What I learned from 2018.

I was asked not long ago if I had any new year’s resolution(s), I had to think about it for a while and had a small back and forth in my mind on whether I should have any, because I don’t. I thought, if I was going to action something, I am not going to wait till the new year to do it. 

Instead of resolutions, I decided to reflect on key learnings from 2018 and thought these would be more interesting because learnings are the gateway to progress and change and arguably more effective then setting arbitrary goals just because. So in retrospect, here are my top 4 learnings from 2018.

1.    Always (try to) have an open mind. 

When meeting new people, I have to consciously remind myself that we are different, we have a plethora of backgrounds and experiences and we are all going through struggles on a daily basis. So I make it a point to open my mind and learn something from the people I meet and find that nugget of wisdom somewhere, big or small. Having an open mind does not come naturally to me as I have gotten used to appreciate people who are similar to me, and have built a close circle of friends who think like me, and feel more comfortable listening to opinions that resonate with mine. Having an open mind is not a goal, it is a work in progress for me. If I find myself getting frustrated with the person or the conversation, I would try and spin it somehow and tell myself something along the lines of, I am practicing listening or I should ask better questions, or how could I make this conversation better? But sometimes I just have to put an end to it, as I said, work in progress...

2.    It is ok to fail, but.

Yes I know what you’re thinking. It sucks to fail and I agree, it does suck very badly. But it is ok. I have failed several times in handling situations, in building relationships, in saying the right things or taking the right decisions and as a result I have won and lost people over. I blamed the world, I did the mea culpa also. BUT, failure is a great teacher and I just have to pay the price and move on. Constantly looking back and analyzing is agony. It is ok to fail but most importantly, it is a must to move on. There are literally no excuses for me (or anyone else) not to pick themselves up and re-invent themselves. Not everyone is going to forgive me, not everyone is going to like me, some failures are more painful then others, I cannot right all wrongs but I CAN close the chapter and move on.

3.    Motherhood is cool.

Before having a baby, I dreaded motherhood. In my mind, a mother is someone who is totally consumed by her kids with no ambition and no personal aspirations. I put off motherhood for years, it was always a scary thought, almost like the end of the line for me as a person. I wasn't ready and it was never the right time. But then my husband and I decided to have a baby and I realized that my fears were unjustified and motherhood is in fact cool! Motherhood got me to re-assess my priorities and become even more diligent with time. It helps me focus on what matters and tune out the noise. Motherhood taught me compassion and patience, humility and appreciation. Rest assured my ambition has not decreased, my aspirations are as big as ever and I still have a life. It is a wonderful thing.

4.    Never stop learning.

There is no revelation here. We all know that learning is important but what I mean here is actively seek ways to learn new things everyday. After years of being immersed in my startup, and after facing several bumps in the road, I’ve decided to take on an additional consulting role in a new industry and work on projects that are not necessarily right down my alley. So I did that for just over a year and managed to learn about a new industry and work alongside people who have different views than mine. This experience has opened my eyes and taught me more about myself, what I want and mostly what I don’t want. It also helped me step out of the day to day of my startup and get a new perspective on managing SMEs. Every experience should be an opportunity to learn and improve and re-invent.

As I take a step into 2019 and prepare myself for new experiences, I will take these lessons with me and continue to reflect on them in the hope of becoming a better person, a better mother, a better entrepreneur and ultimately have new and exciting experiences. Happy new year!