My Greatest Lessons from 2022

As I sit here in the last hours of 2022, I’ve become reflective on what some of my greatest lessons of this year have been, and some of the things I plan on carrying into 2023. I’m not one for New Year’s resolutions, mainly because I feel they are overrated, and make you more disappointed when you lay out giant plans for a “new year, new me.” I don’t begrudge others their resolutions, if that works for you, great. I just have never been one to lay out some grand plan for EVERYTHING I want to accomplish in a new year because to me, we should be constantly evaluating what goals and plans we lay out for ourselves, and not let them wane into the sunset in the first few months of a year. The average New Year’s resolution only lasts 6 weeks after all. I am taking these moments to capture the lessons 2022 taught me and am extremely hopeful since 2022 was such a year of boundless growth and abundant instruction.

Top 5 Lessons I Learned in 2022

Do not take anything for granted. We’ve all learned this lesson in the past several years since they have been plagued with illness and untimely deaths, and grief. Taking any of our moments for granted just isn’t a luxury we all have anymore. We must capture these moments, both in our minds and hearts, and become more cognizant of the world around us, the people in our lives, and focus on the making memories in the time we have on this earth. We also need to be focused on the legacy we want to leave in this world, because time here is not guaranteed. Living our lives to the fullest, in every moment, is a necessity. Loving all those who we are surrounded by is a requirement. And capturing our thoughts is essential!

Work is not an option if you want to accomplish anything. We aren’t given anything without working for it and accomplishing anything in our lives requires focused intention to strive towards our goals. I had set a goal for myself (not a resolution), to finish my book before the end of 2022. I didn’t accomplish that goal, but I truly learned that I was going to have to WORK at writing my book if I want to realize the success of completing it. My biggest lesson from this failure to complete my mission is that I’ve got to make myself set aside time to write and capture the words that dance in my head or on 100 different notes scattered somewhere. WORK is worth it, and the reward is the satisfaction of reaching our goals. And work will not wait for you to just "get it done," you have to hustle for it!

Building your network is priceless. 2022 was definitively a year of making connections with other people for me and helping others to make connections in their lives. I have been able to lean on this network in moments of need, and they have been so gracious with their time and their talents to help me. I cannot thank the network I have built in 2022 enough for all the blessings they have poured into my life, and I plan on taking the lessons they have taught me through the rest of my existence on this earth. The lesson I have learned from building my network is that giving of yourself to others pays dividends you may never know when you will need to cash in. So, to the network I have built in 2022, I am eternally grateful. You have paid into my life with your time, your advice, your lessons, and I will return that gift to you at any moment you need it.

Doing what you can, with what you have, where you are is never going to lead you astray. 2022 taught me that giving back to others isn’t just a “feel good” thing to pat yourself on the back about. It’s life-changing and rewarding in ways that we never could imagine. It changes how you think about the world, makes you less cynical and frustrated in this chaotic world, and truly helps you to stay grounded and focused on all that is good and right and just in this world. Maya Angelou once said, “I have found that among its other benefits, giving liberates the soul of the giver.” Maya, you are right. My soul feels so free of the encumbrances of this disordered and muddled world.

?The energy we give into the world, will return to us. There have been some moments of 2022 where I was just frustrated, angry, disappointed, and kicking myself because of not accomplishing something I thought I had in the bag- IE: getting rejected for a job I felt I was more than qualified for. And I learned from those moments that when I throw out negative energy into this world, it’s going to return to me, in some format. When I confronted my exasperating moments with courage and positivity, those moments turned into something I never expected- moments of pause and grace for myself. When I look at rejections as opportunities to grow, I will see positive changes in me. When I can push myself to connect more, learn more and grow more in moments of apparent setback, so many positive things happen. We have this incredible power as human beings to adapt and change even in the most crushing, most difficult moments of our lives. It’s in those times we build resilience, and we learn how to radiate positive energy in the world we live.

My encouragement to everyone is that 2023 can be a year of additional amazing lessons we can learn, if we choose to learn them. The incredible thing about the human brain is our capacity to continue learning throughout life. I am starting this year with hope I can continue growing and carrying with me all the abundant training I have been blessed to learn both in sorrowful and joyful moments in 2022. Let's fly in 2023- together.