What have I learned in 2022?

A LOT!

And I share it all with you because there are some good, and important lessons here!

Lesson 1 - It’s ok to put myself first

This has been a tough one to learn because I have been programmed to feel responsible for other people’s feelings (by being taught that I needed to behave a certain way to not upset others), and put their needs before mine. But after years of therapy and introspection, I was finally able to put myself first during a critical moment and it changed everything.

In the moment, it was the hardest thing I’ve ever done, and for weeks I had my doubts about whether or not I was doing the right thing, and I constantly asked myself if I was a bad person for putting myself first. But after a few months, it finally started to make sense to me that, of course, I have to put my safety and mental health first.

Today I am so happy I stood up for myself and took care of myself. I can see how it helped me in my journey of self-acceptance, self-love, and healing. I proved to myself that I have value, that my feelings matter, and that I can take care of myself.

Lesson 2 - If I’m not being respected, I can walk away

I learned that I don’t have to stand by when someone isn’t capable of communicating with me respectfully. Especially if they have proven over and over that they are not willing to do the work and change.

One day I had enough, something happened in me and I said stop.

I said stop and I said, “if we can’t have normal conversations together we can’t have a relationship”, and I walked away.

In that process, I learned that if I let others disrespect me, it means that I don’t respect myself.

Respect starts with me.

Lesson 3 - It’s up to me to pick myself up

After those two lessons, I was pretty messed up emotionally, and I had to pick myself up, it wasn’t the first time of course, but this time might have been the most difficult one.

As I have learned, I am responsible for my own feelings and my own safety, so I started to learn to take care of myself in new ways, in ways that are supportive of what I value and need.

I have learned that I always know what to tell myself, or my inner child, to take care of myself and pick myself up.

I also learned that no matter how far I get into the downward spiral, there is always a way out.

Always.

Lesson 4 - If I don’t intentionally pursue my purpose, I’ll miss it

When I “received the call” to start this career to help and serve others, I could have easily dismissed it because I was afraid or because I had no idea what I was doing, but I didn’t.

In 2022 I gave it my all. I thought: what could my life be a year from now if I just decide to go all in with this newfound purpose? And all the answers I came up with were so exciting that I decided to go for it! But it wasn’t an easy decision to make.

I had no idea what I was doing, I had no idea where to start, and I wasn’t sure about what I actually wanted to say, to share, or how I could help and serve others, but I didn’t let that talk me out of it.

I thought the worst that could happen was that no one would be interested in what I had to say, I’d get embarrassed, and move on to something else. But at least I’d have tried to follow that new path that was calling me relentlessly.

So I did, and that’s probably the best lesson I’ve learned so far: if I don’t intentionally pursue my purpose, I’ll miss it.

If you don’t follow your purpose or your dreams, you’ll miss them! For your purpose to be realized, you have to decide to go for it, and then actually go for it!

If there’s one lesson I hope has an impact on you today, it’s this one, because it kind of became my life’s mission to inspire and empower others to go for their dreams and purpose!

Lesson 5 - Rest is (still) not an option

If you’ve read this blog before, you know that I’m all about resting to prevent burnout, especially if you’re a creative, an entrepreneur, or a business owner.

Unfortunately, as I was getting back in business, I came back too strong too fast, and I ended up burning out. And it was a real one, I had to put a lot of things on hold and it took me months to rest and recover.

In retrospect, I know that I was doing too much, but I was so eager to share my message and build my business that I came back full force when I should have taken it slowly and one step at a time.

Resting when you are working full time, growing a business, or going through anything else in your life that’s emotionally, intellectually, and/or physically demanding, has to be a priority.

At least it is for me now. When I started my entrepreneurial journey back in 2016, I was all about the hustle, I followed Gary Vee, read his books, listened religiously to everything he had to say, and I was all about hustling and crushing.

And since I have a tendency for workaholism, it’s easy for me to get caught up in that rhythm and energy without noticing it, but now I know I can’t let myself do that anymore.

No matter how much is going on and how much I want to do, create, and provide, I have to rest.

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