10 Eye-Opening Life Lessons This Year Has Taught Me
I think we can all agree that this year has been more interesting (to say the least) than ever, in our generation.
It’s true that life has really been shaken up to it’s core with our “new normal”.
Even so, every single “adversity” quote that I’ve seen since has spoken to me deeply.
In this midst of chaos, we have been faced with grief and change all at once.
Nonetheless, it’s important to take a moment to remember – you are still here. You are still fighting. Life has been so difficult lately, and yet – here you remain.
I am going to go through the top 10 things this year has taught me thus far, because even though the world has been cruel – our resilience has been tougher.
Will warn you, some of these points are hard pills to follow – but I assure you that once you recognize these things, your world view will change for the better.
You are stronger than you think you are
You truly are a powerhouse. Think about what this year has thrown at you, and how much you have fought back against.
Think about it, we have been through (and are still going through) a pandemic, a huge dip in the economy, injustice protests (justice for breyonna tayler), and not to mention everyone having to go through this apart.
It’s.Been.Tough.
But, even so – look at where you are right now. You’ve got your back more than ever before and you are killing it.
Let me know below the hurdles that you have gotten over in your personal life during this. It can be small. It can be big. I want to hear it all.
Maybe you started eating healthy and cooked all your own meals. Or, perhaps you’ve been studying harder. Let me know!
You were spending way too much money
I always tried to make a point to make as much food from home as I could.
That being said, I was still spending money here and there on coffee runs, going out to eat, and material items here and there.
Not exaggerating when I say, that some months went by where ALL I was spending money on was my bills. Not that there’s anything wrong with spending! It’s just the fact that I now know my strength in not spending money if I don’t have to.
Outside opinions of you literally do not matter at all
Listen to these words carefully :
You can’t, and will never be able to please EVERYONE. And, more importantly, you do not have to.
I challenge you, to the next time you are assuming a thought or feeling like someone is judging you on the street – to ask yourself : Why do I care?
- Are you ever going to see this person again? 2. Will their opinion lead to you becoming physically hurt? 3. Will this opinion affect you in 5 years time? 4. Can you live without this person?
If you can answer all of these questions, as NO. Then, roll it off of your back.
Obviously constructive criticism or positive words are different, but if the opinion does you no benefit positively – see, ya.
There is a huge difference from empowerment, encouraging, supportive words vs negative, disapproving, discouraging words.
Trust your gut. Usually how you feel after a talk tells you what the difference is.
On that note, the only person's opinion of you that actually matters - is your own.
At the end of the day, your way of perceiving yourself is how others will perceive you. If you see yourself as never being good enough, quiet, unproductive blah blah – you name it – you will be seen as such.
Continuously work on your inner talk, your self-love and care and you will start to recognize your own worth. Knowing your worth and being proud of who you are is astronomically life-changing. Remember that it’s not a destination, but it’s a journey. A day by day practice.
The company you keep defines the person that you are
It’s true that you truly are the company that you keep. Let me be clear, I do not just mean people. I also am talking about – the books you read, the media that you watch, the accounts that you follow. All of these are considered “company” because these all have equal influence on your mindset and your life.
You will only go as high as the level that you think you deserve. Meaning, if you surround yourself with influences that show you what you’ve always known or less than. You will only ever amount to that level.
Let’s say you push outwards and start educating yourself and your soul on more – you will now come to realize that there’s so much more you can still obtain.
Keep influences around that inspires you for greater than you are. If you want to achieve more in your life, surround yourself with people who have done it or are learning to do it like yourself. If you can’t find those people (even though you should be able to on the amount of social networks that we have), then you should be reading books, listening to podcasts, watching documentaries. There is so much information out there that can help you progress further.
You’re your own best friend. Treat yourself kindly
You are all you’ve got. Not really – but, really. This year has truly taught me how much, at the end of the day – you are your true best friend.
It’s not meant to be sad, in contrast – it should be empowering. Think of it as, you’ve got your back more than anyone else in this world. At the top of your list – should be you. You would do anything for yourself, give yourself anything to be happy, do whatever it takes to put a smile on your face.
Think of it THAT way.
Because, truthfully you could never let YOU down. As long as you put your mental and physical well-being first – you can never disappoint yourself.
Treat yourself kindly and with respect because at the end of the day – you are the only you this world has got.
Knowing your purpose is fundamental in feeling fulfilled
“Finding your purpose” always seems like such a daunting task. It always seems to strike fear when asked but in reality it’s not as set in stone as you think.
What this year has taught me, has been to instead ask myself, What does ultimate happiness mean to me?
At first, I obviously answered with the common “I just want to be happy, surrounded by the people that I love”
I pressed myself to go further.
What would I need in my life to be happy? What am I doing? Who am I with? What do I need to do right now in order to get myself to where I am wanting to go?
Ask yourself these questions. Push yourself to answer. You would be surprised just how much you would find out about yourself. Not just that, but only then you can start doing daily steps to making this a reality. Keep pushing.
If you’re not uncomfortable, you’re not growing
If pushing your limits, and achieving more is your goal – you will need to do things you’ve never done.
Have you ever ran that 7K race before? Then, you’ve got some work to do. Have you ever seen that much money in your bank account before? No? Then you’ve got some work to do.
I was listening to my favourite podcast “Don’t keep your day job” when the incredible Jim Kwik said, “You cannot be upset over the success your not getting from the work that you’re not doing”
Can I tell you, my mind was BLOWN once I heard that. It really hit me hard because it’s so true. Often, we find ourselves getting frustrated with lack of evidence that this works – meanwhile, the lack of action is just as equal.
Show Up
So many things in life would drastically change, if you just showed up. In my point #8, I mentioned how important it was to start doing daily steps in order to make what you want a reality.
It’s all about showing up. Every day.
Be there.
Gratitude is your STRONGEST superpower
While the world is in this state, it’s easy to get lost in all things “wrong”. I can not tell you what you can and cannot be sad about, nor would I want to ever try to.
I only want to encourage you towards happiness and the best way I’ve realized to accomplish this, is practicing gratitude every day.
New Challenge : Tell yourself 3 things you are thankful for the moment you wake up. Right before bed, tell yourself 3 more.
*These need to be different every day – if you do this, please message me here on instagram and let me know how you are feeling after a couple days. Would love to know!
The more time that goes by, the easier it’ll be to get yourself out of a rut. You’ll be able to look at the bright side of situations easier and above all, you will be telling yourself and the universe how thankful you are.
It’s important to remind yourself that you know just how hard you are working. Again, you are your own best friend. Be the best cheerleader you’ve ever had.
Final Note
This year has truly taught me more about myself, the people I hold around me, and the world than I have ever realized before.
The trick is to focus on the amount of growth, and perseverance you hold. Keep pushing and never stop going towards your full potential.
What is a new outlook that you’ve gained from this year? Do you have a realization of something in your life?
