What the Year Taught Me About Myself

Talking about what I learned about myself in the past year, permit me to admit that the past year came with unraveling a lot about me; it also humbled me in certain ways I never saw coming and exposed things about my personality.

No doubt, the year stretched me beyond my imagination; both my patience and faith were tested on several occasions, and it pushed me into self-discovery and a better understanding of myself, I must say.

One moment, it felt like life was just so predictable and that everything looked amazing; another moment, I saw myself standing at a crossroads trying to figure out my life and give it a direction. That being said, I learned in the process that life doesn't warn us before changing its direction; things just get unfolded at a glance, and I just have to deal with it as it comes.

A lot of times, I faced uninvited challenges that stayed until I learned a lesson through them. It was a lot, to the point that one of the challenges I faced in the past year I am still dealing with currently; hopefully, I will find a way out. But so far, I discovered a hidden part of me I never knew was in existence, lol. Yea, permit me to say that I learned that I am even stronger than I imagined, so stronger than how people usually commend my resilience.

Some days I felt so overwhelmed with what life offered me, I felt so empty, and I felt like giving up was the best option, but I persisted. I never accepted defeat but rather showed up for others in some cases, and that alone gave me evidence that indeed my level of resilience was going higher and higher. What a discovery! I should give the credit to myself, you know, but I will not.

If I should change something about myself, then it should be reducing the level I go so hard on myself...there is no way I should only expect strength every now and then without thinking of what if weakness surfaces. I did go hard on myself whenever I felt weak in certain situations, but overall, I later learned that growth also comes from taking a pause and asking for assistance when the need be.

Surprisingly, I discovered that I have the capacity to adapt to changes I see unfold in my life, whether tough or soft. Even when my plans fail, I don't get so much teared up like before but face the reality boldly, adjust, put in a new strategy, and move on. It was a whole lot of a shift in my mindset, and that alone is a plus to my personality and growth.

Images are mine!