2023: Lessons Learned

This might sound weird, but, while I cannot believe that we are really about to wrap up 2023 in just a matter of days, I also can believe it. You see, 2023, for me, has felt both incredibly short and also very long. It flew by in the blink of an eye and, at the same time, a lot has happened. As such, I find myself feeling both reactions to the year’s end equally. Above all, I really am just grateful to God; grateful that He has sustained you and I to see the year’s end, and to be poised to enter into another year full of opportunity.

Now, as you know, I am quite a reflective person, and as the year is closing out, I wanted to share a series of thoughts and lessons that have been birthed out of my experiences this year. Let’s dive in.

Progress

As I shared in one of my blogs posts earlier this year, The little drops of rain, every “small” effort you pour into your projects, goals, or whatever it is you are working on, is never wasted and actually adds up over time. It is more beneficial to dedicate small amounts of time into something consistently every day, than to put in random bursts of long hours once in a while. Do not underestimate the power of “a little every day” over the course of months and an entire year, because when you look back, that little will have grown into a sizable and impressive amount of progress.

Quick musing:

One theme that runs across everything I learned and reflected on this year, is the idea that discipline trumps motivation. You most likely have heard (or read) this many times, but if you wait to feel motivated before ever taking any action, you will either never get anything done, or experience delays in achieving your goals.

Consistency, redefined

We usually define consistency, within the context of the goals and plans we set for ourselves, as sticking to something continuously over a stretch of time. However, consistency is not defined by “streaks” or “never missing a day”. I have learned that, even if you break a streak, fall off the wagon, or go on a hiatus, as long as you refuse to quit and you get back on track, you are still being consistent.

This is not to excuse laziness and indiscipline; we need to maintain a solid work ethic and to form the habit of sticking to a steady schedule. Rather, this is more so a reminder to give ourselves grace. It can be easy to beat ourselves up for missing a day, or a week, as if that negates all the work put in up till that point, and we are now somehow starting over. That just isn’t true, you are simply picking up from where you left off. You pressed pause, and then hit play to continue! That shows you are still determined to progress towards your goals, and that, in itself, is consistent.

You are capable

My last reflection is the most powerful for me, and it actually expands beyond this year to the last few years. I learned that my capacity was more than I imagined. I learned that the things which used to scare me stiff were, in fact, things I could overcome. I learned that I could thrive outside of my comfort zone.

A very recent example of where I experienced this, was at my performance for my church’s Christmas production. I had to give a dance performance as one of the acts in the production. Not such a big deal, after all, I have performed many times. Except, this time, I had to perform solo. Yikes. Now, at the very start of my dance journey, I would not even have entertained such an idea. If anyone had asked this of me back then, my response would have been a very quick, “uh-uh, get somebody else to do it!”. I have even had actual nightmares where I somehow forget the moves in the middle of a live performance, with everyone looking at you, and it is a dreadful feeling! However, this time around, I fought every instinct to run away and instead said, “yes”. I still had to battle many urges to quit while preparing for the performance, but I saw it through until D-day, walked on that stage, and faced my fears.

This may not be a big deal to many people, but anyone who knows me and my journey will understand the enormity of this moment, and I have had several others like it over the last few years. The unimaginable became reality, and I had it in me this whole time. It is amazing to see what you are really capable of once you let go, stop caring what you look like or what people think, and allow the grace of God to flow through you.

The LORD is my strength and my shield; in Him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to Him.

Psalm 28:7

Now, your turn! I encourage you to reflect on all your learnings from this year, and allow them to propel you forward into an even more fruitful 2024.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and yours.

xoxo