2019 was one of the hardest years of my life, but it was also one of the best years of my life. When I look back at who I was in January, I barely recognize the girl I was. Here are some of the most important lessons that I’ve learned from this whirlwind year.
- Going to therapy is a sign of strength, not a sign of weakness.
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No matter how helpless you may feel, there will always be people in your life that want to help you. You just have to want to help yourself. Going to therapy this year was the best thing I’ve ever done in my entire life and I recommend it to everyone who wants to better themselves.
- Just because you are going through a hard time now, doesn’t mean you will feel this way forever.
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This connects to my therapy lesson. Just because you have an extremely difficult one or two months, does not mean that you will always feel that way! Feelings are incredibly fleeting. I repeat: things do get better with time, even if it feels like they won’t!
- Being content by yourself is extremely important.
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I’ve come to the conclusion that being able to do things independently and not feeling like you constantly always have to be around people is so important. I’ve grown so much this year in this regard and now I challenge you to grow in that regard. Sometimes being alone can be the best thing for you.
- Find something in your life that brings joy, and throw yourself into it.
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This year I found so many things that bring me joy, but the biggest thing has to be Her Campus! I have found this great group and Her Campus lets me be creative in ways on a bigger platform, where I feel like I can truly get my message out there. Even if it is something small, if you enjoy it, you should pursue it.
- Say yes to opportunities that present themselves to you.
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Don’t hide behind fear. Whether it be a social outing, a career opportunity, or something small, saying yes has opened so many doors for me this year, not to mention boosted my confidence enormously. It wasn’t easy at first, but saying yes is powerful when it comes to creating a better life for yourself.
- Good things come to those who work for it.
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I always used to believe in the saying, “Good things come to those who wait.” Now, I call BS on that saying. Yes, certain things in life you can’t control, but there are things you can control. You can control how you want your career to go and where you want to be in a year in a certain aspect. If you wait for things to happen, you’ll be waiting forever if you don’t work for it.
- There is so much power in being authentically yourself.
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This is one of the first years that I felt like I have been unapologetically true to myself. Not to say that in past years I’ve acted fake, but the negative self-talk and insecurities that I had about myself really got old to me this year. I have decided that I am good enough for myself and that being who I am is the only way I’m going to get what I want.
Have a safe and happy New Years! 2020 is your year, and you can do anything if you put your mind to it.
– Ivie