It's My Birthday! Here are 52 Things I Know at 52.

Here is a stream-of-consciousness list of 52 things I believe as I turn 52.

Here is a stream-of-consciousness list of 52 things I believe as I turn 52:

1. Something I believe is totally wrong—I just don’t know what it is yet.
2. Relationships are all that are going to matter in the end.
3. Healthy people change a lot as they go.
4. You’re on a journey back to your true self.
5. I’ve yet to meet a happy political zealot.
6. Love is the origin, the engine, and the goal of life.
7. When someone in your life is in crisis, just show up.
8. God is a verb.
9. Genuine curiosity is often the best response when we find ourselves disagreeing with someone.
10. Everyone is suffering.
11. Every decision people make is emotional.
12. We live inside the stories we believe.
13. Context always matters.
14. Our path is illuminated one step at a time.
15. All of life is improvised.
16. People don’t think about you as much as you think they do.
17. And that’s a great thing.
18. It’s hard to hate face to face.
19. The friends who knew you before you were successful and are still your friends are worth a lot.
20. The friends who knew you before your worst failure and are still your friends are worth even more.
21. Part of being young is needing to be right. The best part of getting older is when that goes away.
22. Parenting doesn’t stop.
23. Empathy is essential for love.
24. Money is oxygen. Not enough of it will make you panic. More than enough doesn’t really matter.
25. A.I. is going to destroy us all. Or it’s not. I don’t know. Have a donut.
26. Book that next therapy appointment.
27. If you have to say something difficult, never text or email.
28. Travel if you can afford it.
29. Be alone in public more.
30. Labeling people is dehumanizing and will lead to a heart full of hate.
31. Art and music are portals to transcendence.
32. The truest things are only understood in metaphor.
33. Living your life for the approval of others will make you hate yourself.
34. We are all addicted to something.
35. If your partner likes to dance, dance with them.
36. It’s okay to quit something if it’s time to quit.
37. But if it’s not time to quit, keep going.
38. Don’t wait until a funeral to eulogize the people you love.
39. Dogs, bruh.
40. Your failures and pain will show you your true purpose.
41. There is a great irony that finally accepting your insignificance will show you how valuable you are to the world.
42. Odds are someone you interact with today is having the worst week of their life—but they won’t tell you. So assume it’s everyone.
43. If you are deciding between walking and driving, walk.
44. Give grace to others the way you hope for it in return when you are at your worst.
45. Everyone should take at least one improv class.
46. Yesterday already happened. Tomorrow is just a fantasy. Only today is real.
47. Practice forgiveness until you master it.
48. Your iPhone has a Do Not Disturb option.
49. The idea that play time and nap time are not for adults is a lie.
50. It’s never too late to say yes to another adventure.
51. Be less mean online. You can do it. I believe in you.
52. Han shot first. (In a movie that was simply called Star Wars.)

Limited edition 52 year-old storytelling consultant action figure

Sometimes you gotta get ahead of a situation.