A Year of Growth: 23 Transformative Lessons I Learned in 2023
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2023 has been the year of rest, rejuvenation, and big future planning.
2020 & 2021 changed lives. Everything we believed about society and safety blew up. Stressful times were the catalyst for changing relationships, lifestyles, and belief systems.
In 2022 everyone was getting back to reality. Maybe you went back to your same, lifeless career… Except now more aware of how soul-sucking it felt.
For me, 2023 has been a year of rapid transformation personally and professionally.
I got engaged on New Year's Eve and when I think back to that moment, I can hardly believe how my life has changed.
During this year, I moved in with my fiancé. We started planning a wedding, then canceled the wedding.
I quit my job as an elementary school teacher to start my copywriting business.
In the first few weeks of copywriting, I had an idea for a book, wrote it, and decided to become an author.
I’ve lost friendships, fallen short of a few goals, and created a life more beautiful than I ever could’ve imagined at the start of this year.
A lot more change is possible in a year than most of us expect. Most of us overestimate the amount we can do in a week but underestimate how much we can accomplish in a year.
2023 has been proof of that for me.
With so much change, there were many days when I felt like I wasn’t doing enough. Then fast forward a month and I couldn’t believe how much progress I’d made.
Before we continue powering forward into 2024, let’s reflect on the year.
What have you learned?
What did you achieve?
What did you not achieve?
How are you a different person today than you were on January 1, 2023?
I made a list of 23 things I learned in 2023. It only took me about 23 minutes. And it reminded me to celebrate this beautiful, transformative year before I keep charging forward.
It gave me the excitement and clarity to step into 2024 with a vision.
I know from everything that’s happened this year that as long as I make continuous movement in the direction of my dreams, I’ll learn everything I need to achieve my goals and so much more.
Here are my 23 lessons from 2023:
Walk in nature instead of stressful, punishing workouts
Eat from nature; no need for supplements, diets, cleanses, or medication
Drink from nature; clean water, natural wine, no other alcohol
Growing out of friendships is healthy
It’s easier to be the person you want to be when you stop putting yourself in settings with people who don’t live the lifestyle you want
Mouthtape and nasal breathing = best sleep, best health
Nourishing your romantic relationship is number one
Societal norms should be questioned and rethought. If it brings you joy inside, then it’s meant to be done & vice versa
Daily self-love & detoxing with dry brushing, gua sha, & EFT tapping for mind, body, spirit health
Your mind creates your health and happiness. It’s a choice.
Listen to your emotions and body sensations for every decision. Always do what feels natural and expansive for you
God is only love and beauty
Natural feels better (no hair dye, nail polish, chemical perfumes or products; swap with coconut oil for body care, hair care, and oral care)
Lessons are learned during the journey— instant success means missing key insights
You can live a life where you enjoy every single day– not only the weekends
Success is not about money or status, but are you genuinely happy with your life
Creativity is not a talent only some are born with
Non-toxic living is powerful for mind, body, and spiritual health; a clean home, free of chemicals is more important than buying more stuff (clothes, makeup, etc.)
Cooking everything at home tastes and feels better than any restaurant
Being at home with my family is more enjoyable and restful than an extravagant, overplanned vacation
Doing something for the in the moment joy is everything. Stop going places and doing things only to get pictures that make it look like your life is fun
If you don’t have people in your life who share your dreams, find them online and learn from them. Do not take advice from anyone who has not done the thing you’re trying to do
Create daily habits that feel so good, you never want to miss them. Consistent, small steps in the direction of your goals create massive transformation
Health Is Not One Size Fits All
This year I’ve been healthier than ever before. I found peace within my body and now enjoy the way it looks and performs.
I didn’t get sick one single time.
And I achieved it all with less effort than I’ve ever put into my health.
I learned that nature is more powerful than I ever thought. It sounds too simple, I know.
We all agree… Nature is beautiful. Everyone loves a walk on the beach or a bonfire beneath the trees… But it’s more than that.
As humans, we are one with nature. When we align our bodies with nature, we are in harmony with the way we’re meant to be.
When your body is in harmony, there’s no way for disease to thrive. Your body simply won’t create disease when it’s at peace.
Daily walks outside to get 7,000-10,000 steps is the most beautiful movement for your body and mind.
Ideas and inspiration find me on walks, making me more excited about my business and life.
It’s also easy to find yourself in a state of gratitude while surrounded by unbelievable, natural, beauty.
Your Mind’s Role In Health
Mindset is more powerful than I ever imagined. If you’re afraid of getting sick, you likely will.
Fear and negative thoughts form dis-ease in the body.
When you’re stressed, your body is on high alert, storing energy, and preparing to need all of its systems to fight a threat.
In this stress state, your digestive system is off, creating bloating, inflammation, and discomfort. It can also cause acne, headaches, and fatigue.
When you feel all the way around depleted and off, your mental health declines, causing more problems.
I got a major lesson on this in February of this year and I was only recently reminded of it when I read back my journal from the time it went down…
In February, I remember vividly a moment when I cracked my neck in my sleep, pinching a nerve, and sending shock waves throughout my body so painful, I’d blackout.
I could barely move without blackout pain.
Reading back my journal from that time, it was so obvious! For five days in a row leading up to the night of my cracked neck, I woke up and wrote about how I was having nightmares.
I was extremely stressed with work, trying to complete a major test that was required to clear my teaching credential. I was hyper-aware of how uncomfortable and miserable I felt in my role as a teacher and I knew I wanted out.
I put the pressure on to clear my credential and set up my new business all before the end of the school year.
February meant winter break was in the past so I knew I was in the home stretch of the school year with so much left to do. The stress in my body first warned me with nightmares.
I didn’t listen.
I didn’t do anything to rest and release the stress so my body created an injury so painful, I was forced to rest.
When you’re in a positive mental state, your body feels safe to perform naturally.
Your Food Affects Your Mood… And Your Whole-Body Health
Most of us grew up with a lifetime of negative and outright incorrect messaging around diet. We all tried low-fat, low-carb, low-calorie, low-meat diets all in hopes of achieving a healthy body.
None of it works.
And that’s because diet culture wants us to continue on the hamster wheel of desperately willing to try anything to lose a few pounds.
These big food companies don’t want us to know that it's extremely simple…
Eat from nature.
Everything that is straight from nature, will flow in harmony through your body, giving you the fuel to live blissfully.
All these highly processed, chemical, man-made foods and supplements are toxic to your natural body.
Yes, it’s not as simple as eating any meat and vegetables out there because most of our food is contaminated with pesticides and additives.
This year, I released all my rules around food and focused on becoming a “qualitarian” meaning quality is everything. I’ll eat anything as long as I know exactly where it was grown, how it was packaged, and whose hands were on it.
I started my own garden and began a weekly sourdough baking ritual. Everything I can get and make on my own is best.
For vegetables and fruit I didn’t grow, I bought organic from a local farmer’s market. I got eggs from someone in town who has their own chickens.
I ordered meat from White Oak Pastures after tons of research about regenerative, biodynamic farming practices. Most meat in the U.S. is blended with meat from all over the world, so you have no idea how the animal was treated or fed.
Finding a farm that cares about quality and the health of the animals, Earth, and the people who eat it is best.
Anytime I put myself on a diet, it was always a punishment. The stress of following the rules and not being able to eat what you want is harmful to your mental and physical health.
It’s time to cancel all diets and be free. Eating from nature gives me the physical body I always wanted, naturally.
Alcohol… to Have or Not to Have
My alcohol consumption changed drastically in 2023. Similarly to food, anything highly processed doesn't feel good in the body. Adding alcohol on top of that is just double the poison.
I stopped drinking all alcohol… Except for wine from winemakers who I know exactly how they treat every step of the process.
I’m lucky to live in the California foothills with many local wineries. A few of the winemakers invited me to be a part of the process; from the vineyards to picking grapes, fermenting and aging, to the final step; bottling.
Any commercial wine that tastes the same bottle to bottle is filled with chemicals and harmful additives that now I can taste. Chemical-filled, mass-produced wine immediately gives me a headache.
Natural wine, made with care feels incredible.
Relationships in 2023 and Beyond
In 2023 I lost most of my friends.
At first, I felt guilty. I felt like a bad person. I felt afraid that people were upset with me.
But then… I stopped caring.
I feel happier, lighter, and more loved than ever in my life. That’s what’s important.
Having a huge friend group or figuring out how to keep every single friend you’ve ever been close to is not always healthy.
I’ve grown so drastically that I don’t recognize myself…. And I love that about me. But I do not expect others who knew me differently to also be happy about how I’ve changed.
I’m not the same person that was friends with them and most relationships can’t survive that. It’s healthy and it frees you to find the people who benefit you as you are and who you’re becoming.
This year I grew even closer and became more grateful for the relationships I do have because we've all grown together, which has been an absolutely beautiful thing to see.
I learned what kind of friend, daughter, and wife I want to be. I learned how I want to be treated by everyone in my life and I require that respect from everyone close to me.
Life is richer when your relationships are genuine and you’re both safe to evolve together.
I learned how to listen to my body and my emotions to tell me who I feel safe to be myself around.
Surrounding myself with people who inspire me makes it so much easier to have rich, meaningful conversations.
When I’m working on something that no one in my life has done, I don’t ask them for advice or feedback. I find the experts out there who are talking about succeeding in the thing I’m trying to do and learn from them.
This takes the pressure and stress off of the people you love, helps you avoid feeling misunderstood, and helps you level up your entire life.
Creating a Sanctuary at Home
This is the first year I’ve been tasked with creating a home for my family. I've created a space that feels cozy, clean, and like my family's sanctuary.
I’ve done this by becoming more of a minimalist. Less decor and less products makes your home easier to clean and declutter.
The main key to a healthy home is cleansing all toxic products and chemicals.
Every day you go out and engage with the world, your body is flooded with chemicals it must defend against.
When your home is clean, it becomes your place to rest and restore.
If you come home to a house filled with air fresheners, candles, traditional cleaning supplies, and stuffy air, your body is forced to stay in defense mode.
Opting for non-toxic cleaning supplies, essential oils for scent, and opening windows or running a mold-free humidifier frees your body to rest and detox naturally.
My home has become my happy place. So much so that I no longer care about going out every free day just to show social media how fun my life is.
My real life is happy. That’s all I care about.
Now I prefer a dinner date night at home, where my partner and I cook together, have deep conversations over natural wine, and spend time with our dogs.
Personal Growth in 2023
This year I faced many challenges which brought me a new level of confidence.
When I had the idea to write my book, it wasn’t a part of my original plan. Instead of talking myself out of it by thinking about how much work it’d be, instead, I decided to write for one hour a day.
When I faced unforeseen challenges while starting my business, I didn’t quit (although I thought about it a few times). Instead, I kept learning and kept working on strengthening my skills.
I found so much joy in building my relationship with myself this year. Now I can confidently say that I’m my favorite person to spend time with.
I let go of limiting beliefs that I never questioned before.
Instead of accepting that I’m not creative because I was always told as a kid that I was an athlete, not an artist, I simply started painting and writing.
In both, I’ve blown myself away at how creative and artistic I am.
I stopped running at 100 miles a minute, too afraid to rest.
Now I trust that everything is working in my favor.
What is meant for me will happen naturally.
And it has.
How Have You Transformed This Year?
Looking at my list of 23 transformative lessons learned in 2023, I’m proud of myself. It’s nice to give yourself some recognition from time to time.
Just a few months ago, I would’ve been too embarrassed to share this intimate list openly. The fact that I’m putting this out there shows how much confidence and self-worth I’ve gained.
I’m not afraid of anyone disagreeing with me anymore. I’m not afraid of being wrong.
In 2024 I’ll discover new information that could change my mind about all 23 of these lessons. That’s okay. This is what’s true for me right now and I’m proud to share it.
I highly recommend writing out the 23 things you've learned in 2023.
You’ll be surprised by just how incredible you are!
And you deserve that recognition.
I hope you’ll share your list of lessons with me and it inspires you to step into 2024 with more clarity and confidence.
I’m rooting for you.
🤍 Jaclyn
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