With my birthday this week, I’ve been super reflective on everything I’ve learned over the past year. Despite all of the ups and downs, the good, the bad and the ugly, chapter 23 has been a special one [and probably one I’ll never forget]. So here’s what I learned…

• Trust God in all areas of your life

The Bible tells us to ‘Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not on your own understanding’.

While trusting God is essential to Christian life, this does not mean it is easy. I’ve learned [and continue to learn] studying His word daily allows our trust [and ultimately our faith] to grow. Through time spent with God, we build a personal relationship and grow closer to knowing who He is. And it is in knowing Him that we trust the plan He has for us.

• Don’t let failure from the outside get inside you

The more we fail the more resilient we become. Reading ‘Failing forward’ changed my perspective of failure. I’ve always been a perfectionist and wanted things to go right on the first attempt. However, failure is inevitable and one key point JC.Maxwell makes in the book is that the difference between average people and achieving people is their perception of and response to failure.

• Be alone

One thing lockdown taught me was choosing to be alone at times can be rejuvenating. We spend so much time getting to know the people around us, whether this is family, friends, work colleagues etc. Often, we forget to look back at ourselves. Spending time by myself allowed me to recharge, reflect more [on my purpose and goals], get back into hobbies/activities I enjoy and overall be more productive.

• Surround yourself with people that make you happy 

My friends really are the things that make my world go round. Every interaction with my them has brought a refreshed excitement for post-pandemic life [I’m ready for the dinners, bottomless brunches, BBQs, weekends away, afternoon teas… basically everything]. I’ve come to value friendships so much more and letting them know how important they are.

• Don’t take anything for granted

We often take the smallest of things for granted. It’s important to stop and think about everything we have. And it really does manifest in the smallest of things -Having good health, a job, education, etc. Gratitude brings contentment and makes what we have enough. Being thankful is the key.

• Put your mental health 

Our mental health is just as important as our physical health. I’ve always taken care of my physical body by working out, eating well and never really prioritised my mental state. Starting therapy allowed me to have raw and honest conversations on various issues and understand its impact on my life [and essentially navigate life waaaay better].

• Figure out your goals, but know they can change

Over time our ambitions [life trajectory] may change. Be adaptable and know that now is the best time to try new things, discover what you love/are passionate about. Yes plans may change and actions revised to get there, but it’s better than looking back at life with a ton of regret.

• Comparison can be a good thing, just don’t over do it

Over analysing and comparing yourself to the point of depression isn’t healthy. But seeing how others succeed and learning from them is influential. We spend too much time comparing ourselves, our Instagram accounts, and our achievements. But I think it can be a good thing to look at what others are doing and create our own set of dreams and goals, on our own terms.

• And lastly, never stop investing in yourself

This can be anything from learning a new skill, being more creative, getting a mentor/coach, starting therapy etc. We need to give to ourselves before we can give to others and so taking the time to develop our gifts and talents will help us best serve others.