Ah! It’s January, the beginning of a new year where anyone can have a fresh start, a reset button on one’s seemingly imperfect world. It’s that time for resolutions, promises and self-improvement not to mention unused gym memberships (ahem) and shockingly huge credit card bills.
Yes, we all (or most) want to move forward and get better each year, but few would really stop and think about what you have accomplished (and learned) from the past year. Being in my early thirties I find that each year has brought me different lessons and achievements, some are harder than most. 2019 has given me such beautiful revelations about myself and life and I just had to share it all with you. 🤗
Before I get to that, let me just tell you a bit about how we got these images. We shot this post in beautiful Banff National Park in Alberta, Canada. Will share that post soon 😉It was my first time in Canada, it was the end of November and boy it was cold🥶
It took every fiber of my being to take off my outer coat to show off this cute thermal 😅And I’m glad I did! The sleeves are pretty cute with the leopard print and it has become one of my staples this past holidays. The lipstick is one of my faves I linked it all below you’ve probably seen it a few times here if you’ve been around awhile😉
Before I rant some more, here are the lessons I learned in 2019. I hope you can share some of yours in the comments below! 😉
It seems that 2019 has been an eye-opener for the world about the consequences of unresolved mental health issues, with lots of tragedies and lost lives. For me, it’s being mainly depressed (see my post about that here) coupled with anxiety and stress (I do have a day job after all!). I have found that the best way to deal with it is to prioritize myself. Nothing is worth your mental health. If I need to just do nothing after a week of cortisol-raising-craziness with whatever I am dealing with, I know after that episode is over, I need to take a chill pill.
Also, another way I found in dealing with stress and anxiety is being one with nature, traveling and spending time with loved ones. I realized that no money, job or anything else matters more than my inner peace and calming my mind. Find your own way it may be yoga, art, working out, etc. Because while we are alive, stress will always be here, we just have to know how to deal.
This quote was sent to me by a friend years ago, but it has been on my mind a lot the past year. As women it is so inevitable that we would always compare ourselves to another person who has it “better” than us. You see someone and see that person as having better skin, better hair, skinnier, prettier, richer etc. What we don’t realize is that we are more alike than different.
This person may look “perfect” on the outside but not so much when you look within. Growing up, I always felt that I had to work harder, achieve more and do more than others because I didn’t have a lot of material things. Now I look at it differently. I am thankful for what I have and work extra hard for things I don’ t have. I know I may be luckier than most, but poor compared to others. Bottomline: Each of us is dealt with a different hand in life that we all have different challenges and obstacles to battle. Stop looking at things you don’t have and start working with things you do have, Nobody is perfect. It’s all in your head. And sometimes on Instagram filters 😅
I lost a friend a couple of years ago to Pancreatic cancer. She was 44. Such a young age to pass away yet she has been on my mind lately. I couldn’t help but wonder, did she live her full life when she was alive? Did she get to do all that she needed before she left this world? No and no, because she was working a crazy work schedule just like me. 😔
I have come to realize that time is not going to wait for you to take action in your life. It will come and go, before you know it years have passed and you will ask yourself where have they gone. Being a full time RN I am so limited with the things I can do outside of my work hours. My schedule is downright ridiculous I am sometimes shocked I am not sick every week. It is a job that will take from you until you can no longer give. That’s why I told myself to live my life the best way I can- enjoy the little moments and make lasting relationships. Because you never know when your time is up and it will certainly not wait for you. Are you living your life the same way?
Having said that I have come to realize my next lesson of 2019 which is the next one:
This past year, hubby and I have been traveling quite a bit which has been a blessing. I have come to realize that at this age, I have too many clothes that can possibly fit my closet, too much makeup that I can’t wear them all at once, and just too much STUFF.
I love them but that’s all they are. Stuff. If I get hit by a bus tomorrow I can never take any of my 20 plus pairs of leggings with me. Or my dozens of bikinis. Or even this blog. You get the picture. So 2019 was the year I realized that I needed to take action and do more rather than buy more. I still love to shop but now I am a more thoughtful buyer instead of a hoarder.
You cannot shortcut the process of things. When I first started blogging, I became impatient as I didn’t think I was growing as fast as other bloggers were. I didn’t have the best equipment nor the time to this for the most part. But now I am not as preoccupied with these things as I realized that I may not have the best and most beautiful content out there but I know the value that I give to my readers. I enjoy the process and the blessings that come with it. For I know this is totally a first world problem and there are lots of people who are less fortunate in life. 😊
My biggest lesson of the year so far was this. I gave myself permission to be free from social media for periods of time as I noticed I was being consumed by it. So much so that on trips, I would still be looking on my phone instead of enjoying the moment.
I asked myself as to why am I spending so much time online while my offline life is almost nonexistent? Being on social media is a 24/7 job, to beat algorithms, engage and enhance your online selves. I learned that I was constantly anxious subjecting myself to impossible visions of unreality constantly (hello Instagram?!) So I knew I had to take a backseat and really free my mind from this sometimes toxic environment. And I couldn’t be happier. I now use social media sparingly, even if it means my growth as a creator is slower than my peers. Because as I said above, nothing is worth your mental health. 😉
Sorry this became a bit of a read I hope you guys can share some 2019 insights of your own on the comments below! I’d love to hear them😊Have a great 2020!!
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