Looking Back to Move Forward

I’m a big believer in looking back as I gear up to spring forward into the new year. 2022 was a year of acceptance, chance, and growth, which abounded with learnings for me. One of biggest learnings was that when you take chances, there’s a 50% probability it will turn out okay. And, if you surround the chances you take with positive energy, it just may up the chances that things will turn out okay to 75%.

And to be sure I remember all of 2023’s memorable moments and experiences, I’m starting a Jar of Good Stuff today as a repository for the year ahead!

2022 At A Glance:

1)     I jumped on the relocation train and moved back to south Florida. While I loved my last five years in D.C., my dad and peace of mind were in Florida, and so I signed a lease and made the move to a location that I love and have not looked back!

2)     Travel and more travel were the theme for me since March 2022, and I learned to love it all – the flight delays, the being back to in-person meetings, and I got to visit D.C. monthly, which provided the balance I sought and kept my transition smooth and exciting.

3)     I committed to my health and finished what I hope is the last surgeries tied to an acute bacterial infection which wreaked havoc on my wellbeing – 6 surgeries in total. While it’s hard to take time outs for health, I learned that without good health, I cannot achieve all that I seek professionally or personally.

4)     I leaned into my job and let go of complaining about the daily mishaps; I remembered that while others want you to believe the grass is greener elsewhere, it’s not always the case. Beyond that, whenever I felt stifled by working 15-hour days, I reminded myself that I do make time to pursue my purpose and passions beyond work (writing/running/yoga) – and if that wasn’t the case on a specific day, I made it a habit to pause and get to it!

5)     I realized that it’s not more down time that I crave – I like “to do” – but more time away from Zoom and endless work emails so that I have time and space to be quiet and reflective, which is when and how my creativity soars. I now schedule an hour of reflective time into my day – even if it occurs at 7 am before I plunge into meetings.

6)     Positive outlook, positive people, positive life. Everyone has their stuff, and we all face daily hurdles. A positive outlook, coupled with positive friends and colleagues, tends to shift everything. I’m going to keep saying goodbye to those who suck the air out of our shared space. Positivity is a choice we make that’s not dictated by circumstances.

7)     Not apologizing for who and what I am. It’s okay to have off days and to need space and to make mistakes and to work hard, try hard, fail, and keep going. It’s also okay not to have the answers if you keep asking the questions and accept being a work in progress.

8)     See myself and see others. We are all in it together. Instead of stepping back, I stepped up more. I am allowed to think my thoughts if I recognize the same is true for others and appreciate their thoughts and views in conjunction with my own – and come at others’ views with an openness to learn from them.

9)     Kindness matters. We are all trying our best. It costs nothing to be kind and often instigates peace of mind and gratitude.

10)  I ran my first two ultramarathons in 14 months in November (140 miler/Route 66 Ultramarathon) and December (100 miler/Daytona 100) and along the way, remembered the power of a deep-rooted and committed aspirational mindset. I really loved the training and stress and fear of races all over again – and the subsequent growth they bring.

And my biggest learning: to accept it all and move through situations with a positive mindset. Drama is always going to unfold around us; how we react is up to us. Accepting it all and finding a way through situations with a creative and optimistic outlook is a great reminder that overall, life is pretty good and that when there’s a will, there’s always a way.