Wow, 2017. Already, you are leaving us, but also, at the same time, finally. It’s been long, it’s been real, and we are ready to look back and share what our biggest takeaways of the year are. Some of us on the team are into making resolutions and some are not, but whatever the case may be, we’re reflecting.
Bet On Yourself
For me, the last year has been a complete roller-coaster with some unforgettable highs and a few lows that I cannot wait to put behind me. They say hindsight is 20/20 and looking back I think the most important lesson that 2017 taught me is that if you need something done, you have to do it yourself. I’ve been lucky to have had a helping hand or two in a few guardian angels every now and then, but when it came down to all the important things and achieving the big goals, I’m actually proud to say it was all me. I graduated from a post-grad college program, got an internship and then a full-time job in the field of my choice. So basically, my biggest takeaway is to depend on yourself, count yourself lucky for all the help you do receive, but always remember that if you’re going to bet on anyone – make sure you bet on yourself! – Tara
What A Whirlwind
Follow Your Gut
2017 will forever be known as the year that I finally learned to follow my gut. I started the year laying in my childhood bed, wrapped in blankets, and having a complete mental breakdown/pity party for myself.
I had somehow found myself in a relationship I wasn’t happy in anymore, and a job that didn’t fulfill me; I felt like I was drowning, and it all came to a head when the clock switched over to 12:00 AM on January 1st, 2017. So I thought to myself “Okay Taylor, so what are you going to do about it?” I came to one simple answer that ended up being my guiding light throughout the entire year:
Follow your gut.
If something doesn’t feel right to you, then it isn’t right. Your intuition can’t be reasoned with, it can’t be talked to, it can’t be told “but you’re wrong because…” It just knows.
By sticking to this rule, I’ve lived my best life in 2017. I ended the relationship that wasn’t right for me, left the job that left me unhappy, and started my new journey towards being the best me I can be. And the results? I’m now in the best relationship of my life (with my best friend), and have an amazing job in a field that I love. – Taylor
Seeing Both Sides
This year I learned that life is out of my control. Maybe it seems like an obvious statement, but my biggest takeaway from 2017 is that I can only control how I react to things that happen around me. Turns out, it’s hard as hell to stay positive when everything around me feels negative, but now I feel like I’ve lived on both sides. I know how extreme goodness feels and I know what desperate loneliness feels like. Now I can truly say, when things start to turn around and the sun shines again, it’s a damn good feeling. I’m planning on riding this high right into 2018. – Jane
Count Your Blessings
I’m a generally positive person, but sometimes negativity can bleed into my life. I’m a generally patient person, but it seems that patience often applies to everything and everyone but myself. When I’m faced with these feelings, I’ll often wallow, which usually doesn’t do anything except make matters worse. So I always hit myself with a little bit of reality, a little bit of perspective. I’m young, I’m healthy, I have a roof over my head, a loving family, a loving boyfriend… these are the things I remind myself of when the going gets tough. So my biggest takeaway of 2017 is really about everything that I have taken time to surround myself with, and the reminder that they’re all there for a reason – for a good life. – Trang
So here’s to 2017. Let the good times roll straight into 2018. What was your biggest takeaway of the year?
xx,
Trang
Header photo by Samantha Clarke