What have you accomplished in the X years of your life?

The answer is not what you think it is…

It was my Xth birthday a couple days ago. Kind of a milestone birthday. My husband asked me the same question I had asked him a couple months ago when he turned Z, “What have you accomplished in the X years of your life and what are you proud of?”

I started rattling off the same things that people would normally expect as an answer to that question – i attained double masters degrees, bought our home in a good neighborhood, had 2 kids, have a job and so on. Something about that answer bothered me and I could not place a finger on it. It was only when I was standing outside the next day, that it dawned on me. This particular day, the weather was beautiful. It was 66 degree in December, it had just stopped raining, the air smelt of the smell of the damp earth, the crispness and freshness in the air was refreshing. As I stood outside taking it all in, and in the moment thanking God for the wonderful small blessings in life, I felt happy. And then the questions started swirling around in my mind – did it matter that I had done or attained all those things that I had listed on my birthday as accomplishments? don’t the ‘so-called little things’ matter? the fact that I can feel happy and appreciate the small pleasures of life at every moment possible, is that not an accomplishment? the fact that I have feel undying love for my two children, is that not an accomplishment?

With that said, here is my REAL list of accomplishments for the past X years of my life

• appreciation for the little and big pleasures that life offers
• falling in love from the moment they were in my tummy and totally loving every moment with my 2 kids
• the BIGGIE – becoming entrenched in self-awareness and realizing it is the KEY to all happiness and success in my life
• maintaining a positive and healthy lifestyle
• understanding my purpose in life
• overcoming to a good extent (still have some that creep up every so often) my own self-limiting beliefs
• knowing and abiding by my personal values
• knowing to identify and value my true friends

This is what I am proud of accomplishing in the past X years more than anything else. What about you? What are you proud of accomplishing?