Review and Reflection on the Year 2021: 4/5 stars

2021 has been a prominent year of adjustment and changes for everyone. I am sure, like most people, my 2021 was definitely better than my 2020. But, if anything, 2021 showcased ALL of our resilience in the forever-evolving world of COVID-19, which caused complicated shifts in work and school, changes that are evolving and changing to this day.

With all of this in mind, I would like to share a few things that I learned during 2021.

The Beginning, Middle, and End of My 2021

At the beginning of 2021, I worked as a math and english instructor on top of freelance writing, tutoring other students independently, and attending online classes. It was a lot, but with a stagnant year like 2020, it seemed necessary for a busy body like me. Although I am an introvert and enjoy having a nice, lazy day, I had that for months on end in the spring and summer of 2020.

Aside from working and going full force for my professional and personal growth, I started attending a monthly virtual true crime book club and hosting virtual movie nights with my friends who live out of state.

In the Summer of 2021, I joined Skillsoft’s internship program as the Marketing Communications and Content intern, which I knew would be a massive step for my future career in copywriting and digital marketing. I initially applied for this internship not even thinking that I would get it. At that time, my job was exhausting and growing more and more demanding.

Parents were flooding their children into the math education center, appointment or not. The pandemic left them and their kids with little to no support hands-on support. I understood why, but it became such a stressful occurrence. I would see only 5 people on the schedule for the whole day, and then within 10 minutes of opening the center, the place was nearly half full. I needed something less stressful, flexible, and more connected to my future career.

This strong desire for change had me job searching late in the night and dreaming of what I wanted my life to look like in a few months. To my surprise, I received an invitation for an interview about a week or two later.

I learned a lot in the year 2021, but most of all, I learned that I am allowed to dream and reach for those dreams, no matter how impossible or silly they seem in the moment. My work with Skillsoft has made me realize that I have what it takes to craft my own success story. In fact, we all do. We just have to give ourselves permission to dream in the first place.

What I learned in 2021

2021 was better than 2020, but it was not easy by any means. But through fumbles and stumbles, I learned a lot of lessons that already have or will enrich my life in the near future. Here are some of the lessons I learned for the year 2021:

• I have made some mistakes, and I will make some more — Failure and losing are big fears for all of us. My fear of failing has kept me from living my life fully and how I want. But in reality, these mistakes are next to nothing when it comes to the experience and knowledge you gain. Failures can make you a winner.
• Mental Health is Wealth- Your health is literally the most precious thing you could ever have. Towards the end of 2020, I started seeing a therapist, and it was one of my best decisions of the year. I had been in therapy before, and each time, seeking out that mental help really allowed me to decompress while healing from fresh and old wounds.During my intense work for growth, I caught COVID in February of 2021. I told my boss, but also mentioned I did not mind working with the students online. While I was being helpful, I was asked to sign back on after my shift because another instructor was not trained. For the first time in that job, I drew a hard line and made that boundary. I know the word “boundary” is a bit of a buzzword, but it deserves to be popular because we need them in every aspect of our lives.
• Live for now and embrace uncertainty- As a college student, I think about my future a lot. And I mean a lot. Being an untraditional college student, I felt like I had to race college because I was running out of time. Now that my journey is ending, I get asked what my plans are. I even found some family members with good intentions had really racked up my anxiety and fear with their questioning. Over time, the questions began to irritate me. Luckily with time and a lot of self-reflection, I took a lot of that pressure off of myself. I became to value being present a lot more and knowing that I am experienced enough and capable enough to find and lead successful life.

What I Want to Bring Into 2022

For 2022, I want to bring more energy and love into myself. I want to continue to prioritize my mental health, speak truthfully, living life on my own terms, and learn along the way. I hope you all reading this can do the same and reflect on everything you learned in 2021.