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?