It’s the first week of the new year, decade if you will – 2020. Many people are writing about the past decade of their life, this is different. The last two years have truly been life altering in a variety of ways. Maybe it was the choice to move across the country, get the mental help I needed, create work I am truly proud of, travel, and meet people that challenged my beliefs.
I am fortunate in many ways, but 2019 was filled with moments that pushed me to my limits, and in turn allowed me to find strength. It showed me how loved and appreciated I truly am.
At the end of 2019 I found myself without a job and without a plan. I was not prepared for the emotional roller coaster I was about to embark on. Slowly, you realize the structure that work brings to your life, and how quickly that starts to go by the wayside. It’s like the first semester of college all over again, you’re struggling to make connections, find your rhythm, figure out the layout of your new surroundings, and occasionally forget to eat.
What I was not prepared for was the amount of support I received from people around. I expected people to not care, to just say, “Oh that stinks, sorry,” and leave it at that.
I was wrong.
When shit hits the fan; people notice. They rally around you, support you, lift you up, deal with your bullshit (to a point), tell you the truth, and yes just like Lizzo says, truth hurts.
It’s taken me nearly a decade to build this network of support and honesty. When push comes to shove, I know the people I have surrounded myself with will not pull punches. The world is full of bull-shiters, try not to surround yourself with them, find the people that are not afraid to tell you exactly what you need to hear. Just remember to listen to them.
