40 business + life lessons for 40 years

Tomorrow, I turn 40!

To celebrate, I’m jetting off to the East Coast for the entire month of March, spending time in my favourite city with some of my favourite people.

Every year, my birthday brings a wave of reflection – but hitting the big 4-0 has taken it to another level. After a tough year, including the heartbreaking loss of my soul dog Ned, I’ve been thinking deeply about life, business, and the lessons I’ve learned along the way.

So, in today’s episode of How I Do Content Podcast, I’m sharing 40 life and business lessons from my 40 years on this planet.

40 Lessons for Life & Business

1. Forgive yourself – you did the best you could with what you knew.
2. Rest days are just as important as hustle days.
3. Not every marketing message is meant for you—practice discernment.
4. A good business decision isn’t always a good human decision.
5. Money doesn’t automatically make someone a great business coach.
6. Go to therapy – your subconscious affects everything.
7. You’ll never have it all figured out – keep learning and evolving.
8. Life can change in an instant – embrace the present.
9. Capture all the moments with your dog – you’ll treasure them later.
10. Acknowledge your mistakes and grow from them.
11. “No” is a complete sentence – you don’t owe an explanation.
12. Social media frustrates everyone – yes, even the pros.
13. You don’t have to be the loudest to make a big impact.
14. Just because society says you “should” do something doesn’t mean you should.
15. Change requires action – waiting won’t make it happen.
16. Structure creates freedom – plan and process for ease and flow.
17. Love yourself first – the right people will love you for you.
18. Hashtags and trending audios don’t make a business – your message does.
19. Disappointing yourself is worse than disappointing others.
20. Other people’s problems aren’t yours to carry.
21. Listen to your intuition – it’s usually right.
22. Take action even when you don’t feel ready.
23. Show up for yourself daily, and the rest will follow.
24. Success doesn’t happen overnight – it’s years in the making.
25. Lead with kindness – everyone is fighting battles you can’t see.
26. Surround yourself with people who genuinely believe in you.
27. You’re not “too much” for the right people.
28. Accept the support you invest in – it’s there for a reason.
29. Plans will change – adapt and keep moving forward.
30. There’s no one-size-fits-all strategy – find what works for you.
31. Losing yourself for a while doesn’t mean it’s the end.
32. People will judge you no matter what – do what makes you happy.
33. Not everyone will understand your vision – but you don’t need their approval.
34. If you don’t believe in yourself, no one else will.
35. You are the most valuable asset in your business – take care of yourself.
36. Your impact is bigger than you realise.
37. A “no” today doesn’t mean “no” forever.
38. If you can’t talk about your business confidently, how will others see your value?
39. Want to be seen as an expert? Show up like one.
40. Be the person your dog thinks you are—they believe in you more than anyone.

Your Turn: What’s Your Biggest Lesson?

Those are my biggest lessons from 40 years of life and business! I’d love to know – which one resonated with you most? Or, what’s been your biggest life or business lesson so far?

Here’s to 40 – and thank you for being here on this journey with me!

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