Top 5 Lessons Of 2021 To Inspire An Aligned 2022

2022 | NEW YEAR…SAME ME

I distrust resolutions

Particularly those cast hastily at 11:59PM on NYE.

It’s not that the intention behind them is wrong. It’s that they set us up for unnecessary self-criticism when we fall short of what was likely unachievable in the first place. (A year without swearing? What was I thinking?! Lasted less than 1 day, if even.)

I favor insightful, thoughtful, and meaningful growth over a hastily-made proclamation because a glittery ball is dropping. And 2021 had its share of growth and insight, even when the lessons were very uneasy.

When I think back on the year, there were so👏🏻many👏🏽learning👏🏾experiences, I found myself addressing the universe aloud at times, sighing, “OK! OK! Point taken. Lesson (painfully) learned.”

Below are my Top 5 Takeaways from 2021. My wish is that they resonate and help us remember that while we’re unique, our human experiences are often beautifully similar. ✨

2021 LOOK BACK | AND LEAP FORWARD

•There’s No One Way

Your path is different from others’, and that’s not only a good thing - it’s something to celebrate. It may feel daunting that a friend launched their business in 2021, or bought a house, or grew their social community by a million, but maybe that’s not your path at this time.

You’re where you’re meant to be, and if your plans didn’t come to rapid fruition in 2021, give yourself a breath and some compassion. Your timeline is in perfect alignment for you.

•Slowing Down Is Priceless

As one of my teachers says, “I know you can do more, but can you do less?”

We can go fast - it’s what we’re programmed to do. We can toss our energy around, scrolling, reading, driving, thinking, brainstorming, and simultaneously chugging that latte.

But is it working for you? Can you happily and efficiently keep that pace in the future? I’ve come to realize I can’t, nor do I want to.

Maybe you sip the latte without a screen, wait in a checkout line without scrolling, or set a 5-minute timer and focus solely on the waves of your breath - small, simple steps that prioritize you and remind you that often, slowing down actually helps you go farther.

•There’s Value In Failure

Success feels wonderful, and when we’ve earned our successes, we deserve to be elated when we get a win.

But, the failures, the face-palms, the head-shakes, and the sighs - that’s where the good stuff is if we dive into the muck and learn from it. It’s undoubtedly the harder path to dissect what didn’t go the way we wanted - just the thought makes the shoulders tighten. If, though, we let our failures be our teachers, we can move forward with experience, insight, and knowledge, and that makes us unstoppable.

•Our Integrity Is Worth More Than Our Image

In a world of filters, editing, and living in digital spaces, we forget that how we show up in real life has the most profound impact. A meaningful conversation with a friend is worth more than a thousand likes, and an act of kindness is more impactful than a hundred follows.

•Take One Breath

That’s it. Literally. If there’s one thing that we can benefit from, it’s taking a complete, conscious breath before we speak or act. We tend to think our replies and actions must happen immediately - they needn’t. There’s space for one breath before we move ahead, and there’s a very strong chance that after we honor that one breath, we realize we never really needed to react at all.

NEW YEAR | SAME YOU…BUT MORE ALIGNED

Cheers!

HUGE congrats as we raise a glass of kombucha to 2022!