Wow, can you believe 2023 has come and gone? Personally, it’s been an unexpected journey, but an awesome one at that! I’ve always enjoyed reflecting on the past, in general. What’s even more enjoyable is when I have those moments when I get to say to myself, “Damn, I’m way stronger than I thought. Look what I did!” And that’s exactly what I said to myself at the end of 2023!
Leaving a comfortable and safe job is undeniably scary—let’s be clear about that. However, passing up my dream, taking a chance on myself, and trusting my instincts became more important than remaining in a place where I was no longer happy or fulfilled.
Throughout the year, I’ve discovered a lot about myself, and even at the age of 45, I’m still learning. I hope to keep learning until the day I die!
Here are five things I learned about myself in 2023:
- I can speak up for myself: I’m a self-proclaimed people-pleaser to my core. It’s hard to admit this. I want to make sure others around me are happy which means sometimes I don’t speak up for myself. A couple of years ago, I began finding my voice in my professional life and in 2023, I really leaned into it. I’m proud of myself. There were definitely times of discomfort and self-questioning that followed but deep down, I knew it was the right thing to do. I need to take care of me.
- I am brave: Putting myself out there on social media is scary. I didn’t grow up in the selfie era, but here I am, embracing it! The idea of letting the world know I’m doing something on my own is daunting, but I’m trusting myself and going for it. After all, I only get this life once and I don’t want to look back with major regrets for playing it safe.
- I can ask for help: This is a tough lesson. I’ve always carried the belief that asking for help makes me weak and a burden. Ironically, I love helping others, and when they ask me for help, I don’t see them as weak or bothersome. I’ve found myself in situations where asking for help wasn’t optional. Surprisingly, it felt good and I’m going to keep doing it!
- I have grit: I’ve always known I possess grit, but now it’s truly kicked in. Things get tough when you’re working alone. No team to delegate to or pass off to an expert—it’s just me. Brené Brown nailed it on a podcast when she said: there’s a difference between grit and grind. Grit is doing the hard things for yourself, while grind is doing them for someone else.
- I learned new skills: Aging myself a bit, but navigating social media is no walk in the park! I’m pretty sure my first Instagram Reel took a solid two hours, and it wasn’t exactly a masterpiece! Haha! Learning other technologies has been a journey too. And with all of this, I’ve realized I enjoy the challenge of learning new things. Go me! You can teach an old dog new tricks! It might be frustrating initially, but with enough tinkering around, I’ve found I can figure it out.
I can’t wait to see what I learn about myself in this new year. I hope you continue to be open-minded and push enough to learn new things about yourself, but also have grace with yourself when the time calls.