19 LESSONS FROM 2019
HAPPY NEW YEAR GUYS!!!! I am so glad we made it into 2020! Now before we go guns blazing into the new year, I want us all to take out the time to reflect on the lessons we learnt from 2019. Those lessons from 2019 will be instrumental to us throughout 2020.
So here are 19 Lessons I learnt from the year 2019.
1. Life is short: When people around us pass on, it is an awakening that life is a thing of “here today, gone tomorrow”. It really is short and we must spend each day making it our best. Like if today was your last day what would you be doing? Would you still be so lax and carefree? Sorry to start on a morbid note, but you need to get up and start acting on those dreams and goals, because like it or not, tomorrow is not guaranteed.
2. Change can be good and bad at the same time: This change thing is a touchy one, we usually box change in the “good” pile or the “bad” pile and we get confused when it is a hybrid of good and bad, (at least I did). 2019 really taught me that change can be the love child of good and bad. Everything has a positive and negative side, based on your values and priorities, so it is okay when change is a mixed breed.
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“ Change can be the love child of good and bad”
3. At the end of the day, IT IS YOUR LIFE: LISTEN!!!! THIS LIFE OF YOURS IS YOURS! At the end of the day when all is said and done, you can’t say “I didn’t succeed because my mum or dad or brother or friend or Mr John did or said something” for me this is one lesson my dad really stuck to my head last year. You are responsible and accountable for the end result of your life, you make the final decisions despite the influence of others.
4. Things won’t always work to plan: You can have the best-laid plans, you can work hard and diligently towards said plans and some things still fall out of place and that is fine. Learn from them, pick up where the pieces fell and keep going. Do not say you can’t move on because there is a speed break on the road.
5. Go with the flow of life: This is tied in with the previous point. Just go with the flow, some times allow the tide of life to blow you somewhere, it’s not everything you need to have so much control over, have some fun, feel free, and let go of control every now and again.
6. Just do the damn thing: Again in conjunction with the previous point JUST DO IT. You will never really know how well something is going to work until you start, no matter how many books or resources you consume, you can’t plan out every single detail, so just start and see how it goes. It is in doing you learn and grow, and develop.
Stop being scared of failing, because true failure is when you never tried.
7. Ask for help: This was a big lesson for me, I was a “suffer in silence” person, but I have gradually learnt to ask for help when necessary, asking for help doesn’t make you weak or less than others. In fact, it shows strength in being able to say “hey I am stuck” or “I can’t do it all myself” because quite frankly you can’t do it all.
8. It’s all in your head – all the heavens and the hell are within you: Our mind is the most powerful tool we possess as humans, it just so happens to be our greatest enemy as well. If you are able to win the battle in your mind then the ones of the world will be 10 times easier. Work on your mind and head-space. Things always seem worse than or bigger than they actually are in our mind’s eyes.
9. Experiment and do what works best for you: See, just like I said in number 3, IT IS YOUR LIFE. What worked for Sam might not work for you, you need to be willing and ready to try things out, it is never too late to try something new, and do the things that give you joy, if you do not take the chance, the chance will pass you by. You are too young to just stay in a fixed position. Do whatever appeals to you. Again, it is in trying you know what truly works.
10. Do not assume you know people: My dear brothers and sister, please save yourself the heartbreak and disappointments, you never really fully know someone, it takes time and certain situations to say yes I know someone, even after 50 years of friendship there will be things about your friend you do not know because people change and evolve and grow (not always negatively please). Ps. nothing bad happened, just an observation.
11. Stop being the Judge and Jury over people’s lives: I know it is very easy (and sweet) to judge people, (AKA Gossip about others) to sit in the comfort of your room and dissect their lives, but the truth is, you never know the full story, you only know what is shown or what they share, always ask yourself, if the case was reversed would you like the judgement being passed on you?
Be kind to people, in your thought, actions and utterances.
12. You are capable of more than you think: You never fully understand what you can do till you are thrust into situations, and allow yourself to grow by taking steps outside your comfort zone. You can be a Jackie Chan and just jump head first or be a wallflower and take it slowly (whichever works best for you) but as frequently as possible do something that allows you to say “Oh wow so I can actually do this” “wow I never knew I could….”
13. Know the when, where and how: TIMING IS KEY! Say Amen. Timing is everything, “you can have the best ideas and best execution but if the timing is not right it won’t work” You need to know when to do or say things, how to and where to. In as much as I say “just start” in certain situations, there is a need for calculated spontaneity.
14. You are doing better at this life thing than you think: There is a very high probability you are doing 5x more than you think you are. Where you are today is not where you were yesterday, do not let your mind drag you and make you feel oh well this is not quite it. Yes, you are not at your destination but you have moved away from your start point. Celebrate and appreciate yourself.
15. Express yourself: Learn to say how you feel, do not expect people to just know or understand. Do not suffer in silence, do not bottle things in, do not keep quiet, and find a medium of expression. You always have something to say, to pass along, find your outlet and release your message. There is always a way to express yourself find it and use it.
16. Music is very vital: In 2019 I developed a bond with music I can’t even explain. Music just has a way of taking you from one state to another. I never really appreciated the role of music in my life before now but last year music literally held my hands through some tough times. Try Music.
17. No one can help you besides you: I need to stand at the top of Mount Everest to scream this out. NO ONE CAN HELP YOU MORE THAN YOU. You can digest all the information available to the human race and have the best support system and best coaches and mentors and all, but if you are not ready to put in the work then it’s as good as having nothing.
18. Build Relationships: ‘You are as good as the people you surround yourself with’, is not a joke. Those who you see daily, what they say, how they act, what they eat and what they read, influence you greatly in life. Build meaningful relationships. Bond with people that will elevate you and also people you can elevate, do not be friends with someone JUST CAUSE. Please no, there must be an exchange of value.
19. Invest in yourself: INVEST IN YOURSELF! You are your greatest asset. You are your greatest investment. If you do not spend the time, money and effort to elevate yourself then well you are going nowhere. Go the extra mile for yourself.
There you have it guys. 19 lessons from 2019. I hope these lessons usher you well into 2020 and they guide you.
Ps. What lessons did you learn from 2019? Leave the comments down below.
HAPPY NEW YEAR GUYS! HAPPY NEW DECADE!
I hope this year brings you all of heaven’s best.
Stay Shining. You are loved.