Although it may not have been on your bucket list, I think we can safely say that we have successfully survived a pandemic......so far.
Yes, we have been through an interesting year, with varying experiences and consequences.
Despite our differences, I believe it is important to our present and future selves to do some reflection on the year and what we have learnt: both positive and negative.
Since this was my idea, I will start off with my cumulative lesson review of 2021, all that the year has taught me, coupled with a few experiences to back it up.
1. As a Young Person, You are Constantly Growing
I know it is quite obvious that as human beings, we are constantly growing, aging, getting closer to death's door but....that is not my point today.
What I want to focus on is the notion that once you have picked a particular image of yourself, you ought to stick to it until you die.
Which I have realized this year is not particularly true.
According to Sigmund Freud, the ego is the psychological component of the personality that is represented by our conscious decision-making process.
Basically, it is what you want society to perceive you as.
What actions and decisions have you made that postulate the idea that this image of you is what your personality is,
Hence the term alter ego.
As early as you can remember, you may have held and supported a set of ideas and values, beliefs, likes and dislikes, and now as you grow older, you may end up in an awkward situation where you no longer are committed to those ideas.
But what do you do when those ideas and systems have been all you stood for? The foundation of who you are and what you are?
This is what I am referring to when I talk about constant growth.
Growth does not only come in the form of monetary wealth or physical appearance but also in your personality.
As a young person, you are being introduced to the world, gaining experiences and learning and as such, it is quite fine for your opinions and beliefs to change.
This is also helpful to find out the genesis of these thoughts as well. Why did I believe in a nuclear type family? Why do I think that women should have a child before 30 in order to live a fruitful life? Or even simply, yes I like helping people and science but is being a doctor really for me?
Asking yourself these questions is very important. Figuring out yourself and getting to the genesis of your beliefs and ideas. And ultimately, it is okay if the final conclusion does not match up to your previous thoughts or the image you have been showcasing to society. You are constantly changing. Maybe you are no longer the bookworm who hates socializing, maybe you value social gatherings and see yourself as an event planner in the future.
2. Let Your Faith Guide You
As a first-year university student, the journey to this stage this year held many uncertainties. Where I will be attending? What program will I be studying and most importantly, where is the money coming from?
For those who are aware of who I am, I was a high achiever in high school and past Head Girl as well, so you could predict that I was involved in a lot of activities besides academics. Coming from an "economically stifling" environment, tuition cost seems like a very steep hill to cover.
But I had my heart set on getting scholarships to cover the costs from I decided to pursue tertiary education.
Of course, I did everything I could from the beginning, get good grades, be involved, be a good student, network, apply, practice writing essays, etc.
So after all my years (literally) of hard work, imagine my anxiety after applying to every scholarship I was eligible for and nearing the start of the semester and......... no success.
I knew that the late sitting of the external CAPE exams also played a role in the delayed responses from donors.
But by late August, I had started contemplating deferring my acceptance and to "go look a work."
I previously decided not to apply for student loans and go by faith.....And now I was wondering if that decision was coming back to bite me.
It was at that moment, during that time that I learned to let my faith guide me. After all my years of hard and diligent work, will I trust that others will see my dedication? Will I have faith in myself that I represented myself well in the interviews? Will I have faith that God was working behind the scenes to make sure I was covered? Will I have faith that despite everything, if my plans don't go as well, it will go all work out for me?
I just finished my first semester so you can conclude how all that ended. But this lesson I will remember dearly. And if you had a similar experience this year, try to let your faith guide you.
3. Value the People in Your Life
Many of us may have experienced a loss since the start of 2021, unfortunately, a common side effect of a pandemic. Whether it was by Sis Rona or some other incident, it doesn't make it easier.
And although it is unfortunate that many of us only value life and acknowledge its fragility during times of death, the reminder is necessary.
I am one of those persons.
This year, I lost a few people but the most impactful was a close friend of mine. Someone on my wavelength, who was a big dreamer, had goals and ambitions, kindhearted and beautiful singer.
And I know many of us have heard remarks like these before but I am sure living in a pandemic and seeing the death tolls shows you one of the greatest lessons, that life is precious and you should take care to value those around you.
4. Opportunities Will Pass By If You Aren't Paying Attention
As individuals seeking to improve and develop yourselves, we are always desirous of opportunities to pursue these dreams and ideas. But wanting opportunities and actively pursuing them are 2 different activities.
I wanted chances to be involved in service activities, get new experiences, and do projects in areas of interest and future career. But me wanting those chances, does not mean they will be granted spontaneously. Sure, sometimes that does happen but only for the lucky few.
This year taught me that opportunities are always raising and falling, and it is not because it's hiding from me or only available to the elite of society but it is also because I wasn't paying attention. My social media feed, my LinkedIn networks and my circle needed to somehow reflect and provide opportunities for me. So I did an assessment and purge activity, what am I feeding myself digitally that is hindering or promoting my chances of getting these opportunities?
It is also important to zero in on what you want so when these opportunities appear that mirror what you want........ you go get it.
In contrast, when some opportunities come your way but do not reflect your wants or ideas, you can leave it to someone else.
When you know what you want, you notice opportunities most people aren’t aware of. You also have the rare courage to seize those opportunities without procrastination. What you focus on expands.
Courage doesn’t just involve saying “Yes” — it also involves saying, “No.” But how could you possibly say “No” to certain opportunities if you don’t know what you want? You can’t. Like most people, you’ll be seduced by the best thing that comes around.
-FROM CNBC MAKE IT - THIS IS HOW YOU TRAIN YOUR MIND TO GET WHAT YOU REALLY WANT
These were 4 of many lessons that I took home from 2021 and I hope you did too. Think I missed out on some important ones or maybe you want a part 2?
Feel free to comment below so I can hear your thoughts. As usual
Be Liv-tastic
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