Things I Learned in 2017
‘Tis the season for year end reviews, resolutions for the new year, and the top 10 lists for favorite whatevers. I think it’s necessary to have a time of the year dedicated to reviewing the recent past. How better is it to learn than from experience?
So, for today’s post, I’m sharing some of the things I learned this year. I thought I already knew some of this, but 2017 was a radical year for introspection. Now I wonder if I really know anything at all!
Influencing
What I learned: Don’t get emotional about politics.
This year I really accepted that, if I wanted the government to support the things I’m interested in, it was going to take a lot more work than just voting, calling congressmen, and giving money to my favorite lobbying groups. These things already frustrate me and I don’t see any additional happiness down the road of becoming a political activist.
What I now tell myself: It’s far more important to expend my energy on my family and in my community than to get wound up over what’s going on in national politics. Accept that, sooner or later, the political tide will swing back the other way. Focus on what’s happening in my sphere of influence at this moment.
Aging
What I learned: I am getting older. I don’t have the same body I had when I was younger; a slowly healing broken ankle and strained shoulder proved it.
What I now tell myself: Accept that I’ll never have the resiliency or stamina of my younger self, but it doesn’t mean I can’t have a good body. I simply need to take better care of it if I want to keep getting good use of it. Be gentle with it, keep eating healthy food, continue doing the weight lifting in the exercise routine, and ensure it’s getting plenty of water and rest. These things are too important to let lax.
Living
What I learned: The past and the future don’t exist. I can’t reach out and touch either of them. The past is a concept that encapsulates memories of things that we’ve experienced; the future is a concept that enfolds all of the possibilities of what might be. So being caught up in either is a certain road to self-inflicted suffering.
This was such an amazing paradigm shift for me. I can’t begin to express the joy I feel now that I’ve realized this.
What I now tell myself:
- I have only this moment.
- Accept that I can’t change what already happened in other moments.
- In this moment I can create the conditions that will influence what the next moment will be like.
- Use this moment wisely.
This has become my mantra. Treasure memories of both the pleasant and the unpleasant, because they are what I am made of right now. Let go of expectations for the future, because it will be whatever it becomes because of what I am right now; let go of what it “should” be.
Dying
What I learned: I am dying. From the moment I was born I began to die. Death is the result of aging. I have limited control over how or when it happens. Having a fear of death is a natural part of being human, but being attached to the idea that I can ‘get over’ the fear of death is unhealthy.
Everyone knows they are going to die someday. But this year I accepted that it could happen in the next moment, not in some far away future.
What I now tell myself: Accept that death is going to happen no matter what I do or think. My body will be cremated (hopefully) and all of the atoms that were in it will become part of something else: soil, water, air, bacteria, plants, animals, and maybe other humans. My brain, which is designed for survival, wants to expend a great amount of energy on making me afraid of dying so that I will do everything I can to extend my life. Accept this as a natural part of being human and let it go. Enjoy this one moment; stop worrying about something I can’t prevent.
Blogging
What I learned: It’s okay to share personal reflections. I like sharing the thoughts and ideas that bring me balance and contentment. I also like to read what other women about my age are thinking, how they meet and take care of problems, and what they find joyous in life. It’s okay. It doesn’t mean I’m joining the world of tabloid trash. There’s a huge difference between writing interesting transcendental content and deplorable melodrama.
What I tell myself: Don’t be afraid to write about things you are thinking even if others might not understand. Accept that readers always have the option to skip over or click away from what you’ve written if they don’t like it. My blog is for sharing an expression of myself. If I’m not having fun with it than I’m not spending my time wisely. Similarly, thank the blog writers that you enjoy. Just like you, they put a lot of themselves into their writing!
These are the some of the things that I learned in 2017. If I had to put one word to my experience of 2017, it would be acceptance. Thank you to all the readers who have been part of my world this year. I wish you a very happy and peaceful 2018!
originally posted at stillroundthecorner.com
