Saturday, December 08, 2007

A List of Lessons I've Learnt and Re-learnt This Year

I decided to write this list since it's near the end of this year. I just wanna remind myself of the lessons I've learnt and re-learnt this year. There are new lessons and old lessons learnt once more. I may update this list later on, but so far here is the list I've compiled. Before I start, I'd also LOVE to know the lessons you've learnt or re-learnt this year. I wanna learn from all of you. ;-D

1. Letting Go.

This has not been an easy lesson for me. I tend to hold people too tightly in my arms and I expect much from the closest ones. I have learnt and re-learnt this lesson lots of times this year. Besides my expectations from those people closest to me, I've also learnt to let go of my past: my job, my hometown, my friends, my family, and everything else I have left behind that I can't possibly have here. I'm pretty sure that there will be plenty of other lessons on letting go, though. ;-D

2. God truly has a magical way of opening "unexpected" and "unseen" doors for me. It's truly amazing to see His plans unfolding bit by bit, one step at a time, in my life. Thank you, Lord!!!

3. Loving myself despite myself. This is one lesson I should learn all the days in my life, but since I left my job and everything behind, I have learnt more lessons on loving myself.

4. The benefits of networking. In my "previous" life, I used to rely on other people's network instead of building my own network. Only after I moved to Finland do I have these MANY friends. I feel SO blessed!!!!

5. Being proactive ---> this is related to #4. If I didn't become proactive (blogging and building network), I think I would be TOTALLY depressed right now: no friends, no possibility of getting some income online, no nothing.

6. The joys of being a wife and having a new family plus the joy of cooking and baking. Honestly speaking, on the plane to Finland, I freaked out. The "what ifs" came barging into my head and my mind started thinking of "worst case scenarios". Gladly everything has been MUCH MUCH MUCH MUCH more WONDERFUL than even my most positive thoughts!!! HIP HIP HURRAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYY!!! And I never thought I'd love cooking and baking this much. *tee-hee*

Well, having a hubby who eats everything I cook no matter how bad it looks and who always comforts me whenever I make mistakes DOES help TREMENDOUSLY in making me enjoy everything here. ;-D

7. The prices I have to pay for pursuing my dream. Being far away from my parents and brother is one of them. It's toughest when one of them gets sick or when one of them has some inner problem and I can't be there for them physically. It's also tough when I can't be there on special occasions like my brother's wedding, but I've gotta pay the price no matter what!

8. Not complaining. One of my first resolutions when I moved to Finland was to catch myself before I started complaining. So far I think I've done a great job in this area. However, I must be wary all the time. :-))))

9. Not taking things too seriously. This is another one of my first resolutions when I moved to Finland. It is HARD for me to do this since all my life I had been such a sensitive person, but honestly speaking, my hubby has helped me A LOT in this department with his easy-going personality. ;-D

10. Learning to accept that my mistakes don't make me and learning to laugh at myself whenever I make mistakes. Learning to laugh at myself hasn't been easy for me. Funny thing is that the first time I managed to do it was only after I moved to Finland. So moving to Finland has been GOOD for me! HE HE HE HE HE HE HE...

11. Joy is found in precious fleeting moments that oftentimes go unnoticed. I have to be really alert in order to be able to cherish those moments.

12. One of humans' greatest weaknesses is to take things for granted. I'm learning not to take things for granted and to be thankful all the time. I have to remind myself about this over and over again.

13. Live as though I'd die tomorrow, plan as though I'd live forever. I'm trying to follow this adage so that my life is balanced and I can enjoy today as much as I love planning for the future.

14. It's definitely NOT easy at all to practice what you preach.

15. Learning to relight and feed my inner child. I've been wacky and crazy in front of my hubby and it feels OHHHHH SOOOOO GOOOODDDD!!!! Plus I also awaken his inner child, so both of us are sometimes like little kids goofing around he he he he...

16. The danger of being too focused on money. I can be consumed with the ambition of saving more and more money that I lose focus on the MOST important things in life that money can't buy.

17. Dressing up in layers is the best tactic for the worst kind of weather and human body loses heat the fastest through their heads, so I have to make sure I put on a warm cap whenever it's so cold outside.

18. I learn that being me is enough and that I'm where I'm supposed to be.

P.S. Don't forget to check on my Plumper Snowman pics here.

9 comments:

  1. Iv learned not to let things bother me. and I have learned that there is always a good side of things.I have also learned that I need to start giving my oldest alittle bit of freedom by letting her do more (but I'm scared that it might come back to bite me in the butt)HE!!HE!! but she has a good head on her shoulders (hopefuly)not to take things for grated. I better stop I could make a post out of this HA!!HA!! hugs&smiles to you:)

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  2. Wow Amel! You have learned a lifetime of wisdom this past year! Those are some great things you learned and you are truly wise to be so young. I am very proud of you.
    I'm sure that I've learned many things this year but I'll have to think about what they are.

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  3. It's good that you've managed to look back what you've learnt and re-learnt for these past few months. I really need to sit down and have some free time for myself to do all this, but deep down in my heart, I silently do reflect about the things I've learnt and experienced. :)

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  4. Oi, achei seu blog pelo google está bem interessante gostei desse post. Gostaria de falar sobre o CresceNet. O CresceNet é um provedor de internet discada que remunera seus usuários pelo tempo conectado. Exatamente isso que você leu, estão pagando para você conectar. O provedor paga 20 centavos por hora de conexão discada com ligação local para mais de 2100 cidades do Brasil. O CresceNet tem um acelerador de conexão, que deixa sua conexão até 10 vezes mais rápida. Quem utiliza banda larga pode lucrar também, basta se cadastrar no CresceNet e quando for dormir conectar por discada, é possível pagar a ADSL só com o dinheiro da discada. Nos horários de minuto único o gasto com telefone é mínimo e a remuneração do CresceNet generosa. Se você quiser linkar o Cresce.Net(www.provedorcrescenet.com) no seu blog eu ficaria agradecido, até mais e sucesso. If is possible add the CresceNet(www.provedorcrescenet.com) in your blogroll, I thank. Good bye friend.

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  5. Stacy: THANKS for sharing yours. I'd love to read your list if you ever decide to write it down in your blog he he he...

    Yeah, it's tough to give more freedom to your eldest since you have to figure out first how much or how little more freedom to give. It's like test and trial, eh? GOOD LUCK, though!!! ;-D HUGS and smiles back to youuuu!!! ;-D

    Kathy: Yeah, I've learnt so many things ever since I moved here. I guess moving halfway around the world really stretched my comfort zone he he he he...THANKS for your kind words. Hopefully I'll always remember these lessons. Well, if I ever forget, I can always reread this post! ;-D

    I'd love to read yours later. I know it takes time to compile this list he he he...

    Choc Mint Girl: Well, I think this month's a good time to do that ha ha ha ha ha...I LOVE reflecting on my life on New Year's Eve (silently too like you do), but since I have a blog now, it's better to write the list so that I won't forget. ;-D

    CresceNet: THX for dropping by and I'll visit you first before deciding anything.

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  6. You certainly put in alot of thought into this. I am so impressed. You're very wise indeed.

    Well, I have learned that we can make really good friends through blogging. I don't think I'm wrong for me to say that I learn more about my blogger friends like you and what goes on in their life (and head) in a year, than what I know about what goes on in my best friend's life all my life(I have known her since we were 6)!

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  7. Blur Ting: THANKS for your kind words. Yeah, yesterday I had time to write this list down in my in-laws after we had sauna he he he he...

    You're right about knowing more about our blogger friends. After all, we tell more things (more details) in our blogs than in our real life. Some things are easier written than said. Plus in conversations, you sometimes get sidetracked when the other person cuts you off and in the end you don't get to tell your A to Z. I think this is the best part of blogging. You get to tell your A to Z without any interruption. ;-D

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  8. Hi Amel,

    It is not easy to move to new country :D I know that, i feel that 3 years ago.

    About cooking, my hubby also eat what ever i cook hahaha...if not delicious. He only said "it's diffrent" ^_^;;
    You know what, i learn cooking only since i move to here. In Jakarta, i NEVER cook only EAT hehehe...

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  9. Jul: Yeah, it's not easy indeed he he he he...I also rarely cooked when I was in Indo, but I knew how to cook a few Asian meals. However, here it's HARD to get Asian ingredients and veggies and there's no Asian food store here in this village...so I've been getting by with western food he he he...

    HURRAY for hubbies who aren't fussy about food HA HA HA HA...

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