To Muse and Carouse

December is a time to reflect and know that we’ve all grown over the last year. We’ve learnt new skills, we’ve met new people, we’ve seen new places and we’ve come out the other end with a better understanding of that unbelievably fun, odd, sometimes exasperating but wonderful thing called life.

Here are my top lessons from 2012. Some of them are serious, some are light. Take from them what you will:

• There are no rules. Nothing is black and white, except mathematics.
• Be wary of anyone who professes to be bored. Either they have limited vocabulary or they are actually boring. Bored is a terrible word. Instead, people should say, “I am feeling lazy and want to be entertained.” That’s fine – it happens!
• Rarotonga is an actual haven and if you ever need to take time out, go there, snorkel and indulge in sunshine.
• Floss every day. Dentists just know.
• There’s always someone out there who’s been through something you may be going through. Lean on them when you need words of wisdom, and be generous in passing the favour on to others when they need you.
• Don’t continue with anything that you’re not enjoying. Often people try to finish books that they’re not getting into. Just drop it and pick up something that you love. There are way too many great books out there to waste your time struggling through one that isn’t inviting you to turn the page.
• People are inherently really willing to help out, but they’re also inherently laid-back in doing so. You have to push them, give them something back, and they’ll give you something too.
• If you have your health, you really do have it all.
• Keep your passions next to you. Ensure there’s always something that you absolutely love doing/seeing/hearing/eating/spending time with close by, such as art, flowers or puppies.
• Cutting out sugar does wonders for the body.
• Immerse yourself in knowledge and networking. You’ll gain so many opportunities, meet interesting people and obtain insights you’d never have thought of.
• Some choices you’ll make because you will have a gut feeling. You’ll often only work out the logic behind why you made them at a later date.
• Coconut oil is great for cooking.
• ‘This too shall pass’ is fact. During tough times, hold onto it.
• Read a lot.
• Some of your closest friends come from the most unexpected scenarios. Don’t be afraid to start conversations.
• Cardio work is great but for true fat loss and muscle tone, weight training is where it’s at.
• It can be a challenge to live in the present – often we’re preoccupied with the past or we’re contemplating an imagined future. Like anything, it takes practice but focusing on the moment is rewarding.
• It’s a small world after all. Degrees of separation? Not what it used to be.
• It’s so, so, so OK to ask for help when you need it, and we need to look out for people who don’t yet know this.
• Like every relationship, it takes work to keep your relationship with technology and social media healthy.
• Mistakes and failure are a part of both personal life and career. Fail fast, learn quick, get better and kick ass the second round.
• Be bold – your desired career path won’t take care of itself. You need to take complete responsibility for it.
• Look after your biggest organ – your skin: take fish oil, use rose hip oil and wear SPF30 on your face every day.
• In winter, a good Shiraz. In summer, Rosé and Chardonnay.
• Things don’t end – they evolve.

It’s cliché to end a post like this with a quote, but this post is really one big cliché, so here goes:

“Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.”  - Maria Robinson, author

Happy New Year! On the 31st I’ll be toasting to amazing experiences for us all in 2013 – look forward to seeing you in it!