18 Takeaways from 2018
I don’t know about you but 2018 seemed to fly by! I feel like I say that every single year but it truly does feel like the year came and went in the blink of an eye. 2018 was quite the roller coaster of a year but I know looking back that it has only made me a stronger individual. God doesn’t put us in situations for the heck of it; it is to teach us and to help us grow.
With the year winding down, I decided to reflect on all these roller coaster moments and put together a list of 18 takeaways from 2018 [in no particular order]. Some are short and sweet, some are more in depth. The year most definitely did not go as I planned but I’m thankful for even the tough, dark moments that will open up endless doors and new possibilities in 2019 and beyond!
It’s okay to not be okay - I think I repeat this to myself on the daily as a constant reminder so here we go: It’s okay to not be okay. Life is not perfect and situations don’t always go as planned or our feelings get the best of us and guess what? That is normal and okay! And that is why we have friends and family, to vent to and to be there as support when things just aren’t going your way. We see all of these perfectly perfect lives portrayed on social media that can make us feel bad about ourselves but it is important to remember that those are just highlight reels; those people have tough and dark times, too. It’s okay to not be okay, just don’t bottle it up and be sure to stay close to those who matter to you.
Listen to your body - this might be my biggest takeaway of the year. Listening to your body is so freaking important in all aspects of life. If my body says it is tired, it means I’ve used up all the limited energy my brain has and needs to recharge. If your stomach is giving you hungry signals, eat! It your body is craving ice cream, eat it - you won’t gain 10 pounds overnight. Your body knows what it needs and wants and if you can tune into that, it makes a world of a difference!
Just say no - as someone who likes to stay busy, saying no to things isn’t always in my vocabulary. I’ve learned a lot this year that there is nothing wrong with saying no - whatever it may be. Overbooking our calendar only adds more stress, being involved with one too many organization only adds more stress, etc etc. It is okay to say no. I repeat, it is okay to say no! This is taken me a long time to learn but I’m happen to finally be at an understanding of it…only took almost 30 years! lol
Doctors are not the enemy - your girl HATES going to the doctor, like despise it! And for someone who has to see a pulmonologist pretty regularly, you’d think I’d be pretty comfortable with this type of thing. I’ve certainly gotten better over the years but it is still not something I enjoy. For the longest time, I’ve always felt like doctors were judging me, almost like my symptoms weren’t real or that they made no sense or that they just didn’t really care about what I had to say. Thankfully, I have the most incredible team of doctors and therapists! They listen to every and anything I have to say; no symptom is too crazy and they are determined to get to the root of any and all issues. This is huge!! Being able to have trust in your care team is so important! Yes, you still have to advocate for yourself [no one else can truly do that but you] but it makes a huge difference when you feel comfortable with your care team - they are not the enemy! Your health is such an important matter and the lives whose hands you are putting it in should be trustworthy.
Don’t bottle up your feelings - though I’ve made progress in this area, it is something I still have a ways to go. I have never been the type of person who likes to talk about their feelings or share what they are feeling. I usually keep things inside and to myself, letting them build and build and build until eventually they explode and I’m an emotional, irrational mess. Not a good way to handle things! I’m slowly getting better at saying how I feel, saying what is on my mind, and actually making decisions - it’s a life miracle! Friends and family are there for you through the good times and the bad. It is important to be able to open up to them at all times to maintain a healthy relationship - and a healthy mind. Keeping things to yourself does no good. I’m hoping to knock this one out of the ballpark next year!
The power of prayer - I grew up going to church every Sunday. I went to Sunday school and even did a “summer camp” for my confirmation classes [they related the bible to Harry Potter and we got to play quiditch so it wasn’t a terrible way to spend a few weeks in the summer!] But as I got older I lost touch with my faith. I felt disconnected and like it wasn’t for me. Lately, I’ve been feeling this calling to reconnect with and get closer to my faith. I’m only touching the surface at this point but I find verses and lines of scripture and my mind instantly wants to evaluate and understand it more, relating it to daily life. I find myself praying in any sort of situation and not just times of need, assistance or guidance. I don’t know if all this has to do with my life situations but I’m definitely not ignoring the signals. I want to dive into this more and continue praying about any and everything. I’m planning to get a devotional [or 2 or 3] in the new year and excited for this reconnected journey with my faith.
Change is good - I’ll say it again: CHANGE IS GOOD!! I’m not sure why but change always intrigued me but in an “oh shit” type of way. Change sort of scared me and there was something so stable and consistent without it. But without change, we get stuck in the same mundane routine day after day. We get this feeling of being stuck and not being challenged. We feel like life is at a pause and that we aren’t being challenged. Change is not the enemy. With all of the big life changes that have happened recently and many more to come, I truly could not be more excited for the changing times and unknown opportunities that lie ahead. Change makes us better people and I cannot wait to see what these recent life changes bring about.
Everything happens for a reason - yes this is a cliche saying but it’s something I’ve held near and dear to my heart for as long as I can remember. One of the first Alex & Ani bangles I got years and years ago [that I still wear to this day!] has that saying on it and I love wearing it daily as a reminder. I get it, tough and stressful times can be so hard to see the reasoning behind why they are happening. When you stop to take a deep breath and look deeply into a tough situation, you can learn a lot about yourself and life around you. It’s something I encourage all of you to do!
Just do you/stop comparing - the comparison trap is so real, especially with the continual rise of social media. You are you - a unique individual. The path you are on was created specifically for you. The situations you face were created just for you to learn and grow as an individual. You cannot compare the chapter you are on to someone else’s chapter in a completely different book. Just do you girlfriend, just do you!
The value of a dollar - this is 100% something I’m still working on but it’s something I’ve become to understand more and more each day, and will only continue to in the coming days. A coffee out every day adds up more quickly than you know. Buying lunch instead of packing something simple from home adds up quick. That adorable sweater was made for you but do you [or your bank account] really need it? Heading into 2019, personal finances is something I really want to focus on and get better at. I’m very slowly making progress but it is definitely time to get a grasp on it. I’ll definitely be sharing my experiences, tips and tricks with this so stay tuned!
You can survive without coffee - this one may seem silly but it is true! I had become so dependent on coffee, needing it every single morning…and sometimes afternoon. I’m someone who genuinely loves the taste of coffee and never really thought I needed it for the caffeine necessarily. I cold turkey just stopped having my daily coffee [or two] and I’m not going to lie, it was a struggle at first! I didn’t realize how dependent on it I had become. I missed the taste of coffee and that warm drink in the morning. But after a couple of weeks, I didn’t really crave it. And now 7+ months later, I don’t miss it that much. There are certainly times when I miss the taste and having a warm cup of coffee on a Saturday morning curled up on the couch watching College Game Day but I’ve found other means. I’ve turned to herbal and caffeine-free teas and part of me thinks I just enjoy having a warm drink. I challenge you in the new year to see if you can take a break from coffee to give your body a reset, even if it is just for a week.
There is no timeline for major life events - this is something I’ve struggled with for a while [touched on it in this post] and am still coming to grasps with but I’ve definitely come to a fair understanding about it. Social media is a highlight reel and it can feel as though everyone around you is getting engaged, married, having kids, buying a house, etc, etc. If you aren’t at any of those points in your life like me, you can feel like you are failing. But when you take a step back, there is no timeline to major life events. Just because everyone around you is at those stages doesn’t mean you have to be. You cannot compare your chapter one with someone else’s chapter 20. And I totally get that it is easier said than done! But the more that you remember your life has it’s own journey and path, the better mindset you will be in. Do I wish I was at those stages in my life? You bet I do! But I know there are still lessons to learn and hurdles to jump so when the timing is right, they will happen.
Your body will adjust and acclimate - I’d like to say that I’m pretty positive about my body and have really grown to love and appreciate it for all that it is. I pride myself on knowing what my body likes and doesn’t like so I made sure to keep what I was eating on track. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy lots of ice cream and chocolate but there is nothing wrong with that. I’ve learned over the years that you don’t have to beat yourself up in the gym to feel and look good.
Your mentality and outlook on situations is everything - I’d be lying if I said this hasn’t taken me nearly my entire life to learn…and is probably something I will continue to improve on daily. When life gets tough or you are stressed, it can be hard to remain positive. But in situations like that, sulking around, being cranky and negative are only going to make things worse. Give yourself a time limit or one really good all out cry to sulk about something and then put on your big girl pants and move on. I have learned this SO much over the past couple of years and more so in the last few months. I’m here to tell you that it makes all the difference! Let yourself have a good cry, pull yourself together, find the silver lining and move on to bigger and better things!
Perfection doesn’t exist - plain and simple, perfection doesn’t exist; it’s unattainable.
The ‘gram can wait/be present - I hope everyone takes this to heart! Yes, social media is an incredibly connected and creative sphere but sometimes we get too caught up in the scroll, the likes, the followers, etc that we miss out on life outside the squares. Be present! I repeat - BE PRESENT! If you are out to dinner or at an event, go ahead and get any photos/videos you want but then put your phone away. Wait until you are back home to post so you can enjoy the reality going on and the time you have with those around you. Life is too damn short my friends; enjoy it in it’s natural form and take a step back from the ‘gram. I like doing a #notechzone when I need a little reinforcement to take a break from my phone. This holiday season was an extended #notechzone and I enjoyed the holiday and time with my family more than ever!
Some people just don’t get it - y’all, this has come to be far too relevant lately. No matter your situation, good or bad, some people just do not get it. No respect or appreciation for others, no understanding of the severity of a situation, no compassion or making it all about them. Just do you girlfriend, just do you! Don’t worry about the haters or negative Nancy’s in the world, you are better than them. Some people just don’t get it, plain and simple. You can fret over it or try and try to continually explain yourself but in the end…some people just don’t get it!
You are loved, you are powerful, you are fierce, you are unstoppable - this one deserves no explanation other than you need to say this to yourself every single day. Put a note on your desk or on your mirror, put a note in your phone, print it in a pretty font and put it in a frame for your bookshelf - whatever you have to do, just remember those to be true. You are loved, you are powerful, you are fierce, you are unstoppable.
And that’s a wrap my friends - 18 of my biggest takeaways from 2018. It was a year of change, challenges and growth and I truly cannot wait to see what 2019 has in store for me [and for TLSW!]. What was your biggest takeaway from 2018? Share below in the comments so we can inspire each other!