As the door to 2018 closes and the journey of 2019 has begun, I've been thinking more and more about my life. Evaluating and re-evaluating what I want to do with my life and the type of person I want to be. That being said these are a few of the top things I've realized as well as some of my resolutions for this new year:
*Warning: some of these may sound cliche but just hear me out because they're all honest*
REVELATIONS:
1. You learn something from every person you interact with.
--Whether your interaction with someone is good or bad, each person plays some type of role (some major, some minor) in your life. By reflecting on your association with someone and finding a lesson they taught you or something that came out of this interaction, you can move forward without wasting your time and energy on hating them or allowing some other type of emotion consume you.
2. Trust yourself.
--This may sound cliche, but I've learned that by trusting in my decisions and abilities I've been able to reduce my stress levels and find peace in my life not going according to planned. This year has taught me that no matter what, I'll always find a way to make things right when they go wrong. One of my mottos that I've developed throughout the past year is: "If it's not okay, then it's not the end."
3. Embrace the unknown.
--I know, I know, another cliche. However, 2018 was filled with everything except plans. I began the year with no expectations and all confidence that I was going to keep a positive attitude no matter what happened. I went through the year surprised by many opportunities and just started saying yes and embracing the unknown even when I was scared. By doing so, I was able to experience my best year yet. I traveled often, experienced things I didn't even know were possible, met the most incredible people, felt things I didn't think I would, and grew so much as a person. By fearlessly immersing myself into the unknown future, I've learned that it's okay to not know exactly what you want to do in life and that it's okay to change your mind as well as your thoughts/opinions. As you grow as a person via experiences, you develop new insights about situations and life and by doing so this does not mean you are indecisive but rather you are growing.
4. Be unapologetic about who you are.
--Do what makes YOU happy and do it because YOU want to. F*ck society and what other people think/say about you. The only way to truly live your best life is to live it for YOU and not anyone else. (I'm not saying be selfish, but it's important to understand that you can only help others by helping yourself first). At the end of the day, it's you who has to live with the consequences of your choices and decisions.
5. Don't live to work, work to live.
--Italian life motto and a motto I've learned makes the most sense to me. 2018 helped me realize the things I value in life and why I value them. I realized that although work is an important part of life, it isn't the only thing to life. If you spend all your time working, you miss out on enjoying life itself.
6. Saying yes to opportunities is the only way to progress in life.
--The only way to learn, make memories, and actually live life is to take risks and be open to new things. Even simple opportunities/activities can lead to something else.
7. Sometimes "bad decisions" make good memories or lessons.
--Let's face it. With today's day and age, it's hard to live down some cringe-worthy moments that are documented. But if it weren't for these moments we'd miss out on a good laugh with friends sharing these memories or we wouldn't be able to learn not to repeat some of these things again.
8. Don't settle.
--Don't settle for people, don't settle for life, don't settle for yourself. People always say know your worth and what you deserve, but that's not the part that's hard. The hard part is having the patience to wait till something/someone is deserving and good for you to come around or having the patience to continue working hard until you've accomplished a dream you have. In my opinion, settling is giving up. Don't give up. Don't just accept what is. Work for it, change it.
9. Stop planning, start doing.
--Plans don't usually go as well anyways, so why not just do it in the moment. I've been planning on starting a blog for so long, but for what reason have I not really? Because it wasn't perfect? Because it still needed work? Life itself is a work in progress, but you can't wait for the timing to be right and everything to be perfect in order to try something. Planning won't get you anywhere unless you initiate the plan.
Resolutions:
1. No matter what life throws at me this year, I will have a positive attitude and see the best in every situation.
2. I will say yes to more opportunities and take more risks.
3. I will drink more water.
4. I will allow myself to become emotionally available.
5. I will become more organized and timely.
6. I will learn how to be more accepting and loving of myself.
7. I will learn how to love others.
8. I will stop comparing myself to others.
9. I will make more time for self-care (aka sleeping more, working out more efficiently, eating healthier, and balancing my social life, school life, and personal life better).
10. I will take more initiative and do more of what I want to do in order to become closer to being the person I want to be.
Thanks for reading! I wish you all an amazing 2019 and goodluck with your own resolutions!!
XOXO,