We are only 2 days into 2018 and I kind of already feel like I’m behind. But I’m not gonna sweat it. If there is anything I learned in 2017 it is that being anxious over things that are truly not important does me no good. In fact, it quite often makes me physically ill.

In fact, I was just thinking of some of the other things I learned in 2017.

REAL friends are important. People who are willing to say,”Damn, you’re a wreck today” and then sit and help you talk through the situation until you can get a handle on it are golden. It’s OK to not be OK but it’s even better to have someone to walk through it with you. It takes a while to build those relationships but it’s totally worth it.

Sometimes you are moving you just don’t see it. Sometimes you can’t tell if your it’s your own car moving or the one parked next to you. Have you ever done that? Sitting in the parking lot thinking you are moving but you’re actually sitting still and it’s the car next to you moving? Or vice a versa. Maybe you feel like you’ve been sitting still but when you look around you realize you’ve been moving all along.

Or maybe you’ve thought you were moving but realize you aren’t getting anywhere.

It’s OK to be wrong. Even if you put a lot of time and energy into it. Everyone is wrong sometimes. The key is to admitting it, fixing things if you can, and moving on. No drama necessary.

Expectations can RUIN YOUR DAY. If you have expectations about how something will go and you are pretty attached to those expectations it’s a good idea to share them. Leaving everyone else in the dark and just expecting them to fall in line is a recipe for heartache. By the same token, if you are involved in something and you can let go. Do it. Let someone else carry the expectations. They are hella heavy.

Sometimes the most productive thing you can do is NOTHING. Doing nothing lets your mind work it’s way through quagmires and swamps and makes room in your head/heart for possibilities. Doing nothing usually means your body is resting but your brain is running a marathon. It may look like nothing but, honey, there is a whole lot happening in there. And once the nothing time is done then the body can get to work gettin’ work done.

You can never love too much. I’ve been thinking about death. Not that I plan to die any time soon but you know, just thinking about it in general. I’ve decided that the people around me need to know how much they mean to me. I want to do all I can for them while I’m here. It’s so easy to sit back and say the words but it’s even more important to put actions to those words.

Not all relationships are meant to last forever. And that’s OK. Not everyone is meant to be in your life your WHOLE life. Recognize that everyone you make contact with is a teacher, learn what you can from them, bless them, and move on.

You may be living your dream life. I woke up one day this past fall and realized that I was actually living my dream life. With the bills, health issues, family dynamics and some “day job” frustration thrown in I realized those irritating things were simply part of the package. I get to create, teach, garden and make a cozy home. And maybe if it isn’t your DREAM life it may be your BEST life. Be OK with that.

Following the money will lead you nowhere. For a long time in my business and work I tended to follow the money. If I thought a company/job/position would pay me I jumped on board. And ended up broke, frustrated and fed up. Turns out that when I do what is important to me, what I’m passionate about, I feel a lot better. I may still not be rolling in money but I’m far more content.

Purging is good for my soul. There is such a thing as too much stuff and it stops my creative brain in her tracks. Walking into my studio that is jam packed makes me turn off the light and go back out. I’ve been cleaning, purging, and organizing the past few months and it feels WONDERFUL. Plus I’ve made several projects. Bonus!

Own your quirks. I’m pretty sure I’m getting more introverted as I age, I don’t like sour/fermented food, scary movies cause me to have nightmares, and I tend to not take good care of myself. Making adjustments so you can be slightly happier is totally worth it!

Happiness is a goal. It’s a pretty vague one, and you’ll probably need to set other goals to get there, but as a north star sort of goal, it’s a pretty darn good one.

I deserved to be loved for exactly who I am. No changes needed. Sometimes cutting somebody completely out of your life is the best thing you can do for yourself. Even though it’s damn hard to do. You shouldn’t have to jump through flaming hoops just to make someone be decent to you. Bye, Felicia!

Wait for it. Just because something isn’t wrong, or is almost right, or is right for your best friend, doesn’t mean it’s right or that it’s right for you.

Sometimes a gut feeling is all you’ve got to work with.  Go with it. The more you trust your gut and become in tune with it the better it will work for you.

And last but not least.

It’s nice to be nice. It feels good to be nice. Even when you don’t feel like it. It’s extra nice when someone is nice to you right back. And that’s something to feel good about.

What did YOU learn in 2017? I’d love to hear about it in the comments below.