20 Things I (re)Learned in 2020:
Ari Polsky
Consultant at Harold Grinspoon Foundation | Workplace Equity Advocate | Visual Storyteller
1. Everything is temporary. Embrace it.
2. Relationships: friends and family are everything.
3. A little bit of time outside can do wonders.
4. Honesty isn't always what people want to hear.
5. Know your value and stand up for it. If people aren't willing to see your value, you either have to show them it, or find new people.
6. Setting boundaries is okay, necessary, and healthy.
7. Passing along knowledge and expertise is gratifying and fulfilling.
8. Just because passing along knowledge feels good, doesn't mean it always has to be free.
9. "There is no prophet in their own land"- sometimes you need a change of venue. (Thanks, Dad!)
10. Storms wash everything away and muddy it all up, yet also clear the skies and seed growth.
11. People are like sourdough starters: susceptible to changes in temperature, moisture, environment.
12. Time is money. Is it worth spending your time on this, or is it worth spending your money instead?
13. Building a refined and methodical system is great. Building a system nobody else understands is garbage.
14. People want to help you, and it may surprise you sometimes who might come to your aid.
15. It’s never too late to learn and excel at a new skill.
16. Perception is reality, for good and for bad.
17. Don’t read the comments section. If you do, be prepared for it.
18. Sometimes the process of creation is more important than the final product.
19. Two people using the same words may have radically different meanings for them. You can speak the same language and still speak different languages.
20. Sometimes all that someone needs to hear is “Thank you” or “I’m sorry”
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Ari Polsky is a consultant for communications, fundraising, and data analysis.