Another Year, Another Lessons Post

I can’t believe 2016 is coming to a close so rapidly!

28 has been far from ideal, and that’s the underlying reason I was so disconnected and removed from this space… Despite some of the blessings that came upon me, i.e. working for Zanita and involving with unreal super humans, I’ve been desiccated and dying to start fresh. Can we have a do-over? So many cliches in a New Year, Fresh Start platitude, but there’s no denying there’s something riveting and reassuring about it… I’m most definitely one of those believers… These portraits were taken two days after my birthday and feel fitting – I don’t mind being a zombie at 29, but we’ll save that for another post.

So, 28 down and 29 ensues. What I’ve learnt betwixt (open to interpretation) –

1. No matter how you feel, you are always responsible for how you act. (Repeat 5x.)
2. Posting on social media every day is exhausting – man, how do you girls do it?! Teach me please. I couldn’t do it at 22, no way in hell I can do it at 29, but I’ll try…
3. You will not get what you truly want and deserve if you’re too attached to the things you need to let go of.
4. It’s never too late to start over. It’s never too late to be brand new. Don’t stay stuck.
5. Be all in or out. There’s no half-way.
6. I read this from My Domaine mid year, but I think everyone needs to hear it: “Clean up your personal life. Get therapy if you’re making destructive choices. Don’t get absorbed with someone who abuses you. If your partner is dragging you down, you’re not going to get very far toward your hopes and dreams.” (V important message.)
7. Use your resources. You have people and institutions around you for a reason. If you need help, ask. You cannot do everything alone.
8. Simplify, not multiply – identify the essential, eliminate the rest.
9. The only thing that makes something a part of your life is that you keep thinking about. So, 1. if you can’t stop thinking about it, work for it, 2. if you’re not going to work for it, stop thinking about it.
10. Somedays, life is all about your dreams, hopes, and ambitions. Other days, it’s simply about going through the motions – putting one foot in front of the other… That’s okay.
11. Whatever you do, you gotta do for yourself. There’s no substitution for experience. Take your chances.
12. Don’t waste your youth growing up because growing up is inevitable and it’s not fun.
13. The scale will never balance. The key to balance is knowing when you’ve lost it.
14. If you are interested in something or someone, go full speed – love it, embrace it, and be passionate about it. Lukewarm is no good.
15. What you think, you become. What you imagine, you create. Think carefully.
16. The less you give a damn, the happier you’ll be.
17. 98% of your problems would be resolved if you stopped over thinking. Rewinding to Point 8, simplify.
18. We often create our own heartbreaks through expectation.
19. Being “right” won’t nurture relationships. You can choose to be right or you can choose to be kind, but “right” hardly ever makes any party feel better.
20. When faced with a complicated life decision, wait three (3) days before you act… Day 1 is always the hardest to get through, but it gets easier after Day 2, and if you hit Day 3, you’ll wind up making smarter choices.
21. Detach yourself from results and expectations because the person who fails the most wins.
22. The people you lose always remain a part of you.
23. No matter what your situation is – good or bad – it always changes.
24. Every artist, every creative starts out the same way: doing shit work. You learn, you improve, and you refine. No one is made overnight.
25. Nurture your relationships for what you don’t water will eventually die.
26. This was shared from a good friend, but it really struck me: “You are a natural leader and a trailblazer, doing things that no one around you has done. That can be lonely at times because you are a leader and all the others are followers, but don’t stop. Move forward, but don’t forget to pause and help others along the way.” Key Takeaway: Even if you’re lonely, move forward & help others along the way.
27. At the end of the day, it is your choice as to how you want to spend the rest of your life. No one else cares – they’re too busy living their own.
28. When you’re tired, get some sleep, but never quit.
29. The thing you are most afraid of, do that for when you leap, the net will appear.

Are lessons posts becoming too redundant and uninteresting – not necessarily from me, but the blogosphere in general? I still like them. Talk soon. Bisous.