12 blessings & 11 lessons from 2023
Happy Holidays, everyone! In this article, I will be sharing the blessings I had and lessons learned this year. It has been a great year. They say, the best is yet to come. With this in mind, I will welcome 2024 with lots of good thoughts despite the challenges I’m experiencing.
I learned that we should be grateful for what we have while working towards what we want to have. That’s why I included my blessings and things I’m grateful for.
Blessings
- I am living by myself in downtown of the city (Washington D.C).
Around this last time last year, I wished how I want to have my own space and move to the city. Yes, I’m thankful for this. As someone who has never used to living with roommates (total strangers) and lived with parents for her whole life, this living situation is definitely something I enjoy a lot.
2. My job
I am so grateful that my current job enables me to work remotely and give lots of flexibility. The colleagues and supervisor I have are all amazing and I am super lucky!
3. My dad came to the US for the first time and joined my convocation
My dad was able to come here and stay with me for a while this year. Him along with my brother joining me was one of the happiest moments that I would cherish forever!
4. Dear friend, Peg
Peg is a friend I made last year. She is in her 70s and has the most active and interesting lifestyle. I lived with her for 7 months and learned a lot from her. Often times, she reminded me of my mom. I hope I get to hangout with her lot often.
5. Short-term friend who boosted my confidence
This summer I met somebody who I had lots of adventures and fun times. Not only we got to do some things I have never done, he also contributed to boosting my confidence a lot. Thanks to this friend, I learned to believe in myself more. Appreciate you!
6. New friends
This year I made bunch of new friends through work and through friends’ friends. Though it is extremely hard to maintain those new connections and hang out often, I’m still grateful to have met new people.
7. The city
I’m happy where I’m living now. Because the city offers free public events all the time, it is so convenient to visit and commute. Also, it is super walkable city that makes it easy to walk and ride a bike.
8. Current friends
I am super grateful for my friends I have both here and back home. Nomio, who checks in with me all the time — I somehow don’t deserve you. Thank you so much ❤.
Kelly, thank you for always counting me in~! You’re so awesome.
Ezoza, it is always nice catching up with you and talk stuff.
Meredith, thanks for always offering help without even hesitating.
9. My current life
Not to be phony, I really am grateful for my current life where I can do whatever I want whenever I want. For sure, this is not the life I will settle down. But, for a young woman living abroad and trying to make her way to the world, I am grateful for this life. My Sunday mornings, my Thursday grocery run, my evening rituals… I love them all.
10. My body and health
I am thankful that I am healthy and my body does all the activities it is supposed to. Sometimes, we forget how we’re lucky just to move our body, walk, run… Maybe I should have put this in my #1 list, because health is everything. As you age and mature, you prioritize health more than anything.
11. My mom
Though she is not on this earth physically, I have no doubt that she watches out me and my siblings from above. I hear her voice all the time and miss her everyday. I believe that everything good happening in my life is because of my mom’s protection and love.
12. My youth
I am grateful that I am young. When you’re young (well, I’m not that super young lol), you want to achieve lots of things at the same time. Yes, often times, I get conflicted and wrestle with all the ideas I’m having and wonder if I’m going to the right direction. But, isn’t that a beauty of youth? There are lots of things you want to pursue and you start doing one by one and figure out which one is meant to be.
Lessons
- Show up
By showing up you complete half of a task. People may don’t have faith in you yet, but you never stop believing in yourself. Show up for yourself no matter what.
Read more about ‘showing up’ here from my previous article.
2. No one cares
People are too busy thinking about themselves and minding their own business. Don’t worry about others. Do you.
3. Habits matter
We are literally results of our every day habits. If you want to change something, change things you do in your daily lives. After learning this, I became careful of my time and am working on getting rid of habits that don’t serve me anymore.
4. Protect your energy at all times
Until recently, I often let people ruin my energy. When people are negative, angry, or showing any other non positive behaviors around me, I would take those and feel bad in the end.
Don’t let idiots ruin your day, moment, and life.
5. Accept people and situations as they are
This is the one I am still struggling to learn. I had been naive to think that people would treat me the way I do. In reality, you continue to get hurt if you have this mindset. Everyone is uniquely different and you can’t expect certain things from people. Instead, have zero expectations and accept people just the way they are. Just because people wouldn’t do things you expect, it doesn’t mean you are not worth it.
6. Don’t chase. What is meant to be will find you
I guess this is true. Every rejection is just a sign of something better is waiting you out there. Or it is a sign for you to work harder.
While you are happily working on yourself and building the life you wish, the right people will come to your life. Be patient. Or your timeline is just different than everybody else.
7. Trust your gut
When you meet somebody for the first time, you have that impression, energy, vibe… Turns out our first impression is pretty much always true. If something seems off, then you’re right. No need for “I could be wrong, let’s see”.
This year, I learned this and glad that I trusted my gut and made some good decisions.
8. You don’t owe anything to anyone
I have been a people pleaser for my whole life. Though I was aware, it hit me hard this year. Drawing line and setting boundary, making your voice heard, standing up for yourself, saying no without explanations are the things I am actively learning.
I lost a good friend just because I said no. What a blessing, huh. You won’t know how much you’re giving to others until you learn that you don’t owe a single damn thing to anyone.
Fill your cup first, friends. Then you can be able to serve others. Also, true friends will never leave just because you say no and put boundaries.
9. Be your own best friend first
People may leave you, abandon you, hurt you or give up on you. It is nice to have someone to rely on. But be your own best friend who would get up and show up every day.
10. Be comfortable with asking for help
Sometimes it is okay to let your guard down and admit that you need help. There is nothing wrong asking for help. It really is not a sign of weakness. Normalize asking for help. You will realize there are lots of people who care about you.
11. Words have power
Whether you say something as a joke or from your heart, every words coming out from your mouth have power. So we have to be careful what to say.
When I learned about this power of words, I quit talking negatively about myself and say negative and pessimistic things out loud.
I definitely got humbled this year. Moving forward, I will not have unrealistic goals and get disappointed in myself at the end of the year. I will set attainable goals within given time and my abilities. One thing I’m confident is that I will wake up and show up every day for myself. I will continue to be a striving individual with good heart.
Merry early Christmas and Happy New Year, everyone! May 2024 bring you abundance of love, success, health, and joy.
xo,
Oko
