Previously on..

New Year, New Me? New Year’s is my favourite time of the year because most people are expectant, hopeful and grateful for a new start. Even though technically every new day offers us new opportunities to act differently and change the trajectory of our lives, the collective energy around the start of the year serves a personal motivator for me to intentionally look forward to the year. Previously, I started each new year with the thought that a new year would usher in a new version of me. However, I do not think I was doing the work necessary to become that new version.

I now realise that I felt I was not doing enough because I was constantly comparing myself to where I wanted to go rather than where I came from. Comparing myself to the future version of me minimises the work I have done to do better than my previous versions. So, this year, I decided to do things differently. Instead of starting with where I want to go, I am going to start with a review of where I am coming from. After all, the only person I should compare myself to and strive to be better than is who I was yesteryear.

So, my first post this year is a roundup of the most important lessons I learnt in 2023. In 2024, I want to continue building from these lessons because I know there are more lessons to come this year. Looking at each new year as a new chapter rather than a new book stresses the importance of building on my growth so that each chapter enriches the book that is my life. Without further ado, below are the lessons learnt.

1. People’s perception of you is not reality. Reality is a collection of perspectives and your own perspective should be the one most important to you.
2. Adversity is something to welcome rather than avoid. The character development of tough times makes the smooth times so much more enjoyable.
3. Control is an illusion. All we can control is what we say and what we do, we cannot even control how we feel. You have to accept that you can only do what you can, the rest is not up to you so you cannot worry about it.
4. Rejection is a blessing in disguise. If someone does not find you worthy of their time, you will always have to prove myself to them so I would rather neither of our time is wasted.
5. Failure and success are equally daunting just as they are equally rewarding. Your value is not in what you do but rather in you who are.
6. Not everything needs to be done at the same time. Every increment pays off and I should never dismiss small beginnings. A seedling eventually grows into a tree.
7. Pray for your friends. You never know what your friends are going through. When you can’t stop thinking about someone, pray for them and check in on them.
8. It is so important to be protective of your personal time. You need it and everyone needs you to have it but nobody will protect it as much as you do. Plan it if you have to.
9. There is always another mountain to climb. The work is never complete but each mountain you climb makes you a better climber.
10. Friendship is so beautiful. Nurturing friendships is important because your friends will reflect who you are in different phases of your life. You will tend to minimise your growth but your friends will acknowledge it and celebrate what you don’t.
11. Prayer is the only way to fight some personal battles. You do not know what your future holds. Some of the battles you are fighting are not even about you, but about people connected to your future.
12. Focusing on what you know builds confidence. Focusing on what you do not know develops humility and teachability. Maturity involves learning what to focus on and when.

Looking ahead to 2024, I do not know what this year holds but I am excited to see how it all unfolds. This time next year, I know I will have new lessons to share but until then, I will be sharing more on my blog. I have previously had other priorities but this year my blog is on the high priority list. With all that said, I wish you a year of joy, blessing and growth.