Birthday Reflection

I like to self-reflect each year on my birthday, to think about where I have been and where I might be going. And I have to say, just in the past few months even I feel I have learned a lot.

I’ve learned that those things in life that you think won’t affect you, very much can – and some of them will.

I have learned of the amazing power of perspective – how everything looks different to everyone depending on where life has taken them.

I’ve learned how to take criticism and not internalize it in a personal way.

I’ve learned that I will never cease to be a work-in-progress in my marriage, my friendships/relationships, my job, my spiritual life, etc.

I’ve learned that talent helps, but hard work, persistence, and being personable help more.

I’ve learned that I can connect with people through writing.

I’ve learned to filter out the things in social media that drag me down (well, mostly at least).

I’ve learned that there are a lot of people out there who do really love the same things I do, and yet there’s still a unique combination of interests and desires that I have that make me who I am.

I’ve learned that everyone is “faking it until they make it.” Some people are just really good at it. Or I perceive them to be.

And I’ve become more increasingly aware of my faults as I grow older… And though this could be discouraging, I guess it’s good that I notice them. I just need to work on them instead of making excuses.

BirthdayCat

Ah, the late twenties. I have to admit that there are times I wish I would have accomplished more at this point in my life, but at the same time, I feel pretty content and at peace with exactly where I am at.

Thanks for sticking with my self-absorbed, reflective birthday post! You deserve a slice of chocolate cake if you made it this far! The book/movie/TV posts are coming back soon, I promise. πŸ™‚

mom-told-me

23 Responses to Birthday Reflection

  1. Happy birthday, Amy! I really liked this post. I loved what you wrote about hard work, persistence and being personable helping more than talent. So true, and so encouraging! Hope your birthday was/is great!

  2. I didn’t know it was your birthday, but happy belated one all the same! I think the fact that you reflect on every birthday (?) is a great idea, and I agree with so many of what you’ve learned. This year has been particularly tiring for me, because I have a bunch of major exams coming up, and the STRESS. My parents used to tell me that I was very talented, but now I’m beginning to think that talent won’t get you anywhere, if you don’t exploit and use it. It’s like you said — hard work and perseverance work better than talent, no matter how good, ever can. Which makes me a tiny bit afraid, because I used to rely on the fact that I had a talent for memorizing stuff fairly easily in the past. Now, I have to WORK in order to do that, so it’s a bit unnerving.

    “Faking it until they make it” — I have to admit that that’s the kind of person I am right now. Everything I show the internet, everything I show even my real friends isn’t exactly true. I pretend to be more sociable than I am, when really, all I’d rather do is sit alone with a book and hope that I don’t look pathetic. *sigh*

    Life is a complicated thing, but it’s so beautiful at the same time. I still have no idea what to make of it. But thanks for sharing all these, Amy! I might’ve learned a thing or two as well. πŸ™‚

    P.S. I hope this comment doesn’t make me sound like I’m talking all about myself… I just tend to ramble a lot (when I can). T_T

    • I had no problem with your ramblings at all! I’m happy my post spoke to you! I think almost all of us have become extremely guilty of only putting our best forward, with many thanks to social media. It’s easier to just show off the highlights and not show the gross underbelly that also comes with life.

      And I understand how you feel about being talented and working hard… I worked hard all throughout school, even though naturally I am fairly intelligent, but I wanted to do my absolute best and worked to get high A’s. Then when I graduated college, I thought all that work would just open up doors for jobs, but it’s not that easy. You have to continue working hard, just in different ways, just to get your foot in the door, and then of course to continue moving upward in the workplace.

  3. Happy birthday (belated), Amy! *hugs*

    I think it’s amazing that you would actually reflect on your life, because my birthdays just pass by with no difference, except for the cake. πŸ˜€

    I love that last bit you wrote, especially because it’s just so me. I’m aware of a lot of things that I need to fix with my attitude and life, but it’s one thing to be aware of it. It’s something else entirely to change it.

    What really struck me, though, was how I already realized some of the things you mentioned. I guess it’s because of blogging. It’s really changed my life, in a good way, and it also affects other people that way too.

  4. “I’ve learned that there are a lot of people out there who do really love the same things I do, and yet there’s still a unique combination of interests and desires that I have that make me who I am.” —- This is so, so true! And it’s taken me a long time to realize this myself. You must be wiser than I was at your age! πŸ™‚

    Apologies for being super late to this post, but I do hope you had a lovely birthday this year! <3

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