Every season comes and goes with many lessons. 2023 has just began and with every changing season, it is important that we reflect on the lessons learnt from the previous season. 2022 was a year of many firsts for me. And as I close the books on the year that was, I would like to share some of the lessons that I learnt during the year.
- A Guardian Angel will appear when you need one. Right at the beginning of the year, I had a guardian angel reach out to me with much needed words of wisdom. They had noticed a difference in the person I was becoming and that conversation jolted me back to my feet to start looking at life with more self-love, asking the question ‘what is in it for me?’. We all ooze what we have on the inside; so, to fill your cup with what you want to give the world. Life can get overwhelming sometimes, the important thing is to not let the overwhelm take over – and if by chance you are overtaken by the circumstances, pray that a guardian angel is nearby to jolt you back to who you are meant to be.
- Never stop learning. When I finished my masters about 10 years ago, the course had done such a number on me that I swore reading was not my thing. What no one told me is that learning is much more than just having classroom and theoretical lectures. Learning is about giving yourself the opportunity to acquire new lessons and knowledge from everything around you including the people you talk to, the books you read and even simple situation observations. By always asking the question, what have I learnt today, you give yourself the opportunity to gain something new.
- Time eludes and time finds. I discovered that there is always time. Last year, I embarked on a Personal Branding journey and one thing I did not realize is how much more time I still had after a full workday. I have had to tame some of my bad vices to find this time but when you are truly committed to accomplishing something, you will create the time you need. Going into 2023, you will notice my introduction will not just be defined by my 8am-5pm but also by my 5pm-8am.
- Consistency is hard: In 2022, I started my writing journey on a more serious note. Many were the times when I was tempted to just skip a week of writing either because I was overwhelmed with work or was just being lazy. But one of the things that kept me writing was the subtle push from one of my fans who would slide into my inbox with questions on why there was a delay in the weekly publishing.
So, the next time you have a habit that needs developing, find an accountability partner who will push you even when you do not feel like doing it. And to my fans, know that I appreciate you and do continue holding me accountable in 2023. - Done is better that perfect: Once you decide on your deliverables, the next important thing is to ensure you get it done. My deliverable was writing and while I had no real target attached to it, getting it out there was always the end goal no matter how imperfect it may have been. I remember once writing an article and feedback I received about it is that the number of mistakes in it was in the top 90%. Ouch! I don’t know what speaks to being imperfect better than this. But as you embrace your imperfections, be careful to pick the lessons that will help you improve without being overly critical of yourself.
Are there any lessons you have picked and will be taking into 2023?
George Santayana once said “those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it”. Take stock of how your journey in 2022 was and use the lessons learnt as the foundation to build on your 2023.
Embrace your lessons from your past and #standout4growth.
