5 Things I Learned in 2016

It has been one crazy year. I can say with confidence that I’m not alone in feeling that way. Instead of dwelling on all the things that happened that I wish would’ve gone another way, I’m going to focus on what this year has taught me. I’ve learned a lot about life, people and myself. Without further ado, in no particular order, I give you …

5 Things I Learned in 2016

1. Never change your game plan right before the “game.” I learned the hard way that taking advice 20 minutes before my first half marathon that was contrary to my training was not a good idea. I started too fast and threw off the whole race. I’ll know for the future not to do exactly that, but I’ll also be able to apply that to other situations. Practice makes perfect — but only if you perform the same way you practice.

2. Perseverance and consistency are underrated. I learned in elementary school that perseverance is a virtue. I learned in 2016 that perseverance is rewarded. If you work at something long enough, you’ll see results. My lesson was career-related, but I believe it applies to anything.

3. Kindness is everything. I should’ve learned this a long time ago. I knew it, but I didn’t really understand it. If that makes sense? It’s like you’ve memorized a math formula, but you don’t really have any idea how to use it. I don’t mean that I don’t know how to be kind, but I didn’t know the power of kindness until this year when we saw so many people be so cruel to one another. A simple smile can change everything.

4. You can do anything you set your mind to. I know that sounds cliché, but did you read about Jax Mariash Koudele? She went through unimaginable obstacles to compete the most amazing series of races. She set her mind to it and inspired us all.

5. Research is the answer. Not only did I learn a ton from the posts I wrote, but I also learned that learning is the best thing you can do for yourself. Don’t know something? Look it up. Just curious what’s going on in the world? Read about some recent research. There are plenty of bad things happening in the world, but research is not one of them. There are some amazing advancements of all kinds being made by some brilliant people, and it gives me hope for the future.

Here’s to more practice, perseverance, kindness, inspiration and research in 2017.

What has this year taught you? —Megan