Lessons Learned in 2021
OK, 2022, we can do this. At the start of 2021, I was hopeful that we would get back to a new normal, and while the year was better than 2020, I am still looking forward to booking a work trip and not canceling the week before departure. Let’s face it, no matter who you are, the last couple of years have been challenging and one heck of a roller coaster ride. But, while each of our struggles and losses may look different, we are still in this together.
Even without a pandemic thrown in the mix, life can be complicated and stressful. Although most of us already have plenty to manage in our day-to-day lives with jobs, relationships, family, exercise, sleep, buying and selling homes, wondering how many more times my two-year-old can watch Cocomelon. Nevertheless, we can still take a few valuable life lessons from 2021 into 2022.
With all the chaos around us, I believe it’s crucial to happiness and sanity that we take stock of these lessons, hold them close to our hearts, and then go out and accept the speed bumps and alternate routes life draws on our behalf. So in a sense, these lessons are my way of flipping the pandemic the bird and letting it know it can’t take everything from me. Don’t get me wrong, I had to do some deep soul searching on some of the hard days, but these are the lessons from 2021 that I will personally carry into 2022.
There Is Always Something To Be Grateful For
Lock-down and the impacts we still feel have been rough on us for many different reasons, but everybody has something or someone or something to be grateful for. My husband and I never stopped working in all of 2020 and 2021, and in fact, we got four times as busy even though our travel was canceled. Even with the stress and chaos that brought, we were blessed. Our Nanny stayed with us, which meant with us grounded, we didn’t miss a day or life stage in our daughter’s first two years. That is something I will forever consider a blessing among the madness. When we moved to Hayesville in 2021, we enrolled Lakelyn in Carolina Christian Academy Development Center. The staff has worked hard to make her transition to group care, other kids, and adults successful. Having so many beautiful caretakers in my daughter’s early years has been a true gift from God, and we count our blessings every day.
Make Each Moment Count
Don’t take anything for granted. Remember to observe and be in every experience - happy, sad, mad, or glad, just so you fully appreciate your experiences. Whether that means just sitting and observing, taking as many pictures as you can, writing in a journal, or jumping in to embrace the personal interaction, whatever works best for you, live and enjoy the moment as if it could be your last.
Be Your Own Cheerleader
This year I was hit hard with was a lesson of self-love. You can’t wait for someone else to confirm your value, celebrate your wins, or push you toward your goals. I’m not talking about bragging, boasting, or being better than anyone else. I’m talking about honoring, appreciating, and loving who YOU are authentic. It’s about finding the strength and talent inside you and using it to make a better tomorrow for yourself. On this journey of life, we are with ourselves in every moment of every day -- the more capacity we have to love who we are, the more ability we have in turn to love others and share our gifts with the world. So dig deep, my friends, and learn to love that warrior inside of you.
Nature Wins
My daughter is two years old, so her only outlet was the great outdoors during the pandemic. While I love flowers and gardening, my daughter LOVES all of nature. That includes every animal you can imagine, from snakes, bugs, ants, to horses, cows, fish, etc. She truly thrives outdoors! As I joined her more and more on her daily adventures, I became more aware and appreciative of the benefits. Soon, I found myself craving the peace and stillness that nature could offer until it finally became a good source for my well-being. The benefits of nature are well researched, but until you take the time to experience for yourself, you honestly don’t know what Mother Nature has in store for you.
You Have To Jump
If I have learned anything in the past two years, tomorrow is not promised. There will never be a perfect time to do anything you have been planning for. Sell your home, build a new one, move to the country; these were all the things my family had “planned” with no specific date in mind. We knew we wanted to make all these events happen, but it meant we had to make that jump to do it. There were home rentals to consider until the house was built, new child care for our little one, selling our current home, etc. All things that took time, energy, and even the heartbreak of leaving some dear friends and family behind, but we knew in our hearts this was the right move for our family. So if you have a dream in your heart, don’t wait for that perfect tomorrow that might never come; take a leap of faith and create the future God has placed in your heart.
"What the new year brings to you will depend a great deal on what you bring to the new year." — Vern McLellan
The Little Things Really Are The Big Things
As time continues to zoom by, the little things have truly become the big things in my life. When I was younger, I was focused on the next significant milestone with my career, an event, celebration, etc.; my days were often defined by what came next. At times, you could say I was more focused on looking forward than enjoying what I already had or had accomplished. All of this changed for me when I had my daughter. Now every little complete sentence, new growth spurt, new word, new anything in her everyday development takes the forefront. Her birth and growth have given me the gift of reflection and have re-prioritized what gives me joy and the ability to appreciate my days. For example, I have always loved walking my dog, but now I genuinely take my time and enjoy everything around me, not just the walk itself. I already loved the Christmas holidays, but seeing it through her eyes has renewed my appreciation and created more excitement around my decorations, trying to make something new for her. So many little details I had overlooked in the past have now become the main focus. Don’t get me wrong, I have always appreciated my days and the people with whom I share my time, but with my daughter, what I appreciate even more are the simple pleasures--the little things--that add true meaning to my daily life.
Define and Redefine Career Success For Yourself
In my 20’s and early 30’s climbing the corporate ladder was my vision for success. As I got older and even this year, my definition changed. I now define career success as a position that offers flexibility in working locations, a strong brand, a great group of co-workers, and the opportunity to impact a product’s life cycle before it ever reaches the first consumer. As your priorities, circumstances (like a pandemic), and overall lifestyle changes, don’t be afraid to adjust your goals and vision for yourself. What I now see as success for me, others may see as a step back, and that’s okay. We are all at different stages of our life and have different gifts and talents. This year has taught me that life is too short not to go after what you want and live a proud life.
There is no doubt that 2022 has much in store for us, both good and bad. But with the lessons we have learned from another challenging year, we can face it and keep moving, knowing how resilient we are. I hope that 2022 brings some new and incredible opportunities for all of us. Always remember: you’re capable of more than you may think. So use all the challenges, struggles, positives, and achievements you find when you look back on 2021 as tools as you head into 2022. Just keep growing, my friends...
