I stumbled across this picture and I felt that it was a succinct way of describing my year in a visual format anyway. For me,I’d say that 2015 has been a year of stability so whilst fireworks may not have happened, the fuel to set them off in the coming years were😉 . Yesterday marks a year that I’ve had this blog which is a big thing for me especially considering that I’ve had a blog before that is currently lost in cyberspace somewhere. Having a blog and maintaining it is a big thing so kudos to any fellow bloggers that update theirs regularly and take it seriously! As you know no year is complete without any lessons being learnt and below are a few things that I learnt this year.
1. Don’t settle
Just because others around you may be happy with a mediocre life doesn’t mean you have to. I’ve been guilty of scaling down my expectations, hopes and dreams just because others could not fathom it. Who says others have to understand it? It is not every opinion that one should listen to and the ability to decipher good advice from bad advice is beneficial. This goes for other areas in life from relationships, friendships and so on.
2. Be comfortable in yourself
I’m sure we’ve heard it so many times but it really is true; just be yourself. The day I realised that people will always have something to say whether you do good and whether you do bad marked the beginning of my liberation from the opinions of others. Don’t try and shortchange yourself for temporary people. Love yourself flaws and all but love yourself to want to improve and work on your weaknesses. You won’t be everybody’s cup of tea and that’s fine.
3. Family is everything
This really resonated with me this year and I realised that through the ups and downs you can always count on your family to stand by you. Family doesn’t just have to be biological; it can be anybody who has proved themselves to be trustworthy and reliable. I love this verse in the bible:
” A man who has friends must himself be friendly, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother”
Proverbs 18:24 (NKJV)
For me this verse encapsulates what family should be about whilst also stating what a friend is.
4. Èéfín ni ìwà, kò ṣeé fi pamọ́. / Character is like smoke; it cannot be covered up
-Yoruba Proverb
My Dad says this quite often but I’ve really come to understand the depth of what it actually means this year. You’d be surprised at the people who you though had your back actually don’t. We can be very good at pretending and some are better than others but one day the truth will come out and you will see people for what they really are and their true intentions. This was the year that I learnt that the length of time that you’ve known someone as a friend doesn’t really mean anything. I’ve met some pretty cool people and made friends with people this year that have eclipsed some who I’ve known for longer. It’s a bittersweet fact of life. Friendship is friendship and don’t be quick to put someone to the side because you only just met them. I’ve been guilty of doing that in the past but life lessons have taught me otherwise and I aim to be more open in meeting new people and taking them seriously next year.
5. STOP PROCRASTINATING!
This has to be the bane of my life.Honestly. God made me realise that I’m the one holding myself back with regards to reaching my dreams and aspirations. It’s great putting down a to-do list and talking the talking but it means zilch if you’re not acting on it. Time is precious and I know I’m not alone in admitting that I wasted too much time this year. You know that feeling when you look back on a day and think “What did I actually achieve today?”. Yeah, I don’t want to encounter such days in 2016. In the words of Nike, “Just do it”.
For some this year has been great and for others, not so much. Whatever the case is let us do away with those things that are holding us back from reaching our potential and keep the positive things that worked for us this year. Here’s to a great 2016!❤