2016 is over.
I hear it all the time how people have pics "this is me before and after 2016" with funny pictures. Or I hear how people say "2017 will be my year." I feel like this is the same for every year, but 2016 stood out for me in the most unusual way too many things happened. I was in high school, then I was in college, was a minor, then a legal adult, I was a adopted, and I graduated all in the same year. I was in about 4 different countries this year.
2016 was crazy in that way. But, 2016 was my year. Not by "oh yes I slayed, I did everything I wanted," but more like it humbled me, more by the end of the year of who I am. I learned too much. Kylie Jenner was sadly right: this year was for "realizing things," and I realized too much.
Here are the five most important things I learned this year, some are quotes I heard, sayings already out there but some are true and come from my own words:
5. It literally cost $0.00 to stay in your own lane:
Often times we compare ourselves to others, we check on how well we're doing based on others performance, but that should never be the case for you or anyone. Often times school and life wise I would base how well I did not own my own terms, but on others. WHICH IS WRONG. "You do you" they say and I know now what they mean, only worry about how you are doing (not in a selfish way), but everyone has his or her own unique way of what success is to them and you should let it interfere with yours.
4. Growing up is knowing that you can easily take down someone who did something wrong (or hurt) to you, but you decide to brush it off not do anything, and move on with your life.
This is self explanatory haha.
3. "If someone is really your friend and/or truly cares for you they have seen every good and bad thing in you...
and stayed." To be honest, I saw this quote on facebook somewhere, there was no source on it so I don't know who really said it. But, I think it's true, that we put a superficial meaning on friendship these days, and we don't realize who are real friends are. Most of all I don't think I realized until this year how much family is my friend, like as if I had disassociated the two. I learned that my family are the truest friends I will every have.
2. "Fake it till you make it."
HONESTLY, I hate to do this, but sometimes you have to. I went to a research meeting at a hospital and there were undergrad students from schools like Harvard and University of Chicago my age and... I felt dumb. But, I pretended like I do what I was doing, and what I saying about my research to a point where they believed me and I... actually believed myself. It goes with a lot of things, it's easier to fake being happy and others perceive you as a happy person rather than you being sad and upset, because sadly, people are not all that nice and will take advantage of you weaknesses and what you lack and don't have.
1. I'm a lion, hear me roar.
NO ONE, I MEAN NO ONE: has the right to make you feel a certain way.
Only you can.
NO ONE, I MEAN NO ONE: has the right to tell you who you are.
NO ONE: has the right to tell you what you can and can't not to you
Only you can.
I don't mean that no one has the right, they do.
But it's up to you to take it as advice or someone trying to bring you down.
It's up to you and brush it off and move on with your life or let it take over.
Which is hard. Often times this year, I felt hated. That not one liked me and everything I did was embarrassing and at some points, useless. I would care so much how others thought about me that it came to a point where I was overly too nice or too mean or just a mess in general.
But my parents tell me this whenever outspoken:
"Child (translated from native language) no one cares. (Not in a way that you have no purpose) But, it in a way that people are so self-involved that they only care in ways that help only them, unless they are truly good people. Did you steal, did you rob a bank, did you kill someone??? NO!!! Embarrassing and disappointing is doing something wrong. How is being yourself and doing what you have to do wrong? It isn't, so get it together."
My US history teacher is high school didn't care about anyone or anything, she did what she had to do to get her job done. I asked her about it one time and she said: "C.C. I don't have time to sleep at night, do you think I really have time to worry about what others think about me?"
And they are right. How do others have the right to think me living my own life is wrong? They don't.
So all I have to say is this:
I do care what you think about me, I would be lying if I didn't.
Will I do something about it, no!!! Only I will do something to make myself a better person and to help other. I'm sorry for those who dislike me or are opinionated cause they have too much time in thier hands, but for now: I'm not changing. Thanks 2016 cause now I know.
