Happy New Year! Looking back on the past year, here are my biggest lessons learned:
*Don’t let someone else’s definition of success make you feel less than; we’re not all striving for the same goals.
So own what you do and be proud of yourself for your success. It might not look like what someone else considers success for themselves, but that doesn’t mean you didn’t still kick some serious ass at what YOU do. So, keep doing it.
*Self-reliance and self-confidence are important. But I’m very thankful not to have to do everything on my own.
*Just because you aren’t friends with someone doesn’t mean there’s any animosity there. You’re just not each other’s cup of tea. Or maybe neither of you had the time to get to know the other or maybe circumstances prevented it. But it doesn’t mean there’s anything negative there. You can’t be friends with everyone, don’t take it personally.
*Work your tail off. It will pay off. Eventually, what you’re doing will get noticed.
*Work smarter, not harder. I used to say this all the time when I taught, so much so that I’d say “Work…” and my students would finish it “smarter, not harder,” probably complete with a few eyerolls, but it’s a very good lesson to learn.
There’s no glory in saying you worked all day if the same amount of work can be accomplished just as effectively in a shorter amount of time, if only you had less distractions. So this has been the year of working smarter and more efficiently (while still working my tail off).
*Go DO SOMETHING.
Life is more interesting (and you’re more interesting) when you have hobbies, when you get out there in the world and explore it. It doesn’t have to be some big journey, just venture somewhere new, try something different.
*Very few people actually care if you make a fool of yourself by trying something new.
Most people are way too busy worrying about what they’re doing and how they’re perceived to give you a second thought. Or maybe you’ll give them a temporary giggle with your screw up, but what do you care? So go give something new a shot and don’t worry if you fall on your face (take it from someone who LITERALLY fell on her face trying something new last year).
*Be who you are.
While this isn’t a new lesson for me, it is one that has become clearer with each year that passes. While I have some things I’d like to do better, overall: I like who I am and don’t make apologies for it. You don’t have to change for someone else and you also don’t have to allow people who are negative about who you are to stay in your life or to let their opinions make you feel any less than.