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The 5 Things I’ve Learned in 2015

December 22, 2015


Overall, I’ve had a great year. There hasn’t been too much significant change per say, but it has been full of challenges, both personally and professionally. It has also been full of successes! With such a huge year of personal growth, this post is totally from the heart, so bear with me while I share the top 5 things I’ve learned this year!

The 90%/10% Rule

Even people you are sure won’t disappoint you, sometimes do, and you can’t let it make you bitter. A natural giver, I love to help people. I love to teach, enrich and collaborate with people. I have my share of negative characteristics, but I know that I always have the best intentions with my actions. What I’ve practiced this year, after a series of disappointments with others, is a concept that’s really helped me deal with disappointment. I cannot control the actions of others, but I CAN control how I react, inwardly and outwardly. Actions are 10% of the pie, but our reactions are 90% of it. At the end of the day, it’s how we feel about something that can sometimes taint our reactions, so practicing mindfulness and putting yourself in the other persons shoes is how I deal with things – remember, it’s very rarely about YOU. I choose to turn the other cheek and bite my tongue when things happen to me. At the end of the day, the only thing you can control are your reactions… you need to feel good about your actions, and self-respect is the most important aspect of a happy, fulfilling life. A lack of self respect will chip away at your core. I’ve gotten more comfortable (Eckhart Tolle’s A New Earth has been a game changer for me) with admitting my faults, and being authentic is still the most important aspect of my life.

Passion Takes Practice

I absolutely love creating beauty, and I’ve let this lead me to allowing my creativity to push me forward. I always leave space in my day to create something, whether that’s styled content for a client, an Instagram photo or image editing, this is what makes me the happiest, and I nurture it intentionally. Creating and seeing beauty is what brings me the most joy in life, so I practice it daily. I’ve gotten so much better at creating visual content this year, and it’s my favourite thing to do for work, or leisure. Sharing it on Instagram, or via my clients, is my favourite thing ever. I’ve had each client I’ve worked with either cry or almost in tears because of something I’ve produced for them, and that happiness is my own!

Find Your Tribe, and Then Love Them Hard

We aren’t going to fall in love with everyone we meet, and instead of trying to fit a square peg, I’ve learned to focus on building a connection with loyal, generous friends who I can really be myself around. That feeling of connection is how I thrive, and I have kept friends in my life who I can be vulnerable with, and feel safe sharing my secrets. I promise this list only fits on one hand, but that’s really all you need! I always say that someone knows they have my heart when I start to lean on them, so if I am asking for something from someone, they are in my life for good.

Finding Balance is Tricky

Balance is still lost – I am an all or nothing type of person, and I’m ok with that. I put on my “out of office”, but completely disregard my own boundary, and am quick to exceed others expectation. I am 100% on my phone until the moment I close my eyes at night. Quite often, this takes a personal toll on my time and peace of mind. I like to think it’s the price I pay for owning a business, and right now, I’m ok with that. What I have seen firsthand is that stress acts in strange ways, and stepping away from life for a bit is essential to success. The refresh and recharge method is paramount to me being productive and balanced.

Your Husband is Your Everything but Not at the Same Time

My husband knows me the best and is absolutely my rock. We have a very passionate relationship and love each other more than anything; we have been known to butt heads and bicker, but I always know he is my soft place to fall. In our year and a half of marriage (and 12 years knowing each other!) I’ve finally learned that I can’t expect him to be exactly who I am, or exactly who I want him to be when I want him to be it. Does that make sense? I’ve learned to lean on other friends for certain things, because no one can be your everything all the time. It’s healthy to detach from that idea, and I’ve been so much happier in life with that expectation out of the picture. Roberto and I are working on starting a family, and that extra bedroom in our home sits completely unfinished. I hope to turn this room into a nursery in the new year. I work really hard, and my hours are long, so I’ve spent a great deal of time strategizing how a baby can fit into the picture, and I’ve sorted it out… we are definitely ready. Send us good thoughts!

Happy 2016! xo

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