33 Life Lessons I Learned in 33 Years

I turned 33 a couple of weeks ago. Each year around my birthday, I like to reflect on what I learned, and appreciate the gifts, lessons, and everything in between. If failure and hardship really are great teachers, I learned a lot this year. As the dust finally settles, and I sink into a more stable season, this is what I learned from my 33rd year traveling around the sun:

1. Failure is not the opposite of success, it’s part of it. Maybe you’ve heard this, or something like it. We fear failure and it is scary to fail. It can be a major hit to your ego, and sometimes, demoralizing. As an entrepreneur, I experienced what felt like failure this year- a lot. In retrospect, the lessons, resourcefulness, and resilience I built during that time I have come to treasure. I see now that failure doesn’t really exist either- unless you give up and give in to your shame. If you learn from and grow from “failure,” it’s really just a stepping stone to your next level. All of my heros have “failed” at some point- it is the cost of taking risks, going after your dreams, and living a life that’s authentic to you.
2. Love is unconditional, but relationships are conditional. This applies to any and all relationships- romantic, platonic, professional, or familial. You can love someone, and choose to not have them in their life because their behavior is harmful. We are allowed to…