24 Lessons I Learned This Year

 24 lessons I learned this year:

1. Know your worth whether it is in business or personal life

A huge lesson I learned this year was communicating my own value and only accepting relationships whether in business or personal life that match those values. I know that I will never be underpaid again. If you want a job that pays a certain amount of money and you have the right qualifications and work ethic, you should never settle for anything less than that. If want a relationship or get married by a certain age, you should know your needs and only date men who can match those needs. I feel that knowing your value is extremely important and essential to your existence, so always set your standards to what you need - which is quality. Knowing what you want is very important too - I learned that stability and support in both a professional sense and a personal sense, from what kind of man I would like to marry in the future to the people I want to work with closely, are very important. 

2. Staying kind

I have always been a very strong believer in being good-natured and kind and that eventually, things have a way of working when you are a good person. I truly believe in it in my heart and try to be as kind as I can. 

3. Go after your dreams

This past year I am grateful to officially have my career in real estate in Miami. My strengths, personality, and natural traits match the industry and I find my work fulfilling and enjoy doing what I love daily. Doing real estate in Miami is a dream come true and even though I know it will take me time to expand and learn about Los Angeles real estate, I am truly fascinated by it and firmly believe in my heart to do real estate in LA as well eventually. 

4. Stay close to the people who believe in you

Although sometimes I don’t express it as much or show it as much, I am truly grateful for my mentors in Miami and elsewhere who are coaching me with patience and compassion. I love them to pieces, even if they don’t realize it right now. Stay close to everyone who believes in you and your aspirations in life. It is so important to have a supportive partner, family, and colleagues. 

5. Being open-minded and getting out of my comfort zone 

After graduating college last year, I almost spontaneously decided to move to Miami. I was contemplating whether I should go to Los Angeles or Miami and chose Miami. Coming to Miami from New England which is the place I grew up in, I was scared to get outside of my comfort zone but as soon as I learned to embrace being in the city and that I am capable of making friends here and having my new community in Miami, it led to profoundness and growth. At least through the perspective of real estate, I got to know so many stories here in Miami and many incredible people who came here from different states and countries to pursue their careers. 

6. Make your life beautiful 

I have learned that when you love life and make it beautiful, in return life rewards you with more happiness and meaning. I learned to light a candle in the office, to get or receive flowers and put them on my desk, to have inspiring pictures, write affirmations, and wear only the clothes that fit me and feel soft and comfortable on my body. I always make sure to carry a nice perfume, with my preferred warm and earthy undertones, and to take care of my body and my mind. 

7. Take calculated risks

Who knows, if I hadn’t reached out to that person, or met with another person, or simply texted someone, I might not have been exactly where I am today. Take calculated risks because you could make a friend, meet your future boyfriend, or learn more about a new city that you’ve always wanted to visit. Or meet a client at least! 

8. Follow your heart and goals - Dream big! 

I have this vision of doing real estate in Miami, having an incredible and kind boyfriend, being fulfilled in my job, and eventually starting my family, with the message of believing in yourself and the beauty of your dreams. That has been such a vivid dream for the past year and I am so happy that I decided to do what feels right and change career paths from financial accounting to real estate. I am grateful that I am realizing what makes me happy and having a clear understanding of my goals and needs. Seeing Miami's skyline literally change in front of my eyes, absorbing so much beauty of the city, working alongside talented people, and selling and helping with new construction projects has been worth the journey of getting here and working towards my dreams. Go for abundance in all ways and don't limit yourself! You can do it. 

9. It’s okay to ask for help 

Previously I had a mental block of being scared to ask for help only to realize, everyone at some point received help and that is okay. I am proud of being able to receive help graciously and ask for it. In Boston, I would try to do things by myself and I felt it was an alienating experience, and I was scared to ask for help back then thinking that people would judge me for it. Having this mindset change made me realize that efficient results come from working together and receiving help is essential. 

10. Being vulnerable

Very fortunate to realize how fulfilling being vulnerable can be. You can make profound connections and enhance them by being vulnerable and having an open heart. The world might as well reward you for your authenticity and an open mind. 

11. Setting the right goals

Being a Boston high-achiever, I have learned to set the right results and goals as I progress in my professional life. Whether it is losing 20 pounds, setting a financial goal, or a career goal, I have learned that having a goal is important as it keeps me going toward the progress I am achieving. 

12. Love yourself

I learned to unconditionally love and accept myself even more, especially during the character development. I have learned to acknowledge my development as a young girl, and to cultivate my feminine energy in a way that is healthy and helpful. 

13. Don’t be afraid to make a friend - talk to people!

I am lucky to have a collection of stories from this year in Miami, where simply by smiling at a stranger, going out with new people, or grabbing a coffee with a new colleague I was able to make a friend. These friendships are dear to my heart and I am grateful for them to this day.

14. Listen to others 

I am learning to listen to other people more and learn from them. I feel that learning to be patient with myself and other people in the fast-paced environment we are in, is crucial. In the past few months, I've learned to slow down and relax and to listen to myself and other people which made me more likable and more present in the conversation. Maybe that is why I am thinking of moving to California within a year because I have learned to relax, be more chill and move at my own pace (or at least seeing how things go in terms of the real estate business expansion).

15. Be comfortable with your emotions 

This year, I learned that overthinking is normal and the ways to cope with that for me is to journal, exercise, and meditate. I learned to accept my emotions and that has been a great breakthrough from a health point of view. I also learned that failing upwards can be good because you ultimately learn from your mistakes and that in itself is a very rewarding experience - as long as you are learning.

For me, I learned that working on myself and being my healthiest self is so rewarding, and I am very happy to continuously better myself through learning. 

16. When someone does something for you, appreciate it

17. Be grateful

18. Apologize when you are wrong

19. Using my feminine energy to relax and trust the process 

20. Plan your life according to you

Looking back, I learned and doubled down on my skills in planning and organization. When I moved to Miami from Boston last year right after graduating college, I "moved-on-the go", and fortunately was able to make it. When thinking about doing this again, I definitely am in a different mindset of planning the eventual move there in ways that are more organized based on my previous experience. 

21. Spend time with family and friends!

22. Treasure yourself

23. People love you for who you are 

That means you don’t have to be a math wizard, or Ryan Serhant right away, when you just are yourself, people see your character, and personality, of course, attraction is important too but I am learning that love is not earned, it simply exists within us and I remind myself often that we are just lovable the way we are so let's believe that and enjoy the amazing things life gives us.

24. Nurture your connections 

I am lucky to be invited, to participate in, and to attend many events in Miami! Whether it is walking a fashion show, or going to a real estate event, I am so grateful. I especially loved going to the Real Deal panel and investing in attending that event because I was able to see my friends from all over Miami and network. Sometimes I went to a real estate event by myself, but in hindsight, I am happy that I did because I met incredible people, including one of my favorite architects. Nurturing connections has been such a great skill, and it is something that I recommend to everyone.