A Year in Review: What I Learned

This year I became more of who I am meant to be. This didn’t happen because I reached more goals, or achieved a new level of success, or found more love in my life. Yes, those happened, but they were byproducts of me being authentic with myself. This year was more about letting go of who I thought I needed to be in order to allow who I really am to shine through.

I learned that to create something new, it’s a wise idea to let something go.

Sometimes, we have to let go of who we think we are, release beliefs, habits, and fears that no longer work so we can step into our future self, the version of us so patiently waiting for us to arrive.

This year I let go of thinking I have to have it all figured out to move ahead.

I learned that sometimes dreams manifested into reality are not at all like what they seemed in our head—sometimes they can be better than we thought, but only when we let go of expectations. Other times dreams manifested are just that: dreams that no longer feel like dreams because we’ve outgrown them. Sometimes we become the person who is bigger than what we once thought possible.

Yes, goals are nice to have, but living life in the moment is more meaningful. The process of achieving our goals can sometimes derail us and numb us from living in the moment. This year I stopped trying so hard. The moment is where the reward is. I learned the power of letting go of tomorrow and being fully present, alive and focused, in today.

I learned that getting what you want is not always the same as getting what you truly need.

I learned the value of having big dreams and being unapologetic about my desires, while other times it’s okay to not have any desires at all.

I released resistance. I stopped trying to make things happen prematurely; instead, I learned how to surrender to what is instead of pushing to live out what I think might be. I had discovered the art of allowing, of trusting that everything happens for a reason and the timing of everything is perfectly orchestrated by the divine. I learned how to relax into my life and let most things be.

I re-learned that not everyone will like you, but I don’t need others to like me for me to like myself. I learned that other people are never judging me the way I judge myself. My perceptions will always shape my reality.

I learned that life is a balancing act of holding on and letting go, and how my life feels is always more important than how it looks.

I learned that I can make a difference one moment, one person at time. I don’t have to save the world, heal, or fix anyone. I just need to focus on healing myself. I learned that everyone matters; no matter how small or insignificant we may feel we all have a story that needs to be heard and we all have a purpose and reason for being.

Sometimes the purpose is to just live more on purpose.

I learned that things aren’t always what they seem. Forgive people sooner. It will free you up to new opportunities and your heart won’t be weighed down.

I learned that my heart knows the way I should trust it, but sometimes my head has wisdom my heart has yet to discover. Always trust how you feel, because feelings will reveal the truth.

This year, I learned that there is no magic bullet, there are no overnight fixes or solves. If it seems too good to be true, it is.

I learned that fulfillment is different for everyone. It is a very personal thing and something each individual should make a priority. It can only come when we allow ourselves to be authentic to ourselves.

I learned that we are as happy as we choose to be, and it’s okay to be overwhelmed with emotion. It is better to fully embrace than to run away or ignore.

I discovered that feeling sad, depressed, or anxious is just as beneficial as feeling joy. For it helps us understand more about our true self.. Without the sad emotions we wouldn’t know real joy or happiness.

I learned that being thankful for everything is the fastest way to feel better.

This year I learned the value of slowing down to be more present. The right answers can come to us when we slow down. I leanred that being alone doesn’t mean you are lonely, but feeling lonely means you no longer want to be alone.

I learned that all we are is a combination of everything we have been. And every day is a new start to something even more beautiful.

Here’s to a happy new year and creating a beautiful life.

What have you learned this year? I’d love to hear in the comments.