While we aren’t completely out of the woods yet, things definitely seem to be trending in the right direction.
The past year was rough, no doubt, but let’s take a minute or two to look at what lessons we learned from it.
Here are a few of mine:
I need to exercise.
I am by no means a gym rat, but I do play tennis and pickleball and workout in a small studio class setting. And while I have always known that exercise is good for your mental health, now I know-know. Those mornings when I just don’t feel like getting up are still there but there are fewer and I can overcome them more quickly because I know what’s it like to not even have that option.
I am a stress eater.
This one isn’t a huge surprise, but I was sort of shocked how quickly I reach for a snack when things start getting off track. And there were A LOT of things that got off track last year.
I am more resilient than I give myself credit for.
I think we can probably all agree with this one. We have made it through one of the most difficult times in our history. We adapted and did what we could.
I don’t need to go so fast.
I am not a patient person. I type fast (not accurately, but fast), I talk fast, I rush through things. This year taught me to slow down. I pause for deep breaths. No one is timing me. Taking an extra few minutes to finish something is perfectly fine.
I am one of those weird dog moms.
My family has been trying to convince me to get a dog for years and I had zero interest. We had animals growing up and I do love dogs, but I just never wanted to alter my lifestyle. But with all of the kids home and no traveling, I thought why not? We ended up getting two rescue dogs and I am now one of those super-obsessed dog owners whose camera roll is just filled with photos and videos. We even did the ridiculous matching pajamas thing at Christmas.
The next generation is strong.
Between my husband and me, we have 5 teenaged kids. They missed out on so much, but stayed focused and weathered this with relative grace. My oldest decided to switch to pre-med. My daughter took everything in stride despite not getting a prom or graduation, then having to spend her first year in college learning remotely and only really spending time with her new roommates. My step-son became an Eagle Scout. They all have big hearts and want to do what’s best for themselves and those around them.
There were a lot more, but this was turning into more of a journal entry than a blog post (too late?) so I think I will leave on that note for a hopeful future.
What about you?
Share what you learned about yourself or your work during this past 14+ months. You can comment below or email me.
Here are some other lessons learned that I have already written about:
- Are You Enough? When the Need for Self-Improvement Becomes a Bad Thing
- Toxic Productivity: Is There Such a Thing as Being Too Productive?
- Focus on Your Small Wins
- Find Your Happy Place
