I don't know about you but 2014 was just an exhausting year. In fact, it was the most challenging year of my life. I felt like a tightrope walker.
You see...I was tested to my limits in 2014. Folks have it hard all around, I know. My story is just that...mine. My saga...the year began with unemployment...then moved to me starting-up a new business with a partner who turned out to be not the right match which ended that start-up quickly...I then rebranded and started Gannon Solutions...was evicted thanks to my participation in AirB&B....broke my nose, a rib and a foot...caught pneumonia...and this is just the first 6 months of the year I'm talking. I refuse to bore you with the rest of my year. However, I will tell you things became much worse.
But as I reflect on it, now that those adversities are finished and done, I can tell you I probably learned more about myself in 2014 than I have over much of my 45 years. Turns out I'm a pretty lucky cat. I am skilled in my profession. I have dear friends and family who stuck by my side at the lowest times. And my capacity for learning has me ravenous for more knowledge.
Simply put, without 2014, I wouldn't have grown as much as I did in such a short amount of time. C.S. Lewis once said: "Hardships often prepare ordinary people for an extraordinary destiny." People have it so much worse than I can ever imagine. But when you are in the weeds, you can't see much except more weeds.
The marker of the new year let's me begin anew. My advice to anyone who feels like they are being challenged beyond their capacity; steady yourself - and plow right through it. You'll come out on the other side with great learnings about who you were vs. who you are now. Then go out and find that extraordinary destiny. That's what I'm doing this year!
