Lessons from the last 365 days

Reflecting on the last 365 as I turn a year older today is a tradition I hope to continue as long as I run my blog. Thank you so much for stopping by and if you read last’s year’s post I hope this year doesn’t disappoint you. In a nutshell, 2018 has been a “year of growth” for me. I experienced so many highs in my personal life and business but there were so many lows. From canceled magazine feature to relationships that changed that still hurts to getting to work for brands that I was on my vision board to putting in time and effort to repair broken relationships, it was quite a year. To round it up, I am sharing 7 lessons that I hope resonates in some way with you.

Never give up on people, (Give Grace)

I am not sure why I chose to start with this (maybe partly because it’s a struggle for me) One thing I learned about myself this year is that I tend to be stringy when it comes to this. I’ll be frank, as I type this I have given up on a few people in my life. Don’t be like me, try a little harder even when you have all the reasons in the world not to. Part of growth for me means extending grace (undeserved merit) after all there are so many people I have wronged who chose not to write me off. I am definitely not advocating being a doormat either.

I linked everything I am wearing in my photos below.

Be a believer-self believer

As someone who tends to overanalyze too often, being my own ultimate cheerleader has been an issue for me. It took me a while to find my voice and even after I did, believing it day in and out is so hard on some days. No amount of positive reinforcement/feedback from others (so thankful for amazing friends and family) will ever take the place of you believing in yourself first. It comes especially handy when others doubt you. While I don’t have that part all squared out,  the word of God and positive affirmations have helped a ton.

Forgive yourself for your past mistakes

I tend to be super hard on myself and hold on to my mistakes thinking it actually helps me. Part of living is making mistakes and learning to accept that is also part of the package. I am thankful for the word of God which helps me with this.

You can’t be everything to everyone and that’s okay

This year, I have learned that I can’t be everything to everyone. I can’t be there all the time and it doesn’t make me a bad person. I am purely talking about friendships here. I can’t be the counselor, money advisor, defender, etc. I can absolutely pick and choose and be great at being my best self in other people’s lives. Trying to fit into shoes that don’t fit only brings issues in the long run. There are different kinds of friendships and I recognize that in the people in my life too.

I am enough…I don’t have to change who I am

I used to think I had to change who I was to become the kind of blogger I wanted to be. I thought to be successful I needed to be super outgoing, I had to dress a little edgier, the list goes on! I now know that while all that is well and good, BEING MYSELF will be the single most important thing that will propel me. Being me means not being afraid to try new things, educating myself more about my craft, seeking help while still being true to who I am. Our power lies in our individuality, so embrace that.

Do away with ENVY

There are certain words that sometimes sound yucky to talk about e.g. envy, jealousy, the list goes on. One thing I’ll admit that I struggled with this year is envy. It took me a while to acknowledge this but since I realized it was an issue. I have actively worked on correcting it. Instead of counting other people’s blessings and thinking I have none, I am not only being more grateful for all that I have (keeping a Gratitude journal) but also acknowledge what I see in others that I desire. I compliment, compliment and compliment some more. It’s amazing how that one simple act when done genuinely (no faking issh) changed my perspective.

Rejection is perfectly okay

I used to be so scared of getting rejected and I realized how much I was limiting myself because of this. Rejection is part of growth, so embrace it in the coming year.

If you had asked me why I do what I do, I would have come up with a bunch of reasons but I am glad that over the last year one simple word that describes what my mission is HELP. By sharing what I know and what I am acquiring along the way, ultimately I want to create content that is helpful and useful and oh create products too! Thank you so much for reading!