Lessons I learned this year
This year was strange. I experienced new things, I struggled, and I succeeded. I invested in new friendships and closed some chapters. Overall, there is a lot I learned.
Lesson 1: Something Is Always Better Than Nothing
Doing a small part of a big thing—especially if it isn’t perfect—is better than doing nothing. I tend to aim for perfection. The problem with that is that when I’m not all in (which is most of the time), I procrastinate.
Lowering your expectations can help a lot. For example, if my room is a mess, throwing all the dirty clothes into the laundry is better than doing nothing. My room is cleaner, even if it’s not perfect, and I usually end up doing more than I thought I would.
Lesson 2: My Excuse Is Valid, but It’s Still an Excuse
“I can’t, I’m overtired” is a valid excuse—but it’s still an excuse. If I don’t do something, even with a good reason, it still means I don’t get what I would have gotten if I had done it anyway.
The excuse doesn’t change the premise: if I don’t do it, I don’t get the result. So do it tired. Do it sore.
Lesson 3: Everything Has a Consequence
Everything has an equal or opposite reaction. Do what you like, but be prepared to deal with it. I can make any choice I want as long as I’m prepared to accept and deal with the consequences.
Consequences aren’t always bad—they’re just the reaction that comes after. I can choose to ignore my bedtime as long as I’m aware that I’ll feel worse the next day and that I’m willing to make that trade-off.
I know this is a bit cliché, but once I truly understood these lessons, life became noticeably easier. My favorite is still Lesson 1, because being able to step back and realize that showing up is better than nothing has changed a lot for me. More gets done, and it feels like a real weight has been lifted. Hope this helps you ❤️❤️❤️.