2016

​What I Learned from the Past Year
2016 had been a crazy ride for most of us and although most people look at this year negatively, I’d like to be more positive and look back on all the things I’ve learned from the past year. 
People come and go. Never allow anyone to take you for granted.
I’ve learned throughout the year that it’s really hard to please people. But I’ve also realized that I shouldn’t even bother. As long as I’m doing what’s right and that I am happy with myself, that’s enough. There would always be people who will fail to realize how amazing you are but that’s not your problem anymore. It’s their loss, not yours.
Learn to let go of toxic friendships and cut off all the negative people from your life.

 

Learn to love yourself because your happiness and self-worth should never depend on what others have to say.
Always remember that before you love someone, you must learn to love yourself first. You are capable of a lot of things and those who say otherwise are wrong. Never, ever think that you’re not enough or that you’re not worth it because you are.
Everything happens for a reason.

God knows what He’s doing and His plan is far greater than ours. We must learn to let go and let God take the wheel. Leave all your worries to Him and just trust His process. The minor setbacks that we come across are here to help us grow, so we must not look at our failures negatively. Instead we must use them as our motivation to become better.
The Lord is always there for us, waiting for us to call upon Him. He is always watching our every move. He has never left our side even through all the tough times. We must remember that the Lord would never give us problems that we couldn’t resolve. So whatever trial and challenge life throws at us, we must not fret for the Lord is with us and He’ll guide us until the end.
Always look at the bright side of life.

No matter what our situation is, there is always something to be thankful for. Even just the mere fact that you are alive and that you are safe is already a blessing. Cherish the little things and appreciate what you have because not everyone is as lucky as you are, but we must not forget to pray for those people who are going through rough times. Choose to be positive.
Cherish the little things and appreciate what you have because not everyone is as lucky as you are.

 

Learn to value and appreciate the people who are always there for you.
These friends who would never leave your side and help you grow are the best kind. Never make them feel like you don’t care for them because everyone has a limit in life. There will come a time when they’d get tired of standing by you when you’re taking them for granted. When that time comes, it may be too late for you to get them back. Make them feel your love and appreciation not only through words but through actions. Learn to put down your gadgets and enjoy life as it is. It is hard for our generation to do it because of the world we live in right now but we must always find the time to do so even for just an hour or two or when we’re with other people because as the modes of communication continue to improve, real life communication itself weakens.
Remember that grades don’t define you.

Just do your best in everything and leave the rest to God. I’ve broke down so many times already this school year just because of the pressure I’ve put on myself in academics but after talking to my parents and friends about it, I’ve come to realize that I should stop being too hard on myself. I should just enjoy what I’m doing and always, always do the best that I can. In 10 years, I’ll probably be happier if I look back to senior year and think that I didn’t let the pressure get to me but that I enjoyed every second of it.
As Ferris Bueller said, “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” Every day is a learning experience and I hope to bring all these positive learnings with me to 2017 and beyond. 
💌 Bea Javate