2015 has been one crazy year, and here are some of the most valuable things that it has taught me.
1. You can be alone without being lonely.
My favorite part about this year has been being able to spend time alone and getting to know myself. Finding hobbies that you can do alone is a great stress reliever, and a great way to figure out the things that make you happy.
2. No one notices your flaws more than you do.
This is one of the truest things that anyone has ever said to me. You could spend an hour and a half deciding how to wear your hair, or what shirt to wear, but if you really think about it, no one is going to remember but you. Honestly, do you remember exactly what everyone was wearing and how their hair looked last Friday night? Probably not.
3. An honest apology can go a long way.
It goes without saying that no one is perfect and everyone makes mistakes. While it is okay to make mistakes and understand that sometimes, you're going to hurt people's feelings, this is not an excuse. Apologizing to the people that you've hurt is what makes those mistakes okay.
4. Making the wrong decision is better than making no decision at all.
This is one of the hardest lessons that I learned this year. Sometimes, it seems like there is no right decision, and you feel stuck. I can say from experience that making no decision at all will make any situation ten times more difficult and complicated.
5. No one's life looks like their Instagram.
It can be so easy to start comparing yourself to the people on your Instagram feed. To compare yourself to someone based on a picture smaller than the size of your phone screen that was probably edited anyway is ridiculous. Instagram is a small window into the best parts of a person's life. No one lives their life surrounded by the Hudson filter.
6. It is not your responsibility to keep other people happy.
You will drive yourself crazy trying to please everyone. One of my best friends taught me that constantly running around trying to please everyone is how you begin to lose pieces of yourself.
7. Your happiness is not the responsibility of others.
No one can make you unhappy without your consent. This year, I have learned to find things that make me happy that no one can take away from me. I have learned to love things like writing, makeup, knitting, and things that don't require anyone else (see #1.)
8. Being honest is always the best option.
Being honest with the people around you is one of the most freeing things that you can do. Hiding the truth will only make a bad situation more messy. While being honest may sometimes seem like the hardest thing to do, it is always the right thing to do in the long run.
9. It is not your job to make excuses for people.
I used to be the kind of person who would try to make excuses for people when talking about them to my friends or family. It is not your responsibility to make your family and friends like a person.
10. Appreciate the time that you have with someone.
It seems like 2015 has been the year of losing people. While this year has been full of mourning and loss, it has taught me a valuable lesson. This may sound cliché, but life is so short, and 2015 has taught me to appreciate every moment that God allows me to spend with the people in my life. It is never too late to call someone or send them a text letting them know that you miss them.
11. It's okay to not know what you want.
2015 has reminded me that it's okay to be clueless. Grandma always says that this is the time in our lives that we are allowed to be selfish and not know what we want.
12. Women have to stick together.
This year more than ever, I have thought about the way that women treat each other. I have come to the conclusion that women have it bad enough, and we have to stick together and look out for each other.
13. Not everyone has to share your opinions.
2015 has taught me that I don't have to convince everyone to think the same way that I do. I have learned that I don't have to understand why a person feels the way that they do, or has certain values, in order to respect and get along with them.
14. You don't always have to explain yourself.
Feeling like I don't always owe someone an explanation has been one of the best things that I have learned this year. Being able to do the things that make you happy and not owing anyone an explanation for that is a great feeling.
15. You don't ever have to apologize for the way that you feel.
There are some things that really require an apology, and having feelings is not one of them. You're allowed to feel any way that you want to, and you don't need to apologize to anyone for that. The people that love you will be there no matter what.
