As every year passes, they seem to go by faster and faster. This is especially true as I’m getting older and realizing how life drastically changes from one year to the next, and how it all makes me who I am.
With every year, comes new life lessons. I started seeing this more when I entered college and truly became independent and on my own. I remember growing up, and every year just seemed like the same old routine. “Happy new year” really just meant another year in school with the same kids you grew up with, doing basically the same things every day. But when you become an adult, every year becomes more significant and life-changing.
You’ll remember the year you got your first serious boyfriend, or a first car, or your first job just as much as the year that you broke up with that boyfriend, got in your first car accident, and was laid-off your job. Sometimes, you have an all-around amazing year where everything just went your way and you felt on top of the world, that was 2013 for me when I graduated high school and got accepted into UCF. But I think it’s the years that throw you off a little, that are the ones that truly change you and make you who you are.
That was 2016 for me.
Reflecting on this year, I realized 2016 has taught me so much, but mostly how unexpected life is. Everything I didn’t want happening, happened, and it helped me find who I am.
Almost every year before this year, the best way to describe my lifestyle was comfortable. I had a steady relationship, was in the same routine with school and work, and I was just very content. A part of me longed for some kind of change, I wanted more out of my college experience. I had a need to do something new, I wanted to feel uncomfortable for a little while because I knew I needed to grow, and I knew the best time to figure that out while I was still in school—where mistakes are almost acceptable and expected.
Well, I got what I wanted because when it rains, it pours. To put it simply, I got laid off my first job that I absolutely loved, became single for the first time in years, joined a dance company after being out of dance for three years, and dove head first into a leadership position for an organization that I was very hesitant about running by myself.
All of this started in tears, nervousness and self-doubt, but turned into successful change my life desirably needed.
I never knew how capable I was until I gave myself no choice except to be capable and find out. I accepted every opportunity that presented itself, even if I wasn’t sure how to do it, because I learned later. I took a relationship that I thought “made me who I am” and became someone better, on my own. Because no one else makes you who you are except you.
I found my passion in dance again that I’ve been keeping in the back of my head the last couple of years.
Being laid off my job was the best thing to happen because more opportunities that were better for me presented themselves, and being the president of an organization on campus has made me learn so much about who I am and how much I truly love leading.
I’m so grateful for the years that give me a little struggle, because it’s always driving motivation to do better next time and provides a lesson to learn from. Everyone should look at life in this way. Having this perspective will make you happier, more confident, and a heck of a lot more optimistic.
I hope this year brought you everything it needed to. And if it didn’t, change your life and make it what you want to be. Before you know it, the next year is already on its way.
So thanks for sucking 2016, because you really didn’t suck after all.