It feels like just a few days ago that I was counting down to the start of 2018! When the clock struck midnight, I kicked off what would turn out to be one of the most influential years of my life. Now we’re about to do it all again!

Looking back, this past year has been one of opportunity, change and plenty of lessons learned – but I wouldn’t have had it any other way. To wrap things up, I challenged myself to categorize the year’s ups and downs into 5 lessons that I’ll be carrying with me into 2019.

1. Not everyone’s going to like you – and that’s OK.

Growing up we hear this a lot but it can get complicated when we want to impress certain people or attract specific attention or even just have a certain number of friends. The reality is that everyone has different taste, and some people are just permanently bitter. You could change everything about yourself and still not please people – so don’t! Live life for you. Find the people that really matter – those that love you for who you are and are there for you at your highs and your lows – and keep them real close. If you’re feeling down because your circle’s smaller than you’d like it to be, or you’re caught up in comparison, remember that everything is not always as it seems. People can have tons of “friends” but no real ride-or-dies – quality over quantity always!