Ever hit a milestone birthday that makes you sit and *think*? This year, Emily’s hitting 40, and she’s thinking about the wonderful things this new season has to offer: the wisdom of hindsight and experience, the gift of caring for a body that’s carried you so far, the ability to know what fills you up (and when to give a hearty “No, thanks!”), and the abundance of love we’ve given and received along the way. Whether you’re 25 and wondering where life will take you, or you’re right where Emily is and wondering what’s next, this is the episode for you, friend. ❤️
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Thought-Provoking Quotes
“One of the great things about getting older is making friends who are older than you, who have been when you are. And when I ask everyone who has been in their forties if they’d rather be in their thirties or forties, do you know what they tell me? ‘I’d 100% rather be in my forties. My forties have been my best decade yet.’” – Emily Ley
“I have so much to be thankful for. And yet, as I get closer to forty, I realize that while I may not be the girl I was at 25, when the world tells us we’re at “our peak,” I can’t help but think about everything else I am gaining in spades—things you can’t necessarily see, you can’t really photograph and put it in a frame on your wall. What I have gained these last fifteen years is so valuable. And it all makes my life so much richer—the good, the bitter, and the sweet.” – Emily Ley
“Right now, I’m living the life that 25-year-old Emily desperately wanted. Every day, I walk through a home filled with her answered prayers, in the form of a family she only dreamed about.” – Emily Ley
“There’s a quiet confidence that comes when you know how to care for yourself, and when you trust yourself to take good care of yourself. It’s the kind of confidence that only comes with age, I think. And the older I get, the easier I can access it.” – Emily Ley
“This body has brought me here, to this life I love. She brings me through every single day. She is strong. She is, by all accounts, healthy. I am so thankful for her.” – Emily Ley
“Do you know what my forty-year-old heart realizes more than anything? There is no amount of money or success that could ever replace the people in my life. Absolutely none. Nothing even comes close.” – Emily Ley
“Life is certainly different than it was when I was twenty-five. And I’m so glad. It’s so much fuller and richer than I could have ever imagined back then.” – Emily Ley
A Blessing for Your Week
My dear, I hope you remember how incredible you are.
I hope you take stock of your joys and your victories,
And the way you’ve moved through your harder moments too.
I hope you recognize that no one would be a better “you” than you,
The the world needs your specific brand that you bring to the world.
Your fierce heart, your exceptional brain, the wisdom of your experiences—all of it.
You don’t need a milestone birthday to remember your talent and skill,
But sometimes it helps.
Simplicity Tip of the Week
Honestly, today isn’t so much a “simplicity tip” as much as it is . . . an encouragement.
This week, I encourage you to take a few minutes to think about what makes you proud about yourself. If you feel a little bashful doing this, think about yourself the way a friend might. What do you like about your personality? Is there something you’ve accomplished that you worked really hard for? Are you excited for the person you’re becoming?
You don’t have to spend long doing this. Just get quiet for a few minutes, and see what comes to the surface for you. Trust me—you’re worth this kind of attention. Because you are incredible, friend—just the way you are, right now, in this moment.
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