7 Things I Learn in 2013
It is 30 Minutes before the passing of 2013. I've just welcomed my parents back from a surprise dinner-date at Cacaote, which I planned perfectly. The 2013 blog posts has been re-read, and now I'm ready with the 7 things I learn this year:
1. Stop doing, more being.
It is a well known tale that Johanna is a doer. She does everything, the tackles every project, she can't stay put. But early this year, with stress weighing down her shoulders, and worries increasing her heart beat rate, she realized that she had too much on her plate and must stop. Stop and smell the roses. By that I mean, I learn to take my time and enjoy the doing. This process is something I must learn to enjoy.
2. What's important is not the jar, but the water within.
Outer appearance matters little when compared to the contents I carry within me. Like, my emotional stability, my joy and peace, my thoughts and pursuits, my characters. They matter more than my biceps. Even when I realize that all I held within is un-extraordinary, plain water, God can turn that into sweet, vintage reserve wine. Nonetheless, it starts with me filling myself in faith with water.
3. Saying No is just as important as saying Yes.
I had to learn this the hard way. In the midst of accepting jobs, I realize that I have overloaded my brain and time. I had very little time to relax, to re-charge and re-boost my creativity. All that stems from feeling bad for rejecting things that came my way. Feeling like I had to please everyone and do everything they ask of me. After I cried on the floor exhausted that night, I practiced the N word: "No" and never felt better.
4. Overcoming fears starts from accepting their existence.
Psalm 16 says it all: I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Fear, worries and everything in between is human's natural response to problems. But when you buried those flashing lights and forgot about them, like I did, it took longer to tackle the problem. I had to sit myself down, open up the can of worms, kick and scream, clean it out, then fully believe that can won't grow worms themselves.
5. Burden when shared is much lighter.
Thanks to my family who's always full of encouragement, I can always curhat and get the extra boost to face the day.
6. Rest is good for the soul.
2 months in Jakarta corrodes your soul. At least it did to mine. So, pack up those bags and set sail for places more beautiful than the grey metropolitan. It gives you space to breathe, paths to hike and moments to cherish. I can't wait to set sail to distant islands in 2014.
7. Be aware of what you're saying, and who you're copying.
You know that when you hung out with certain people, you started adopting their ways. I'm still learning to be aware of those assimilations and stop when it gets closer to my boundaries. I need to keep my good characters, and keep hacking away the bad habits.
With that said and shared, hope you had a wonderful New Years Eve. Let's walk into this new year with new strength and new hope. God bless!
1. Stop doing, more being.
It is a well known tale that Johanna is a doer. She does everything, the tackles every project, she can't stay put. But early this year, with stress weighing down her shoulders, and worries increasing her heart beat rate, she realized that she had too much on her plate and must stop. Stop and smell the roses. By that I mean, I learn to take my time and enjoy the doing. This process is something I must learn to enjoy.
2. What's important is not the jar, but the water within.
Outer appearance matters little when compared to the contents I carry within me. Like, my emotional stability, my joy and peace, my thoughts and pursuits, my characters. They matter more than my biceps. Even when I realize that all I held within is un-extraordinary, plain water, God can turn that into sweet, vintage reserve wine. Nonetheless, it starts with me filling myself in faith with water.
3. Saying No is just as important as saying Yes.
I had to learn this the hard way. In the midst of accepting jobs, I realize that I have overloaded my brain and time. I had very little time to relax, to re-charge and re-boost my creativity. All that stems from feeling bad for rejecting things that came my way. Feeling like I had to please everyone and do everything they ask of me. After I cried on the floor exhausted that night, I practiced the N word: "No" and never felt better.
4. Overcoming fears starts from accepting their existence.
Psalm 16 says it all: I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Fear, worries and everything in between is human's natural response to problems. But when you buried those flashing lights and forgot about them, like I did, it took longer to tackle the problem. I had to sit myself down, open up the can of worms, kick and scream, clean it out, then fully believe that can won't grow worms themselves.
5. Burden when shared is much lighter.
Thanks to my family who's always full of encouragement, I can always curhat and get the extra boost to face the day.
6. Rest is good for the soul.
2 months in Jakarta corrodes your soul. At least it did to mine. So, pack up those bags and set sail for places more beautiful than the grey metropolitan. It gives you space to breathe, paths to hike and moments to cherish. I can't wait to set sail to distant islands in 2014.
7. Be aware of what you're saying, and who you're copying.
You know that when you hung out with certain people, you started adopting their ways. I'm still learning to be aware of those assimilations and stop when it gets closer to my boundaries. I need to keep my good characters, and keep hacking away the bad habits.
With that said and shared, hope you had a wonderful New Years Eve. Let's walk into this new year with new strength and new hope. God bless!
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