23 Lessons I’ve Learned in 2023

This year has definitely been one of the most introspective ones for me. Some experiences were unreal, while some were hard to accept. As 2023 comes to a close, there’s still a lot to reflect over, but so far below are some things I’ve learnt:

Photo by Moritz Knöringer on Unsplash

1. Getting out of your comfort zone makes you realise a thing or two about yourself.
2. Piano music is a mood shifter.
3. You’re going to be scared before you take the first step. Still, do it.
4. A stretch of silence during a conversation is okay. And it is also okay to not fill the awkwardness that you sometimes feel.
5. If it bothers you, there’s still something you’re not learning from it.
6. Feel and acknowledge your emotion. And ask it what it wants to convey. This eases the emotion feeling process.
7. In an uncertain future state, clarity arrives with time, when you keep acting with what’s in front of you.
8. Trust that sometimes, you just know.
9. Things not working out for you, also, work out for you.
10. Inside-out desires can make you feel at peace with yourself while outside-in desires make you feel empty after achieving them.
11. You would never have all the answers. Keep showing up and exploring.
12. You’d get to know yourself more in the lows than in the highs. But no phase lasts forever.
13. Culture shock is real, but so is the shock of managing yourself as a full-fledged adult.
14. Reframe your definition of a bad day or not so good day. If the only thing you did was pull yourself out of bed when you didn’t feel like in your worst moments, you did a fine job. Focus on the one thing you did do on your supposedly bad day. If you did that one thing, it was indeed a good day.
15. Silence is golden. You learn so many aspects about yourself when you make time for solitude.
16. When you feel something is not right, it usually is not. Stop second-guessing yourself.
17. The choices you make may not make sense now, but the dots eventually do connect. Keep walking through the uncertainty.
18. Inner transformations/Awakenings are HARD. There’s no way out of it. It takes time, and it is uneven. Don’t rush and don’t give up on yourself. You’ve come this far.
19. When there is a different version coming to life, be patient. Let it take the time it needs.
20. You might have a vision and not know the steps to get there. But as the days pass, slowly and with time, you will know what to do.
21. Pausing and not reacting. Understanding that you do not need to engage to everything that comes your way is an important skill to have and to hone.
22. To feel and to experience is what it is to be human. Even if you’re the only person on this earth to feel the way you do, it is valid. Give yourself the validation and acknowledgement you need.
23. There’s always something to be grateful for.