10 Lessons I Learned in 2017
It’s December 31, 2017 about 7:00pm EST. A few hours remaining until the new year.
If you’re like me and on social media right now, you’re probably seeing a ton of curated “Best of 2017” pictures, videos, and snaps. Some of my favorite bloggers and my closest friends had a pretty awesome year.
But between you and me, it’s taking some time to forgive myself for not having the year that I thought I was going to.
Before I can look ahead to next year, I need to come to terms with this year. This is a reflection of the past 365 days and the role I played in it.
Here are 10 things 2017 taught me:
Mental health is as important as physical health. If you are not mentally strong and stable, other areas of your life begin to fall apart.
Asking for help is a sign of strength. It shows that you are self-aware and you know what needs to happen in order for you to get better.
Young adulthood is a solo trip. You’ll have a lot of visitors, some of them will be long-term, most aren’t. Either way, always leave a positive impact on everyone who enters your life because they will remember how you made them feel.
Inaction is what kills dreams and when your dreams die, so do you.
No one really cares how smart you are. Instead, people care how interesting and authentic you are. It feels better when people walk away thinking “wow, she was really intriguing and curious about me” instead of “huh, she knows a lot of information that I could have just googled.”
Adequate hours of sleep is foundational to a happier, more productive, and healthier life. A major area I am continuing to work on.
True freedom is having full control over how you want to spend your time. Hence, the boom of entrepreneurial lifestyles instead of corporate ladder climbs among millennials.
You should not need to convince someone to stay with you-- romantically or platonically. The moment you need to try to persuade someone that you’re “it” for them, you’re disrespecting yourself. Just be and the right people will come, trust me on this one.
Money in your 20s is meant to be used as an experimental means. You will gain more in life by booking that flight, signing up for that class, or deciding to live on your own. You’re going to earn more and the fraction of saving when you’re 30 will be incomparable to what you’re trying to penny pinch for right now.
Whenever you get indecisive between staying home or going to that thing you said you would go to, always go.
2017, thank you for the lessons. The best of me is yet to come.
Cheers.