Birthday Scene: 12 Hard Lessons I Learned this Year

 Because lessons don’t come with an expiration date, and growth comes from showing up every single day, I’ve decided to post my birthday scene even though I’m late. Better late than never, right?

As I reflected on the past year, I realized it being the most significant year of personal growth I’ve experienced. Those who are close to me reading this will likely agree. The past year has been a rollercoaster of intense growth: exciting highs and painful lows, each offering a unique lesson and pushing me to evolve into someone new. I’m not the same person I was a year ago, and I’m constantly choosing to grow & getting closer to the life I want.

Real growth is about taking action after the lesson is learnt. It’s an ongoing process, a commitment to living authentically based on our discoveries.
In this post, I’ll share the 12 most powerful lessons that have reshaped my life. I hope that, in reading them, you might find lessons that resonate with your own life and inspire deeper reflection on your journey of growth.

3. Strong body brings strong mind:

We can’t control everything that happens around us, but we can control our mindset and how we react to challenges. I’ve learned that building muscle not only strengthens the body but also boosts resilience to stress, enhancing both physical and mental endurance. The stronger my body, the better I can handle stress and life’s ups and downs. In March 2024, I joined the Beirut Marathon Club, where I met passionate runners and had the privilege of training with them at 5AM for several months. This journey let me to participate in the 10K Marathon which is a milestone I’m proud of! 🙂 

Takeaway: After just a few weeks of regular movement, I started noticing changes in my mood, and my uplifted energy, I felt stronger in my body, and a sense of empowerment grew within me. If you’re like me and haven’t felt ready yet for the gym experience, start with a small consistent hobby of your interest, you’ll end up wanting more eventually 🙂

4. I am made for the challenges that come my way:

Building on the strength of my body and mind, I learned this year that the challenges we face are never beyond our ability to handle. We’re given these hardships ultimately because we have the mental and emotional strength to overcome them.

Takeaway: Remind yourself to see challenges & dark times as chances to grow. It’s been a shift in mindset to believe that I am meant to handle the things life throws my way, even when they feel impossible to overcome. These moments were and always will be necessary to help me become the best version of myself. 

5. No such thing as bad emotions:

There were times when I’d wake up feeling sad, or something would happen that made me feel guilty or ashamed. For a long time, I believed these emotions were “bad”, and questioned them. I learned eventually that no emotion is inherently bad. Changing my perspective on emotions allowed me to accept them without judgment and let go of the need to fight or resist them. Most importantly, I learned to feel the emotion, accept it, and let the storm pass.

Takeaway: Emotions aren’t “bad” or “good” they just are. Feeling them fully and reflecting on what they’re trying to teach me will let them pass quickly without creating any form of attachment to them.

6. I can’t outsource an inside job:

It is a very accurate statement said by my master trainer in one of my sessions. For years, I chased satisfaction through work, achievements, and external validation, believing they’d bring me happiness. But the hard truth: no job, accomplishment, or person can provide lasting fulfillment. Relying on external factors leaves my self-worth at the mercy of things I can’t control. True happiness comes from within. When I’m at peace with who I am, everything else becomes a bonus, not the source of my joy. 

Takeaway: Happiness really does start from within. Achievements and validation are great, but they’re bonuses. Peace and contentment come from being okay with who you are..

8. Beware of where and how I invest my time and energy:

One of the biggest realizations I’ve had is how crucial it is to be mindful of where, how, and with who I invest my time and energy. Whether it’s working toward a goal, staying consistent with my workouts, or choosing the people I surround myself with; how I spend my time directly impacts my productivity and performance. I’ve learned that being intentional about where I put my focus is key to ensuring the quality of my work and growth. Time is a limited resource, and how I use it truly shapes outcomes.

Takeaway: Be intentional about where, how, and with who I invest my time and energy. It’s helped me focus on what truly matters and avoid burnout. Time is precious, and where we put our focus shapes our growth.

9. Knowing is not enough:

I’ve learned that taking advice from Instagram posts, listening to podcasts, or reading self-help books can be inspiring, but won’t create the real change in my life. Knowledge is only powerful when put into action. The key to a purposeful life is through action. Creating new habits, reaching my goals, and optimizing my life lies in applying what I’ve learned. It’s the actions I take, day by day, that shape the life I want. Action is what leads to creation.

Takeaway: Real change happens when we take action on what we’ve learned, even in small, consistent steps. Progress is built on practice, not just understanding.

10. Loss: An opportunity for new beginnings:

Loss comes in many forms: losing people, losing parts of ourselves, a community, or habits that once defined or shaped our reality. For me, it was the loss of a part of who I thought I was, leading to a journey of self-awareness, and realizing my inner power. The real loss was experienced after the internal conflict of realizing I had to let go of beliefs, information, and habits that I have identified myself with for so long without knowing. Letting go is a practice that I should be doing every time I am put into the test (any life experience/encounter), to achieve growth and break my patterns.

Takeaway: Loss isn’t just about what we lose; it’s also about the space it creates for new things. Letting go of who we think we are, and our beliefs can be very painful, but makes room for something better. We just need to have certainty that it is for the best!

11. Money is a tool, not a measure of worth:

I’ve learned how deeply my mindset about money shapes its flow into my life. Viewing money as scarce or stressful to have will only drive it away, blocking abundance. Many of us grow up with beliefs fed to us that our worth is attached to our wealth, which only adds pressure. Shifting my perspective to see money as a supportive tool for growth has transformed my relationship with it. Attracting money isn’t just about intention, it requires aligned action. Setting financial goals, managing resources wisely, and exploring new income streams have been key steps in this ongoing shift in perspective. How I treat money reflects my energy towards it. By approaching it with balance and trust, I’ve found peace and a healthier financial mindset (even if I have still a lot to learn).

Takeaway: Your mindset about money shapes how it flows into your life. Pair trust and gratitude with intentional actions to what you want and where you want to be, and money will become a tool that serves your highest good.

12. We are no better than our caregivers:

This lesson was tough to swallow. On my healing journey, I learned that many of my habits—both good and bad—were shaped by the environment I grew up in. I blamed them for certain things: how they handled conflict, their views on life, their relationships, and habits. My growing self-awareness led with a bit of arrogance had me believe that I was somehow better than them, thinking I have figured things out. But the hard truth is, I’m just like them. I inherited the same habits, same information because that’s what I grew up in and where I came from.

Takeaway: Our parents did the best they could with what they knew at the time. Blaming them keeps us in a victim mentality; whereas taking responsibility for our own growth is my preferred way (breaking patterns and building better habits).

Conclusion: A Work in Progress

These 12 lessons all have one thing in common: they’re not quick fixes but ongoing practices—small, daily efforts that bring a new reality. Growth isn’t a finish line; it’s a journey that requires intentional living and a deep connection with one’s self. The key is consistency—showing up each day and doing my best to apply what I’ve learned every time I get the chance. Every day is an opportunity to grow a little more and get closer to the person I want to become. Here’s to a new year filled with growth, learning, and even more progress!
Any of these lessons resonated with you? Drop your comments/ thoughts below 🙂

9. Knowing is not enough:

I’ve learned that taking advice from Instagram posts, listening to podcasts, or reading self-help books can be inspiring, but won’t create the real change in my life. Knowledge is only powerful when put into action. The key to a purposeful life is through action. Creating new habits, reaching my goals, and optimizing my life lies in applying what I’ve learned. It’s the actions I take, day by day, that shape the life I want. Action is what leads to creation.

Takeaway: Real change happens when we take action on what we’ve learned, even in small, consistent steps. Progress is built on practice, not just understanding.

10. Loss: An opportunity for new beginnings:

Loss comes in many forms: losing people, losing parts of ourselves, a community, or habits that once defined or shaped our reality. For me, it was the loss of a part of who I thought I was, leading to a journey of self-awareness, and realizing my inner power. The real loss was experienced after the internal conflict of realizing I had to let go of beliefs, information, and habits that I have identified myself with for so long without knowing. Letting go is a practice that I should be doing every time I am put into the test (any life experience/encounter), to achieve growth and break my patterns. 

Takeaway: Loss isn’t just about what we lose; it’s also about the space it creates for new things. Letting go of who we think we are, and our beliefs can be very painful, but makes room for something better. We just need to have certainty that it is for the best!

11. Money is a tool, not a measure of worth:

I’ve learned how deeply my mindset about money shapes its flow into my life. Viewing money as scarce or stressful to have will only drive it away, blocking abundance. Many of us grow up with beliefs fed to us that our worth is attached to our wealth, which only adds pressure. Shifting my perspective to see money as a supportive tool for growth has transformed my relationship with it. Attracting money isn’t just about intention, it requires aligned action. Setting financial goals, managing resources wisely, and exploring new income streams have been key steps in this ongoing shift in perspective. How I treat money reflects my energy towards it. By approaching it with balance and trust, I’ve found peace and a healthier financial mindset.

Takeaway: Your mindset about money shapes how it flows into your life. Pair trust and gratitude with intentional actions to what you want and where you want to be, and money will become a tool that serves your highest good.

12. We are no better than our caregivers:

This lesson was tough to swallow. On my healing journey, I learned that many of my habits—both good and bad—were shaped by the environment I grew up in. I blamed them for certain things: how they handled conflict, their views on life, their relationships, and habits. My growing self-awareness slipped with a bit of arrogance had me believe that I was somehow better than them, thinking I have figured things out. But the hard truth is, I’m just like them. I inherited the same habits, same information because that’s where I grew up in and where I came from.

Takeaway: Our parents did the best they could with what they knew at the time. Blaming them keeps us in a victim mentality; whereas taking responsibility for our own growth is how I choose to grow (breaking patterns and building better habits).

Conclusion: A Work in Progress

These 12 lessons all have one thing in common: they’re not quick fixes but ongoing practices—daily efforts that bring a new reality. Growth isn’t a finish line; it’s a journey that requires intentional living and a deep connection with one’s self. The key is consistency—every day is an opportunity to grow a little more and get closer to the person I want to become. Here’s to a new year filled with growth, learning, and even more progress!
Any of these lessons resonated with you? Drop your comments/ thoughts below 🙂