This past year was filled with joy, laughter, and delightful newness. It was also one of deep darkness and sadness. I’ve found that when you look back on the year that’s just ended and see all of the things you’ve lived through, you’ll see a beautiful tapestry. With golden threads running alongside black ones, blues laid over emerald greens, with streaks of life and death woven through it all. Life is a juxtaposition, and if we take a moment to step back and really look at it, we’ll see how beautiful it truly is.
I love reflecting and seeing the moments, memories, and lessons I’ve collected throughout the year. So here are just 22 (of the many) things that I learned during 2022:
- Winter is as fun as you make it. You can either be cold and miserable or cold and joyful. Either way, you’re cold, but one way lets you smile during your day.
- The moments that change your life aren’t always what we see on the big screen. Sometimes they happen in the middle of your living room on a Monday morning.
- Horses take a lot of work, but they give a lot of happiness in return.
- You don’t have to go through the hard parts of life on your own. God gave us friends and family to lean on and find a soft place to land.
- Being proposed to with a ring pop is not only perfectly acceptable but also highly recommended.
- Dream big dreams, but don’t forget to take steps toward them; otherwise they’ll always stay up in the clouds.
- You get to choose what kind of person you get to be. Choose to be a good one.
- Sometimes joy doesn’t come to you directly; sometimes you have to put yourself in its path.
- Try to find one small thing that makes your heart happy each day.
- Don’t apologize for the things that bring you life. If they make your heart sing, it doesn’t matter if no one else can hear the tune.
- Planning a wedding is hard enough without trying to please everyone…so don’t. Make the day special for the two of you; everyone else can just roll with it.
- Just because you are feeling stressed doesn’t mean you have to make everyone else feel stressed around you; they’re just trying to help you.
- Trying to figure out your place and purpose in a community is hard, but don’t give up. Find your style, carve out your niche, and live unapologetically there.
- When the dark nights of the soul hit, lean on the people closest to you. It might not get better immediately, but talking on the phone with someone while you fall asleep can make the journey a little less lonely.
- You won’t know what you’re capable of until you try it. Even if you fail the first time, if it’s something you love, keep trying.
- Stop comparing yourself to the people you see on social media. You can’t measure your messy middle with someone else’s polished highlights, nor should you.
- Taking a small step towards a goal is better than not taking a step at all.
- Marriage is hard work but beautifully rewarding.
- Learning a new skill is never easy. The road is bumpy and fraught with failure, but that should never stop us from trying. After all, all the experts started on the same level as you.
- Some of the best moments happen in the most mundane of places. They happen in the middle of kitchens, tucked onto sofas, and under front porch lights. Don’t discount these moments just because they were born in humble beginnings.
- It’s a daily battle to stop fear from holding you back from living life wildly and joyfully.
- It’s okay if this year looked different from previous ones. Maybe you read fewer books, but you spent more time outside. Maybe you travelled less but built into relationships. Whatever it was, it was a good year, and 2023 will be too.
Simply Katherina 