Kill Your Darlings – Goodbye 2016

I think 2016 was getting rid of a lot of things I didn’t need. Including limiting beliefs.  2017 is about sorting through the stuff that was pretty great in 2016, and moving it forward.

• Home to me, is anywhere I have people excitedly picking me up from the airport.  So far, I have 2 homes.
• Love is not reductive, it’s multiplicative.  It’s exponential.  If you leave your heart in one place, it doesn’t reduce your ability to love in another.  It’s like network effects.  It actually gets better the more people and places and things you love. Not less.
• The best career advice I’ve heard: pick the thing that closes the least number of doors.
• Don’t be a donkey: You have another 30+ years ahead of you. Remember that and don’t try to do everything at once. Contrary to popular belief, we actually do have time.
• Sometimes the hardest thing to do is slowing down. I have no problems going fast and working hard, but I have huge problems slowing down and making the right map.  Take the time to make the right map. Know where you are going. You already have the skills to get there.
• Money is important.  Having more than enough makes sure you don’t have to spend excessive amounts of time thinking about it. Having more than enough ensures you don’t let it rule your life. Tim Ferriss said it better. If you have money to solve a problem, it’s not a problem.
• We’re all wrong. We should accept it and figure out how to be less wrong. Being right is overrated and..just untrue.
• Keep track of the things you care about. How do you spend your time? What are you most grateful for? How have you grown?
• Be open to listening to people. Especially the unpleasant things people you respect have to say. That’s the only way you get better.

 

Things I loved about 2016 and want to keep into 2017

• I have amazing friends. Beyond amazing. I made an effort to spend time with them and I’m really happy I did. I want keep doing that.
• Meditating. I’m up to 25 minutes and I think it really keeps me sane. I meditate every day when I wake up and now I pretty much swear by it. It’s gotten me through some tough times.
• Fiscal responsibility.  This was the first time I just didn’t spend everything that came into my hands. And I’m really happy I didn’t. I felt really empowered when I could actually go on vacations and not worry because I had budgeted for it. Amazing. Who knew.
• Vacations & Visiting people that I love: I’m really really happy that I get to come to the US twice a year. I love visiting Europe twice a year. I love spending Thanksgiving with my cousin and nephews in a new location.