A few days ago, as I was scrolling through Instagram, I came across this post that caught my attention. As I read it, I thought that it would make a great blog post reflecting on 2021 and the lessons I took from it from a personal growth perspective. So, without further ado, here’s the said post in the form of a Q&A.

Q. What are you most grateful for in 2021?

A. There are many things I am grateful for, big and small. But those things aside, I’m truly grateful for our and our loved one’s health. I’m also grateful for this year and all its tribulations bringing hubby and me closer than ever before and solidifying our marriage/relationship even more.

Q. How have you grown or changed in 2021?

A. I’ve learned to pay attention to the small things and understand how they impact the bigger picture. I’ve learned to live life at my own pace, and according to my own needs and wants, and not fall prey to the often unrealistic, and frankly, inauthentic life social media depicts.

Q. What was the highlight of your year?

A. Visiting new places in Florida that truly exceeded my expectations. Also, purchasing this device. It made my life so much easier!

Q. What was the most challenging of your year?

A. 2021 has been a challenging year overall. The pandemic fatigue hit me big time and having to change or cancel plans because of new variants didn’t help either. With that said, the most challenging has been having the neighbors from hell move right next door.

Q. What new habits did you cultivate?

A. Beginning my day with positive affirmations. Spending less time on social media, and reading instead. Taking time to appreciate the small things.

Q. What lessons did you learn?

A. That kindness matters because it makes a lot of difference. And so does being considerate of others. That people who are not a part of your life in any way can still impact it greatly. That one person can’t do it all. That ignorance in some cases is bliss. That action and inaction have consequences. That everything begins and ends with our thoughts. And above all, that we all need more joy in our lives!

Q. What made your heart and soul happy this year?

A. Walking on an empty beach. Being in nature. Discovering beautiful places. Being in my husband’s arms.

Q. How did your relationship with others evolve in 2021?

A. I’ve let go of people that were draining, rather than uplifting. I believe relationships of any kind must happen naturally, and feel like a two-way street, aka, both parties must put in an effort. No relationship can survive with only one person doing the work. Hence, I’ve removed and/or given up on those that didn’t feel that way. I’ve made sure to show appreciation for people I’ve come in contact with, and show those in my life how important they are to me.

Q. How did your relationship with yourself evolve in 2021?

A. I’ve learned to truly love and appreciate my body, because, if you think about it, what it does is not short of a wonder. I’ve accepted myself for who I am, while still striving to be and do better.

Q. What is something you want to leave in 2021 and not bring with you into the new year?

A. The need to figure everything out ahead of time. The anger and hopelessness I’ve felt throughout the year. Also, this pandemic, it’s so 2020…!

Outfit details here. The dress is old and no longer available so I linked similar options.

I hope you enjoyed this “Q&A” and found some useful tidbits here.

xo,

Em