5 Lessons I Learned in 2023
Happy New Year and Happy Monday!
So, the literal best quote I heard this year was in the Netflix film, Leave The World Behind, from Mahershala Ali's character when he said, “Nothing frightens me more than a person who's unwilling to learn, even at their own expense.”
This got me thinking. How have I grown in the past year and what can can I bring into 2024 as a wiser human? Here are five lessons I learned in 2023. Perhaps you can relate.
1. Love takes time. Don't try to force anything because what is meant for you will not pass you by. It's easy to forget this, especially if you want something or someone so bad. Trust the process. Trust yourself, and most definitely trust the Universe. Everything arrives in perfect timing and in the perfect way for you. Remain open, keep learning, stay beautiful.
2. By the same token, you must love yourself completely. This means forgiving yourself, honoring yourself, and giving yourself the best care. It costs more to not take care of your body than it does to take care of it. Take 10-20 minutes a day and shake your booty. And it's much for fun than hanging out in a doctor's waiting room. If you need to drink more water in a day, start with one glass, then two, and incorporate more as you get used to it. Rome wasn't built in a day.
3. If you want to do something, stop waiting for the “right” time. The “right” time is now. One of my favorite quotes by Charles Bukowski is “My ambition is handicapped by my laziness.” Don't be lazy. Just start. Somewhere. Anywhere. Whatever it is you want to do, there's a YouTube video out there for you. Utilize all the things, baby. All of them.
4. Time spent alone is time well spent. Alone time is so important to your growth. If you can spend some time getting to know yourself when you're alone, this can help you create better boundaries when you're not alone. Your biggest relationship is the one with yourself. Treat it with the upmost respect and importance. (And alone time means you and your thoughts. Not you and Netflix or you and scrolling though other people's feeds (unless you're learning from them of course), but you get what I'm saying.
5. Not everyone will like you, believe in you, or support you. That's okay. If you make mistakes, the people who truly love you will accept you, will forgive you, and will create space for your growth. Those are the only people you need in your tribe. Leave the others behind. No one is worth ruining your peace of mind.
2023 doled out some amazing times, challenging times, moments at the top, and moments at rock bottom. I am beyond blessed to have had people come to my side and lift me up when I was at my lowest. And I'm not going to lie, there were times it got low for me this year. But here we are! We did it!
Always remember that no matter what you go through, you're strong enough to pull through. The hard times do pass. I'm ready to take all my lessons from 2023 and rock right into this beautiful first Monday of the New Year.
What were some of the best lessons of 2023 for you?