal/write, because it feeds my soul and it's clarifying

I’m writing a book, with some amazing women, that I really hope to finish one day

I love to dance and laugh almost as much as I love to talk

It feels important to me to help people who are less fortunate

I'd like to support one local and one overseas charity for the rest of my life (GK and REST) 

I’d rather donate time and energy than money

I love to travel

I love kids and would have 10 if I didn’t have to take care of them (see next)

I rarely enjoy cooking, cleaning, or doing laundry (sometimes I forget to do all of them)

I like to work and make money, but nothing I love to do pays well (so far)

I'm prone to low level depression, but it is largely situational (and hormonal)

My engine runs on fun, and I tend to get depressed when my life is not fun enough

I'd like to be a sports team chaplain when I grow up (UW, SPU, Seagals?)

I’d also like to be wise and patient enough to do spiritual direction when I’m 70 (and play golf)

Me:  Siri, what’s the meaning of life?  

Siri:  42.

Well, there you go.