Two Biggest Takeaways From 2021

As long as I’m breathing,
living — and not merely existing,
in my heart,
I am just beginning.

From one end to another beginning

I cannot believe that we are about to welcome 2022 already. 2021 flew past in a flick. The pandemic has changed life paths and bucket lists for a lot of people. We cannot downscale the number of hardships 2021 brought upon the world and our loved ones.

For me, 2021 was unplanned and uncertain too. But the unknown had so many possibilities, only if we chose to see it. It reminded me so much about my own forgotten strengths and made me calmer, more focused, and more sorted in the head. Among others, here are the two things this roller-coaster of a year taught me:

Being grateful. Sometimes we have everything we need right in our grasp, but we don’t value it while we have it, in our chase for more. I learned to be grateful for the life I live, for the people who always chose me, and for the things I own. I certainly am aspiring for more, but I am no longer ready to miss out on what I have now, I’m not taking things for granted.

Being patient. Well, patience is not (at all) my greatest strength, but it’s so important to let things happen in their own time. There’s no right time for things to happen. Some get what they want quickly and others take longer. Some things are not in our control and yet, there are some things that are. It’s better to focus on things where we can control the outcome. For the rest, let it come to you. Ultimately it’s ‘you’ who has the power to take your life in a new direction.

P.S. A new year doesn’t necessarily mark a new beginning. It’s certainly a hope that things would turn out right. A new beginning is, rather, where your choice lies — the choice to do what should be done and whatever fulfills your pursuit, new year or not!

What’s your biggest takeaway from 2021?