16 Lessons I Learned From 2022

Share ko lang yung mga natutunan ko nung 2022 at baka may makuha ka 😁

1. Don’t compare yourself to others

Iba iba ang journey natin sa buhay. Minsan kasi nakikita natin na parang mas nagiging successful yung iba kesa satin kaya nako-compare natin sa sarili natin. Gawin lang natin silang inspiration pero we should not compare them to ourselves.

And also don’t let other people compare themselves to you.. Ang toxic nito..

2. Self love is important

Wag tayo maging masyadong hard sa sarili natin. You are enough. Be kind to yourself.

3. Don’t be a people pleaser

Guilty ako dito 😅. Inuuna ko yung ibang tao bago yung sarili ko, na parang nangyayari sumusunod nalang ako, kahit di ko naman pala values ginagawa ko na.. Parang pine-peke ko nalang yung sarili ko just not to lose the good image of what people thinks of me.. Re-evaluate on what really matters to tou..

Don’t be afraid to lose people. Be afraid of losing yourself by trying to please everyone around you.

4. Journaling

Before journaling, parang lagi ako nag o-overthink. Ang gulo ng isip ko sa dami ng thoughts and ideas na naiisip ko. And journaling helped me. Some of the benefits of journaling: I get to know myself more, my beliefs, my values, my feelings, reduced stress and anxiety, enhances creativity, and more..

Parang eto din yung naging outlet ko whenever na galit ako, di ako okay, naka-journal mostly. And I believe my future self will thank me for that.

5. Don’t seek perfection

Perfectionist ka ba? Ako yes 😆. Madalas ang downside kasi ng pagiging perfectionist ay kapag hindi ka nasatisfy sa ginagawa mo or kapag masyado ka natagalan sa pag execute, i-aabandon mo nalang yung project na yun.

Kaya ngayon I started using tools and templates para magpapabilis na yung workflow ko compared dati na gusto ko lagi nag start from scratch. At para ma launch ko din yung mga projects ko ASAP.. Kaya don’t seek perfection kasi it’s better to launch and test your ideas fast then evaluate afterwards.

6. Tap into your natural strengths

For sure may nagagawa ka na easy sayo pero struggle sa iba. That’s your natural strength. You just need awareness na dun ka magaling and learn how to use and improve it. You can ask yourself, your friends kung ano yung mga natural strengths mo. And another way to discover it is to…

7. Check what your MBTI type is

I’ve taken the MBTI personality test serveral times and I always end up as an INTP. Dito na-validate yung mga strengths and weaknesses ko. All I have to do is to focus on my strengths and work on my weaknesses to achieve my fullest potential 👏.. Ang mali ko kasi before di ko to alam and I end up doing lahat ng di natural sakin, meaning I’m playing the strengths of others kaya hirap na hirap ako mag excel, nakaka-exhaust pala sya at nakaka-drain.

Well at least I left my comfort zone and nalaman ko kung hanggang saan ako sa labas ng comfort zone ko. And no regrets kasi I learned a lot.

“Pero nagbabago naman personalities diba?”

Maraming debate dito, and yes possible sya under trauma or drastic change sa environment for many years. Pero in normal circumstances yun na talaga yung personality mo. Para sakin bakit mo naman need i-change yung personality mo? When you can just simply use your strengths and work on your weaknesses. 💯

8. Your feelings are valid

Be careful when sharing your feeling with other people. They may try to invalidate you based on their belief and values. Sakit sa ulo nito kasi mapapa-isip ka talaga. Don’t let other people tell you what you should feel. And don’t let other people predict your future kasi you are the one who should decide on what future you want to build.

9. Sometimes the people around you won’t understand your journey. They don’t need to, it’s not for them.

Di mo kelangan iexplain sa kanila. Just make sure na ready ka sa consequences kasi people might judge you dahil di nila alam ginagawa mo. Ikaw nakakakilala sa sarili mo and no need to seek validation kung alam mo naman talaga ginagawa mo.

10. Do what scares you

Kaya tayo natatakot kasi ibig sabihin we have the potential to execute that idea. Kapag di ka natatakot it’s either impossible sya sa current level mo or nasa comfort zone mo pa. Madalas din kasi ayaw natin ng drastic change sa life natin pero it’s one way for us to grow.

11. Do the boring things that actually gives result

Ang hirap neto specially sa personality ko kasi I always seek novelty. Pero minsan we just need to accept that great things takes time and the only way to achieve it is to do the boring work.

Examples:

• Ang dali mag isip ng idea pero ang hirap mag execute
• Mag gym/workout ka pero It would take months and/or years para sa desired results

12. Do mundane task on autopilot

Yep para maka survive sa boring task kelangan maging habit. At pag naging habit na, it means naka autopilot ka na kasi di mo na need isipin gagawin mo dahil automatic na.

13. Live true to yourself and your values

Other people will try to challenge your values and beliefs. You are your values, don’t change it unless you really agree to what they are saying.

For example: I prefer doing experiments, trial and error, researching, looking for options before I decide. But other people may say that “this is how you should do it blah blah blah. Nasa tama ka na nga gusto mo pa mali mali ginagawa mo”. While what they are saying is valid, nasan naman yung creativity dun, eh I value creativity. And iba pa din yung level ng learning pag I learn from my own mistakes.

Open your arms to change, but don’t let go of your values

Wag ka matakot lumayo sa mga taong binabasag yung morals, values, self-respect, self worth mo.

14. Manage dopamine sources

For starters, dopamine is a brain neurotransmitter that makes us feel good and want/desire things. Ngayon ang daming sources ng dopamine: social media, tiktok, reels, YT Shorts, Netflix, anime, porn, tsismis, Games, arguing, debate, proving you are right and they are wrong, and many more. Basta mga instant gratification, high dopamine release sya.

Kaya minsan hindi natin magawa yung dapat natin gawin kasi we are addicted sa high dopamine. And one way to bring back focus is to remove all high dopamine activities para ma-apreciate natin yung low dopamine activities like reading books, working on your goals, self development, personal growth, exercise basta para ma-aapreciate natin yung activities na di kaagad nagbibigay ng result.

“Pero ang boring ata nun?”

Somehow parang yun nga yung key, make life boring so that the things that really matters ay mas maapreciate mo. And by doing that, parang na-adopt ko ang:

15. Minimalist lifestyle

For me nagiging source of distraction yung madaming gamit, buying things to impress other people, buying stuff you don’t actually need. There’s nothing wrong with that, but ngayon I tend to focus on the things on what really matters to me. Nag declutter, benta, pinamigay ko yung mga bagay na di ko naman talaga kelangan. Now I only buy/invest on things that matters to me, meaning eto yung mga bagay na meron talagang purpose and value to me.

16. Trust your guts

Ang hirap i-explain nito pero pag may nafi-feel ako na mali, I really trust my guts. Siguro isa sa advantage ng personality ko as an INTP, I can detect BS, lies, basta I can naturally detect if a person is really authentic to what he/she is saying or not. Or if there’s a hidden agenda behind it. Kaya I trust my guts and maybe you should too.

Thank you for reading! If you have any topic you want to discuss or suggestions, let me know. For now you can reach me on twitter at @adriandenriquez. Cheers! 😁