There are some days we have to just love a little louder, a little harder and a little bit more. Some days we just need to be kinder. Kinder to ourselves and each other. Here are 15 important things I learned in the last 2 years.
Johannesburg, South Africa (18 May 2022) – This is a message of hope. This thing we have collectively been through has been so traumatic. It has changed us all. The last two years have made me realise that we really do live in a very broken world where people who we love are quietly dealing with massive monsters that we know nothing about. How do I know this? Cause even me.
So here’s some sound advice. Some important things I learned in the last year.
- My average body temperature is 36,5 (this is something I really never knew).
- Everyone is fighting a battle that we know nothing about cause we don’t talk about our inner struggles, fears and demons. Remember this. Always
- What some people take for granted, others are fighting for daily… health, finances, a job, a roof over our heads, a warm blanket, a new pair of socks, family, friends and love. Count your blessings.
- That brings me to my next point! Friends, family and your loved ones who support you are the people you need to hold close to you. Good grief, I am so incredibly thankful for my tribe every single day!
- Meetings don’t have to be 1 hour long… sometimes, you can get waaaay more done with a 10-minute discussion. And then you can get on with your actual job.
- Not every discussion needs your input, which means you don’t have to get involved with everything that comes your way. This includes online posts or even email. Yup, not every email warrants a response.
- Some people on the internet are mean and will use you as a punching bag, but this is their own internal fear and their way of dealing with their own personal struggles. Not your fight, but understanding this makes it easier to deal with.
- Also, it’s okay to mute or block people on the internet who are triggering you – even if they are “nice” in real life. Some peeps are just not lekker online (and that takes me back to point 5).
- It’s okay not to be okay. Mental health matters!
- Exercise is one of the most incredible ways to keep my body healthy, and my mind too. It’s been 2 years of consecutive training, 5 days .a week (just 500 active calories and 45 minutes of moving a day), and I don’t think I have ever been in a better space.
- Serving food on wooden boards in restaurants is really silly! Like, no one enjoys the added task of making sure your salad dressing doesn’t become a “table dressing” – a bit random but something I have learnt.
- No, is a full sentence.
- You don’t have to answer work messages or calls after hours. You just don’t. Actually, you don’t need to answer any messages or calls whenever you don’t want to. Your personal time is important and sacred. Can we please stop blue-tick-pressure?
- Hate is a learnt behaviour – one that luckily can be unlearnt. Teach the world to unhate… let’s call it relove (or loving louder).
- We need to be kinder than is necessary because let’s not enough to just be kind. One should be kinder than needed.
I guess the biggest thing I’ve learnt is that we are all dealing with the biggest traumas. And I’ve not even bringing the pandemic into this – we all just want that to end. People are going through the most all the time. So we just need to keep being kinder and loving louder.
That’s it. Just be a nice human.
Okay. Love you. Bye.
by 