Although the effect of the pandemic had lessened with vaccinations and other means, it still left us with scary memories. The first half of 2021 was still an aftershock of the pandemic. We had to take precautions (which we are still doing), there were several lockdowns, and people received vaccinations.

For me, 2021 was a year of achievements—not big, yet significant.

I quit my job at the end of 2020 to work independently as a self-employed writer and entrepreneur. At the time, I did not know what path I would take. I only knew that I loved writing, and I would be doing something with my writing skills.

In January, I was invited to speak in a podcast by Mr. Umes Shrestha. I’d never done anything like that before. So, it came to me as a surprise that anyone would want me as a guest on their podcast. But it was a fun experience.

This year, I wrote two ebooks, one of which was had more than 400 downloads. In addition, I grew my email list subscribers to 500+ emails.

One of my articles got published in ShareSansar, which blew up my website traffic. The results were terrific.

I reached 100+ articles on my blog this year. Although I have written almost 200 articles online on different platforms, having written 100+ articles on my blog has a different feeling of achievement.

I got many freelancing clients through different channels, primarily through Linkedin and my blog. It was a great feeling to work online in my own time and get paid for it.

There were also some negative aspects of being self-employed. Most days, I hated working alone and missed the work environment, especially my colleagues. In addition, I struggled financially for some months because of my inconsistent income as a freelancer and self-employed writer. But, other months, I made good money doing the same.

Overall, 2021 was a good year for me. I learned to recognize my strengths and weaknesses. I knew what I loved doing and what I will be doing in the future.

2022

I’m not a fan of new year’s resolutions, but I have some big and small plans for 2022.

I will continue to write—there’s no doubt in that. Being able to write good stories and inspire people is something I’m grateful for.

I have been working on a start-up with a friend of mine. We have almost finished the planning stage. So, hopefully, we will launch the company by the beginning of 2022. More on that later.

Travelling has been unsafe since the pandemic. I hope everything becomes okay this year so that it becomes normal again. If it does then, I will be traveling more this year. It is always a great learning experience to visit new places, meet new people, and learn about their culture.

Relationships are an essential part of life. I want to strengthen my existing relationships with my friends, family, and partner. I have always been a sucker at it, so I hope to do my best to build better relationships this year. Also, I look forward to making new friends and building new relationships—personal and professional.

I’m grateful for everything I learned and experienced in 2021. But, I’m excited about 2022 and what it has to offer.

The post Goodbye, 2021. Hello, 2022. appeared first on Biliz Maharjan.

I cannot speak for everybody but looking at what most people are putting up on social media, I can say that this year was not very good for most.

People are optimistic about 2021 – to have a fresh start. That’s a good thing.

But, not all of 2020 was bad. There were a lot of good things as well. It showed us things that are important to us and it gave us lessons we could learn from.

Looking Back at My 2020

I would say that my 2020 was a balance between good and bad. The bad is obviously the pandemic. It was a horrible year for the entire world. Watching people living in fear, suffering, and dying because of the virus was something that I wish I never have to witness in my life ever again.

The good thing about 2020, for me, was that I had the opportunity to reflect on life. I understood what life was about (in a way) and what it meant to me. More importantly, I understood what my purpose in life was.

Had there been no pandemic and no lockdown, I would not have had this opportunity. So, I am thankful for the year 2020.

My biggest achievement this year would be starting this blog. I always wanted to start a blog. My previous blogs were all failures. To be honest, I had no hopes for this one either. But, after about a year of consistency and hard work, it has been one of the best things that have ever happened to me.

I had never considered myself a writer. This year, I self-published almost 50 articles on this blog and I also wrote for some other sites. It was something I had never imagined I would be doing someday.

My Reason to Remember 2020

The year 2020 will be remembered in the history of the world. I basically have two reasons to remember it. Reason one: the COVID-19 pandemic. We all want to erase the pandemic from our memories, but that’s not really possible. The experiences we had during the pandemic was something that will remain with us forever. But remember, it is not over yet. Yes, there is the news of the vaccine and yes, things are starting to get normal. But unless the virus is completely eradicated, we cannot be certain that the pandemic is over.

Reason two: I found my true passion in life. There is a lot to say about my learnings, which I will tell you in a while. But this year, I found my passion. It is to inspire people. Now, you must be thinking that just because I started a blog and wrote a few articles, how can I inspire people? My goal is not to inspire hundreds, or thousands, of people. My goal is to inspire one person. Yes, that’s it. If I can make an impact on one person’s life, that is a big achievement for me. Also, my writing is not only the way I intend to inspire others. I am currently working on many other ways to make an impact on others’ lives. This is one of my reasons to be excited for 2021.

Lessons I Learned in 2020

We all must have learned something from 2020, either good or bad, or both. I learned a lot of things related to different aspects of life, which I will be sharing below. Take them as inspiration – they could help you achieve your goals, become a better person, and live a better life.

Let’s begin…

Lesson #1: Work on Your Passion

I recently read a quote by Tim Ferriss in his book, The 4-Hour Work Week, that said:

“Someday” is a disease that will take your dreams to the grave with you.

We all have dreams, we all have a passion in life. Whatever it is, work on it, today. Don’t wait for “someday” because “someday” eventually becomes “never”. If you don’t know what your passion in life is, find it. How? Well, that can be tricky. I cannot say for sure, but what I would suggest is to be ready to identify it. Look for signs and opportunities. Try out different things outside of your comfort zone. That’s how I found my passion for writing. If I hadn’t tried it, I would have never known that I could write.

What is it that makes you happy? What would you do if there was no such thing as money? What job would you get if you didn’t need a job (as Warren Buffet said)? Finding the answers to these questions would definitely help you.

Lesson #2: Start Small, Aim Big

You don’t have to go all-in at once. Don’t quit your job because you want to become a painter. Instead, start painting in your free time. Make your work visible to others. Once you are confident doing it full-time, go all-in.

You have to know what you are ultimately aiming for. But, you don’t have to go there at once. Take small steps and small actions. Learn to become better each day. This year, I learned that you have to keep looking for ways to make yourself better. I did this by reading, watching videos, taking courses, meeting people, creating experiences, so on and so forth. Your effort might be small and it might seem insignificant today. But in the long run, you will see life-changing results if you remain persistent.

Lesson #3: Health Should Be The Number One Priority

Do I even have to explain this? We all became more conscious of the importance of our health. The coronavirus taught us that health should not be neglected. It was not only about the things related to the virus but also about the basic care of our physical and mental health. When we remained in our homes during the lockdown, the lack of physical activity made us feel unhealthy. We understood the importance of exercise. Besides physical health, we also understood the importance of mental health. Yoga and meditation practices became popular as they could be done indoors during the lockdown.

I have been going for regular runs and walks ever since the lockdown was over. My meditation practices have also become regular now. I have been taking my health seriously. It is something that everyone should do.

Lesson #4: Family is Everything

The pandemic allowed us to be closer to our family. I  spent a lot of time with my parents, my sister, and my nephew. It was a quality time that I cherished. The pandemic allowed us to work on our relationships with family and loved ones. Whether it was about watching your favorite shows/movies or playing your favorite games, we did it together with our family. We talked with them, laughed with them, and cried with them.

We might not ever get a chance again to experience such blissful moments with them. So the lesson here is to spend more time with them. Even if you are super busy, at least take a few hours of your week to spend time with them. Remember, your family is the one that will always be there when you need them. Their love for you is unconditional.

Lesson #5: Money Won’t Solve All Your Problems. Don’t Chase It.

The pandemic was a clear example that money won’t solve your problems. Even though you are super rich, you could still be affected by the virus and it could eventually lead you to death. So don’t make money your ultimate goal. Do not work at an awful job that is making your life miserable just because the money is good. Do the work that makes you feel good.

“I think everybody should get rich and famous and do everything they ever dreamed of so they can see that it’s not the answer.” – Jim Carrey

Instead of chasing money, work on yourself. Build your skills. Find your passion. Take that passion and find ways to make money off of it. I know it is easier said than done, but it can be done if you have the desire to do it.

This year, I also learned that to make money, you don’t necessarily have to work a 9-5 job. What you need is financial intelligence. You need to know how money works. Living below your means (spending less), saving as much as you can, investing, tracking your spending, starting an online business, and living a minimalist life are simple things you can do to become financially free.

Lesson #6: Do More of What Makes You Feel Good

This sounds a little cliche but it is actually very powerful. I have recently been reading a lot about the power of thoughts and feeling good. We should do more of what makes us feel good. It is not only good for our mental health but it is actually a powerful technique used in the manifestation of our desires. If you have read books like Think and Grow Rich and The Power of Yur Subconscious Mind, they talk about how feelings can impact the outcomes in life. Thinking positive thoughts and feeling good are the two main techniques to raise our vibration and make our dreams come into reality.

I have started doing more of the things that make me feel good and I have noticed that the outcomes are positive. I am still in the process of seeing the full impact of this but I would say it is worth trying out.

Final Thoughts

As I said before, 2020 was a year full of positives and negatives. Regardless of what happened this year, we must not let ourselves down because of it. Let’s look on the bright side and take the positive aspects of the year and leave behind the negative ones. 2021 is another year of hopes and dreams. You need to decide whether you are going to make it the best year of your life. You have the power to do so. Let’s not make it yet another hopeless year. We are usually pumped up at the beginning of a new year and then, within a few weeks, we are back to our hopeless selves. I have bigger hopes and dreams for 2021 and I know for a fact that I will make it the best year of my life.

What about you?

The post 6 Life-Changing Lessons I Learned In 2020 (That You Can Take As Inspiration) appeared first on Biliz Maharjan.