Have you ever wondered about reflections? Or has there been a moment where you thought what does reflections instil in you?
Reflection is nothing but looking back on the year that has just passed and giving yourself a treat and a pat on the back for what went well. Now do I mean that you need to ignore and beat yourself up for the bad things that happened? Absolutely not!
Our totality of personality is being calculated only by the addition of good and bad things in life. This is exactly what shapes us.
Now now, I know that 11 days have passed in the new year. But honestly, that doesn’t mean its too late for reflection. Personally, it took me a while to reflect because of the external situations that are rattling the entire world.
2021 has been a year that is as much as close as the Sigmoidal curve. Fair share of ups and fair share of downs. But also, I am able to look back and smile at 2021 and say that, it has been the best year that gave me some powerful life lessons.
Let’s dive straight in to know more about them
1. Health is incalculable – More than anything, this has to be on the top of my list. If you remember, ever since the pandemic started in early 2020, our lives have gone for a complete toss, wherein we were forced to adapt to swift changes which were happening around us in the blink of an eye. We honestly had no control over our lives, because of an invasion of a virus. And very soon, it put tremendous pressure on both our physical and mental well-being.
2021 was one such year, where my mental well-being was at the lowest and I was ignoring it to the peak so that, I could focus on my career. It's by Nov 2021, that I broke down completely (both physically and mentally). And by then, I realized, that our career no matter how fulfilling it is, can never equalize good health. Because, lets face it. If you have a top notch personal and professional life on one hand and the other hand, you’re beaten to the ground because of ill health, then there is no point of living in denial. This is my main focus area for 2022, and, that is to take a break before I completely shut down.
2. Money can’t fix you - I have come to terms today to understand, that money is just a commodity and a tool to cover up your basic necessities and desires. And, you know, the real reason why I started imbibing minimalism is, to be contented with little and to not let money define happiness. It's not that I was lacking it, it’s just I decided not to show off that I am well off.
I have been around people who validated themselves based on the premium vehicle that they own, label designer outfits, a kick ass profession, the products that they use on a day-to-day basis, but honestly had the worst character in the entire universe. They just didn’t know how to treat their confidantes properly and was validating folks only based on the materialistic stuff. Sooner, I came out of such people, but I thank them for teaching me, that money is just not the be all and end all solution to your problem. Because, in all fairness, these people had outlandish amount of money, yet they were jealous and insecure about others.
3. People pleasing is a fool’s errand – I know that, I have mentioned in my previous posts about not seeking validation from others. But to you guys, I can shamelessly admit that I fell in this trap in 2021. We are social beings and it is indeed a drug that increases the dopamine in our body when someone compliments you out of the blue. But you know, the thing I regret the most was, seeking validation, even when my integrity and self-esteem were being questioned. But fast forwarding to today, I am much happier wherein I am at my best, being authentic to who I am and being uncompromised on my dignity.
4. Love is a choice – One of my favorite quotes on love is by Seth Adam Smith. And he says,
“Real love isn't just a euphoric, spontaneous feeling—it's a deliberate choice—a plan to love each other for better and worse, for richer and poorer, in sickness and in health.” “Love is not a side effect of luck. Love is a posture.”
In this day and age, where social media is being harnessed to the maximum, you have to choose to let annoyances pass, to forgive, to be kind, to respect, to support and to be faithful. Relationships takes tons of work. Sometimes it’s easy and sometimes it’s incredibly hard. It is up to you to choose how you want to act, think and speak in a relationship. Break it or make it, is the call that you have to take.
5. You don’t always get what you want - “Life is what happens while you’re busy making other plans.” – John Lennon
I stand corrected with this quote. You know, there are times in your life, wherein you would have carefully curated and planned how you want your day, month or even year to pan out. But then, boom goes the dynamite! Life happens.We have all of these expectations; preconceived notion of what our “ideal” life will look like, but more often than not, that’s not the reality of the life we end up with. Sometimes our dreams fail and sometimes we just change our minds out of nowhere. In reality, you have to flunk to find the right trajectory and sometimes you just have to try a few things before you can find the right course.
6. There is no shame in the unknown - In recent times, especially being in the public eye for nearly 2 years, I am able to correlate the fact that it does take courage to admit that you don’t know something. You see, not everyone starts off being excellent in their craft. We are all a beginner when we start out. There exists a kind of stigma or a shame in admitting our limitations or uncertainly, but we can’t possibly know everything.
In 2021, I have approached countless amount of people whenever I was facing a roadblock and it was those fruitful conversations that made me land with a community of like-minded people (irrespective of their age). Not only did I learn new things, I also made sure that I connected with them and quite honestly, I discovered my mentor there. So, you see, there is no harm in approaching people with something that you are facing an issue. On the contrary, most of them are learners and they will be happy only to help and guide you. This is one such habit that I am taking it with me in the upcoming years as well.
7. Risks are a game changer – Out of the whole lot, this is one lesson that I am the proudest of learning. So, I am guessing you all know me as a blogger and a writer. But in May 2021, I took the leap of faith, where I evolved as a Blogging Coach. Seriously, I had no clue about the coaching business, how to pitch my services or even how to seal clients. But I had the hunger inside of me, that I am willing to learn what it takes and just to plunge inside and see where this journey takes me. And with the help of my mentor, I launched my coaching program (all in along with a full-time job). Today, I have coached 30+ people (from doctors to college students) to start their career in writing and to turn it into a profitable business. My intention is not to boast about myself here. The point is, if you don’t take the risk today, you will never know what you’re truly capable of.
So, that’s it guys!
These lessons were definitely the cherry to an overwhelming and exhilarating year. Remember that, life is a journey and, in the end, it’s up to you to how you make it count 😊
Cheers to a new year and new beginnings!
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