Not sure if it’s too late, but Happy New year nonetheless!
And just like that, 2022 has come and gone. I honestly don’t know how to sum up last year. It was difficult for the most part.
How I managed to navigate an arduous year is a testimony in and of itself. What started as a relatively good year from witnessing a close friend get married in Portugal, and land my dream job, suddenly took a turn for the worst. 2022 was the year my mum was diagnosed with cancer for a third time. I found out I was pregnant (unplanned); we had not one but two strokes and mental health issues within the family. To say that it was a challenging year would be an understatement.
It was an onslaught of what felt like never-ending torrential rain without a ray of sunshine in sight — forcing me to make a life-changing decision that would ultimately change the trajectory of my life forever. And if that wasn’t enough, I had to be there to support my mum and sister even though internally, I was just about hanging on by a piece of thread.
Toward the end of the year, things began to weigh heavily on me. Anyone looking from the outside would have been none the wiser. I found myself physically present but completely absent-minded. Soon enough, it, unfortunately, began to seep into my work life. My team knew of my personal life and everything I was battling at home. However, it was mentioned in my 1–2–1 that my presence in meetings and work ethic were falling behind. I was no longer meeting the standard I had set and was expected of me.
2022 was not the year I wanted or had anticipated. It was a stark reminder that life has a way of showing us (and sometimes in the most painful way) that we’re never truly in control (of everything).
I had to surrender for the first time in my life; there were many ‘What ifs, ‘rivers of tears, sleepless nights, doubts, and the greatest trepidation I had ever felt! In the midst of what felt like grave turmoil, the message I had received through the small prayer, meditation, and journaling I could muster was that my faith needed to be stronger than my faith. I’m not quite there yet.
Fear and doubt seem to be a looming grey cloud that’s never too far from sight, but I’m reminded that the sun can and will shine even with an overcast; just like the weather, life ebbs and flows.
There were many 2022 lessons, although some were more poignant than others. That said, here are my biggest lessons from 2022:
- You cannot control and plan everything.
- There is no such thing as the perfect time.
- The importance of sisterhood/friendships
- Some people don’t deserve a second chance.
- Letting someone into your life is a privilege, be intentional with who you let in.
- A lack of self-love can lead to grave consequences.
- Blessings and change can happen at any time.
- Life can come at you fast; today, things can be great, and tomorrow things can be dire. Make the most of what you do have in the present moment.
- What you tolerate is what will continue.
- You don’t always have to know what you’re doing before you start. Action is key.
What were the lessons you learned last year, and what will you do differently this year? By the way, that question is for me as much as it is for you.
