Balloons on my page! In honor of my 35th birthday today here are 35 (hard) lessons this old Dr. Muk would tell young Muk to learn and learn fast.

1. What’s for me is and will always be for me… and if it’s not for me then I hope that it stays farrrr from me. This one is so hard to get but once you do, life has a way of just opening up kind of like a coconut 🥥.

2. Deciding what you want is hard. Give yourself grace, space, and time… you’ll get there.

3. It’s impossible to be everything to everyone and when you try you could hurt yourself from straining all while depriving those closest to you of your energy.

4. Meekness is not weakness. Knowing this could give you the upperhand when encountering those who mistake one for the other.

5. Try and believe the saying “Everything happens for a reason”. It’s likely not true but thinking like it is true makes living life a MUCH more pleasant experience.

6. Apologies suck but they are foundational to life long friendships. Nobody likes people who think they are always in the right because it’s a delusional mindset! We all mess up at one point or another… all you can do is apologize, try to make amends and move on.

7. Adjust your relationship with failure and it will fast-track your success by learning to fail fast, fail forward, and fail a LOT!

8. Rejection is failure’s cousin and ‘em - even without an invite, they are still coming to the cookout so best to just expect it so you’ll be unbothered.

9. Ask for what you want, the worst anyone anywhere can ever say is “no”.

10. It is better to regret doing something than regret not having ever tried.

11. Curating your online feed is like curating your real-life relationships; both are crucial for your well-being. It’s challenging, but you must let go of toxic connections to thrive and who knows… maybe there will be a reconnection once the toxicity subsides.

12. Gratitude should be your default setting. It’s a gift to those who love you and a baffling response to those who don’t—definitely a Win/Win.

13. If you can, then do what you love. If you can’t, then do the next available thing until you can do what you love because it is true that working at something you love is the closest thing to never working a day in your life.

14. People tend to hate what they don’t understand so keep calm and don’t let negativity get you down too much.

15. A follow doesn’t equate to love, or even like. Similarly, not being followed doesn’t mean you aren’t liked and loved. This applies on an individual basis but also a numbers level.

16. An Unfollow isn’t necessarily bad; most people are just curating their feed, bored, or seeking a change.

17. It’s hard, but try not to let a block or being left on read get to you personally. Silence is a form of an answer. Refer to #1.

18. Most online connections you make don’t show up as their authentic IRL self… some are bots, some are introverts behind avatars, or full-on scammers and catfishes but a few are truly the real deal.. and those, my friends… are worth every bit of the hassle.

19. People are allowed to change their mind about you. Either from liking you to not or vice versa. Don’t take this personally… often times it’s more about them than it is about you.

20. In an increasingly Artificial Intelligence (AI) driven world, I think authenticity will soon become a rare and valuable commodity so this is just a heads up to go full force with ai but DO NOT LOSE YOURSELF.

21. Do not demonize jealousy. It’s a natural, human emotion… make peace with it in others towards you but also in yourself. It’s ok to feel it - you are human - but try not to act on it and definitely don’t dwell on it if you do.

22. Most times mute is better than block. In IRL too… once all is exhausted silently going no contact is often better for the heart than having draining confrontations.

23. If you’re able, donate rather than lend. If you must loan, only offer what you’re willing to lose as the price of discovering someone’s true loyalty and integrity.

24. Give without expectations. The mental real estate you give up when thinking about who “owes” you what is waaaaay more valuable than anything you can ever give materialistically.

25. Money is a form of currency not a character trait so don’t judge people based on their wealth. The rich can be just as nice or morally bankrupt as the poor.

26. Humans trade in options. That is knowledge, time, looks, attention, fame, wisdom etc… so take it from me that money is not the ONLY form of currency.

27. Embrace the spectrum: nothing is either just black or white, most things exist as shades of grey. PLUS I think that life is just more interesting in a colorful well-shaded picture than a film negative.

28. Social media platforms are like roads. Whoever built it controls it. Your account is more like a lemonade stand on the side of that road. Don’t bank all your good good juice on that one stand - diversify.

29. Ideas are everywhere, but it’s the actions that make a difference. Don’t worry too much about people stealing your ideas—just concentrate on getting your best ideas done.

30. If you are stressed about idea theft then do like me—only offer your lower-tier ideas in public but keep your A-list & B-list gems locked away lol

31. Always be very mindful and demure about where you are from because unlike your past, the future is uncertain - in Zimbabwe 🇿🇼 we say, “Ziva kwaunobva no kuti kwaunoenda usiku.”

32. Focus on growing more like bacteria, and not going viral—steady progress is more sustainable and rewarding. Plussss you’ll gain invaluable lessons along the way, so when you reach your destination, you’ll actually have something worth being known for.

33. Think of your body as a machine: food is the fuel, exercise is the maintenance, and music is… release.

34. Celebrate diversity - people are not obligated to think or act like you. Just because you were raised to have certain beliefs… that doesn’t mean others who don’t share your beliefs are “bad apples”. Look for a new perspective, have empathy and try to embrace a rainbow world - trust… you might just like it ;) .

35. Some people will like you, some will hate you but MOST don’t even know you exist so read number #1 again🤗

If these STEAMulating lessons do or don’t resonate with you, take a moment to share your thoughts in the comments. What’s one lesson you’ve learned from balancing your online and real-life experiences? Also who doesn’t love birthday messages? Hit me up on your favorite social media platform—I’m chronically online on all platforms @STEAMulater