Hindsight was 2021

I am in a place where many situations and decisions feel more relative than absolute. The pandemic truly taught us not only about uncertainty, letting go and the beauty of life but now really, about living day by day introspectively and humbly. Look around you, the new normal has arrived and we must see it as it is so we are able to adjust and adapt to build stronger, smarter and kinder mechanisms that will allow for humanity to build a better tomorrow for our future generation.

I have always been a planner in my family, amongst my friends too growing up. My weekly calendar was always packed with stickers or notes on what I will be doing and where I will be - quite a thrill, yes. That was the fountain of my youth, ever flowing and always on the go. Now that I'm in my late 20s, I realized a few things moreover being in the middle of this unfortunate circumstance - pain, suffering and deaths across hemispheres where I am certain have caused for many of us to reassess our own realities. Anything can happen.

2021 has taught me a whole lot on patience and generosity, not only through charitable acts but also with my time, attention, ideas and perspectives. We are put on this Earth for a limited amount of time so there is no better time than today to collaborate and work together.

We are here on this Earth temporarily. 2020 taught us that uncertainty can cause fear but 2021 reminded us that uncertainty is the reason why we are not giving up on all the possibilities, the possibility of smarter decisions, more innovations, better relationships and healthier lifestyles. Knowing that we do not know what tomorrow brings can put us in a place of humility and determination of sharing our talents and truths to the world.

Most of the people I've interacted with late 2020 and early 2021 really thought that we were done with the worst that could happen but hindsight became more like 2021. This year, we were revealed more unfortunate, fortunate, overwhelming truths about the world, ourselves and our environment.

Reminiscing last year, I've made important decisions in my life and tapped into opportunities that allowed me to personally and professionally evolve.

I decided to live in a different city on my own for 3 months with the main intent of potentially exploring the opportunity of moving to a city closer to the mountains or water forms because during the pandemic, I realized how being around nature really helps me replenish my energy to its best capacity after a day of working in front of the screen without much human to human interaction. Nature mentally stimulates me, it helps me feel very grounded to the bigger picture and not worry about the small things.

In addition, I decided to pursue experiences that really aligned to my values while also allow me to practice and strengthen skills that I could use in my professional career. It has not been easy making those decisions but I have decided a long time ago that I must live an intentional life to not only serve my own need but also to show up genuinely in the places I decide to be in. I've kept my podcast journey going, bringing in wonderful beings with their stories to share and learn from as well as recently, brought and collaborated in an initiative by co-launching a personal development workshop called, The Flourish Workshop, where explored the importance of finding balance in our relationships to ourselves, others and our communities. It was most definitely a challenging project to build but seeing and hearing the stories of the lovely humans we met, it was so worth all the time and effort!

Sharing the biggest learnings I was blessed to receive in 2021 and will surely carry in future years:

Lesson # 1: Time does not stop for anyone, show up wherever you choose to want to show up, you will not miss out on anything.

Reality is, life is composed of highs and lows - and it varies by day and may change in a second so wherever you are in the spectrum, bask in the true emotion of that state as it is a sign of acceptance of the emotion that you feel and will therefore, allow you to validate your internal compass and gut instincts on what you like or desire and what brings your energy down. Once that has been recognized, find a way to ground yourself back to neutral state gradually as that will allow you to appreciate life more and not get carried away too much on the emotional ride the situation is taking you in.

Staying grounded has taught me that yes, I get upset, I grieve, I fall in love, I feel overwhelmed, I want to give up or I go on a nice vacation - they are all temporary as life goes on and life happens to anyone and everyone. Wherever I choose to be, I decide to be fully present in that space because I know that nothing would feel and be this exact here and now.

I don't have regrets because without missed opportunities, I wouldn't be where I am right now and I wouldn't be engulfed in this wonderful and empowering state of mind that I am grateful to nurture and share with the world around me. Let go of the what if's and focus on the what now's - there are so many possibilities and opportunities around you, open your mind and heart to what is and could be.

Lesson # 2: Appreciate the small moments in life.

This has always been an important motto in my day to day - all thanks to an old friend who taught me this at a young age. I find ways to have fun and be intrigued by the trinkets of this universe - the kind eyes of my little cousin, the random laughters shared with my family, the curiosity of our pup, the attentive nods from my partner as he listens to my day, the teary conversations with my friends, the best emoji reactions from my colleagues, the way the sun shines so bright on the snowy ground, the way honey blends with my green tea as I stir it, the minty fresh feeling after brushing my teeth, the texture of a tapioca (yes, a bbt gal right here! haha) and many more. You know what I mean.

I find it truly fascinating and precious to experience each conversation and smiles exchanged because those will stay in my memories wherever I go.

We may encounter disappointments and frustrations - anger, even - on occasion and circumstances we did not expect or foresee, I hope you get to see that there is more that life has to offer. The small moments: notice, appreciate, and treasure before the rush and pressures of being an adult takes over because those are the moments that you'll look back to and reminisce. Make new moments, more than experiencing them from others, initiate them and however the response be, you can sleep at night knowing that you had the best intent of making the most fun of your days with those around you as well.

Lesson # 3: Live by your own principles - share and care.

Stay close to your truth, in words and in actions. We are surrounded by decisions and opportunities that may blind us from what truly matters.

There are many events going on at the same time and the grass will always look different in other homes but does different mean better for you? I don't believe that grass is always greener on the other side because everyone sees a different perspective. Stick to your own values because what others may not exactly want what you want. Create a space that will help you thrive and allow you to be your best for others as well.

It may not be easy in the very beginning where there could be a lot of doubt and adversity but you know yourself more than anyone else so keep at it. You will be surprised with what you find, how your past decisions, successes, mistakes and explorations have given you the tools to make the most of what is presented to you.

Find a good balance to giving and receiving - both are gifts.

Live a life of abundance - we are in our own personal journeys and that I truly respect and find humbling to know that each of us possesses unique fears, motivations and aspirations. What you give may mean a lot to someone or not, but what matters is that you were able to follow your compass and live out the best of your values, what you stand for.

We have different realities and none are perfect but all are equally beautiful and worth the ride. Stay safe always and let's look out for each other, when we can. Hang in there, kind soul. May 2022 bring good, eye-opening and prosperous experiences our way.

Hindsight is 2021. 2020 was only the beginning for us to wake up from our dreams and manage our realities to what is present.