- Cherish time with others. This lesson was underscored by the distance restrictions and I couldn’t see my family or many of my friends for a few months. In many of my favourite moments this year, I’m hanging out with someone and it doesn’t really matter what we’re doing. It could be as simple as taking a walk (one of the only things we could do during lockdown). It’s so important to be grateful for the time spent with loved ones.
- I am human. This relates to the one of the lessons from last year (“I have a lot to learn”). I’m not infallible or always rational. Small things can affect my mood, which then affects my judgment and what I’m thinking at any particular moment. I’m also not invincible and physical and mental health is becoming increasingly a priority. I’m inspired by the Japanese concept of wabi-sabi, which focuses on the beauty of imperfection. Realising that we’re all imperfect has given me a renewed confidence in being myself.
- I can do anything I put my mind to. I am human, but so is everyone else, and we’re all making it up as we go and have no idea what is going on. This has been reinforced over this year, where I’ve done things that I never thought I’d do or be good at. As long as I balance this with being humble, I think this is a great mindset to have.
- How we spend our days is how we spend our lives. This one is particularly profound for me. I spend a fair bit of time thinking about the future and how best to live my life. There’s nothing wrong with this per se, but there are times when I should just get on and live it. The other takeaway for me is that every hour is precious and I should be filling each one with enriching experiences.
None of these lessons are particularly “new” to me but have been reinforced one way or another this year.
