Photo taken by Khanh Nguyen.
The start of 2012 felt like I was facing a shadow monster. I couldn’t really see it, but I could feel its negative presence and sharp claws on my back, breathing over my shoulder and whispering into my ear, join us… JOIN US!!!!!
*cue dramatic music*
Anyways — the point is I was deeply dissatisfied with my circumstances at the time, and above all else, bored. Boredom is probably the single worst thing to ever feel about your life because at that point, you’re kind of just wasting it away. Alive and breathing, but not living.
Things got worse before they got better, but by the end of it all, 2012 somehow blossomed into the most interesting and definitive year of my life (thus far). While graduating college and “entering adulthood” did its fair share of morphing my perceptions, it wasn’t until this past year that circumstances, challenges and the subsequent overcoming of those challenges that really started to mold me into who I am becoming in the “adult” phase of my life cycle.
Lessons and highlights from 2012:
- If you’re thinking something positive about someone, tell them. Don’t let ego or embarrassment get in the way. If you’re thinking something negative about someone, ask yourself why you might be having those thoughts. Is this rooted in an insecurity you have in yourself? If so, how can you overcome your own self-doubts?
- If you’ve ever wanted to do something and have been waiting for the “right time,” there is no better time than now. The right time will never come.
- Fake it till you make it. Learn fast along the way, and keep yourself on your toes. Always say you can do a little bit more than you know how.
- Take every experience as a lesson. Absorb life as a never ending classroom.
- Optimize everyday to start living the life you want today, and everyday.
- Getting dumped is a good thing — you meet someone better, guaranteed, because you learn from your mistakes.
- I am not invincible nor perfect. Not even close. But it’s about how hard I fight, and how much I refuse to give up that defines me.
- Negative moments in life are essential to learning to appreciate the positives.
- Low moments are welcomed, because I look forward to when things start curving up again.
- Be open to feedback and criticism. Thank those who give the time and thought to give you sincere feedback. Ignore those who only give it to you because they have insecurities they are trying to project onto you.
- Spending 8-10+ hours a day on a job/career you dislike is not worth living this life for. Leave the job you hate ASAP. You’ll thank yourself. Like, a million times over.
- Life is a ladder, not an escalator. You have to climb it yourself. And no, it’s not easy.
