I’ve been trying to think of what other 2012 life lesson I should write about today. It’s problematic because I feel like I’ve learned so much, and I don’t want to choose only one thing. So I’m going to bypass this problem by making a list (and you all know how much I love lists).
Things I Have Learned in 2012:
- Being assertive is important.
- Ditto being open and authentic.
- I know how to make a mean cranberry sauce.
- Setting boundaries means I have more energy for being social.
- Chicago has a world-class art museum. I want to go back.
- Hurricanes can hit when you least expect them.
- First person point of view has a lot of nuances that are fun to play with. So do unreliable narrators. These two things are related.
- I am happier when I make my writing a top priority. I also accomplish a lot more.
- When you are confident, you hold your body differently. When you hold your body differently, you become more confident.
- Nobody is perfect. (This is quite a relief for all concerned.)
- Starbucks serves their pumpkin spice chai lattes all year round. Although I’ve yet to test this.
- People say wise things all the time if you pay attention.
- It doesn’t actually rain every day in Seattle.
- There is such a thing as too nice.
- Too much stress, and I’m in pain and/or sick.
- I’m better at making hard decisions than I give myself credit for.
- Life really is stranger than most fiction. Things happen that you could never get away with putting in a story.
- It’s okay to ask for help.
- New Year resolutions can sometimes be a very good idea.
- I like pie. (All right, I already knew this one.)
- Feeling an urgent need to succeed is something that happens at the beginning of the journey to mastery. Somewhere in the middle of the journey, I chill out and can focus more on the actual work.
- No matter how many books I have to read, I can always find more books I’d like to read, particularly if I venture into a bookstore.
- It can be useful to learn to embrace failure, since being okay with it allows you to take bigger risks and accomplish bigger things.
- Change takes time.
- People are infinitely adaptable.
- Seeing life through a lens of gratitude increases levels of happiness.
- So do little dogs. Probably also cats.
- So does loving yourself.
- Time keeps passing. And passing. And passing. No matter what happens or does not happen.
- Suffering and adversity can reveal great beauty.
What did you learn in 2012?
The Practical Free Spirit 
Its always good to have a year of learning and to reflect upon that wisdom gained. I always enjoy your upbeat blogs!
Hugs~
Lexie
This is a good (I am happier when I make my writing a top priority. I also accomplish a lot more.)
It’s weird how happiness doesn’t give solid reasons for itself. When you’re happy, everything seems good, so it’s hard to trace what specific thing is making you happy. Same with sadness. That’s why it takes so much self-examination to figure out what actually makes you happy. For me it was a bit counterintuitive to discover that writing makes me happy, since it’s also a source of so much angst and dissatisfaction. But it’s true. Trying to evade the unhappiness by evading my writing also, somehow, results in the happiness draining away.
That is a lovely list and well worth sharing. Thanks!