Lessons Learned From 2017

If I were to judge whether 2017 has been a friend or a foe, I couldn't say for sure. There's not an underlying feeling of happiness or loneliness as I reminisce on the days that have passed. This is not to say that I'm ungrateful for the good things nor am I saying that I'm making a big deal out of the bad things. As of this writing, I feel neutral for 2017. Oddly enough, I like this feeling. Perhaps in a few days or in a few weeks' time, this feeling will change.

Allow me to share with all of you what I've learned from my experiences this year. I don't regard them as absolute truths but I see them as my interpretation of the things that have happened. Perhaps, they're only momentarily true. For how long they'll stay as such, only time will tell.

Here they are:

1. Life brings you shots of things that you love doing and those that you hate. You can't fully escape the things that you hate doing. They reach you and there will come a time when you're left with no choice but do them. I'm talking about work.

2. There are always going to be people better than you, in the same way that that there are people worse off than you. You have to accept this fact. But never ever accept it when they tell you that you won't improve, because you can. You can always get better.

3. Don't go on hating the people the people who are better than you. Make them your inspiration. Conversely, don't go laughing at people worse off than you or make them look bad just so you can feel better. Remember, everybody improves.

4. Happiness is not an end goal. It comes and it goes. We can welcome it when it arrives. But when it leaves, we have to let it go. When it comes again, we will appreciate it even more.

5. You're at your strongest when you are protecting somebody or something that means the most to you.

6. Not everything is about you.


Do you agree with these? I'd like to hear what you think of them. In the meantime, here is my best nine photo for 2017.

Hoping for the best to us all this 2018.