15 Things I Learned in 2016

I first wrote a “things I learned” post back in 2007 when I moved out west, then in 2014 when I first had my son. I guess it’s a good thing that I’m still learning now, though some of the lessons are more difficult than others.

Sometimes it doesn’t matter how qualified you are for the job. The loudest voice will get it.
Sometimes it doesn’t matter how qualified you are for the job. The loudest voice will make you feel like you are little more than the dirt beneath their shoes.
Life is short.
A picture is worth a thousand words but a single caption can skew perspective and incite passion. Things are taken out of context and made the current issue.
Jose Ortega Y Gasset was right about the masses.
Sometimes it doesn’t matter how qualified you are for the job. Someone will believe you can do it anyway.
As a working mom when everything goes right I have the best sense of accomplishment. It’s addictive. But most of the time I wonder if I can do as well as my friends seem to.
Pushing my son to try new things forces me to do the same.
I finally realized I have to let go of certain dreams to go after others. I am still learning that it doesn’t make me a failure.
I will never hear “so and so had a heart attack” without seeing my father’s motionless face. Instead of feeling sorry for myself I will try to celebrate when I hear that person survived.
Some people are exceptionally brave in the face of death. Whether it’s fighting for a cause with every last breath or saying goodbye via twitter in case everything ends in the night, I aspire to your bravery and know I am lucky.
Sometimes I ask the wrong people for advice, forgetting that though I respect them, they don’t really know me.
Sometimes a word of advice comes from out of the blue and it’s exactly what I needed to hear.
When I do what feeds my soul, I am happy and my family is happy too.
The dreams that are worth pursuing are still the dreams pursuing me.

Happy new year!

Let’s Connect

What did you learn in 2016? Was it a good year or not so great? Do you do anything else creatively? You can comment below, or find me on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.