I can’t believe that 2019 had just ended! I would say it was quite a tough year in terms of emotional health to all of us Lebanese people, but also ending a DECADE that I am so grateful for.

The last decade had lots of life changing events, first and foremost it made me a mother for three kids, a grown-up person, more mature and responsible, leaving me 10 years older but wiser.

Now that this decade ended, I think it’s important to sit, look back and reflect on what I’ve learned:

1. Slow down: I realized that I’m addicted to rushing from one project to the next. Not necessarily work related, it could be stuff around the kids or the house… It doesn’t matter. I’m always trying to move from one thing to the other as quickly as possible. So I’ve been working my hardest at slowing down. I admit it’s so hard for a planner like me, but after all we need to enjoy life and what’s happening around us.
2. Family and real friends: Nothing is more important than having your family around you and real friends who know you so well and vice-versa. The older I get, the more I realize how true this is! Good people are hard to find so make sure that when you find them, hold on tight.
3. Be a nice human and smile: every person we know is more than likely going through something he doesn’t want to talk about, so better to always be kind, thoughtful and smile… always! After all, smiling is contagious.
4. Dress in what makes you feel pretty even if it means wearing your daughter’s hair clips like I do 🙂
5. Eating healthier has become a vital part of my life (except for the holidays). During the past few years, I started introducing healthy and nutritious ingredients to our diet but this doesn’t mean that I punish myself for eating a burger every once in a while 😀
6. Trust your gut: and trust me on that one. Your gut instinct is way more powerful than you may think. Listen to your inner voice and you will know what’s right for you.
7. Surround yourself not just with positive people but also with those who share with you the same values. Those people will make you feel happier, will help you achieve what you want and they genuinely care.
8. Exercise more: I started doing reformer Pilates earlier this year and I guess it’s the best thing I’ve ever done to my body after 3 pregnancies (and after hitting the thirties). Planning to do more of this in 2020.
9. Up-cycle more: whether old clothes into new, broken toys into a creative piece of art, try to waste less and use the organic trash into something useful such as composting.
10. Daily digital detox: I started 2019 sticking to this rule but it got mixed up with the October revolution in Beirut as I found myself constantly connected to my phone. I am considering re-applying this habit by simply putting away the phone the first and last hour of my day. I guarantee, this will help you focus on other things you’ve had probably forgotten.
11. Read more! Easier said than done obviously, since it’s so easy to get distracted by all the happenings around us. But sparing the last hour of my day, phone-free, with a book in my hand will definitely help me achieving this in 2020 🤞
12. Watch the sunset more often…

Well the list doesn’t stop here but I got interrupted by Joya at 2 a.m. while writing this and I don’t want to delay it anymore 🙂 I would love to hear your thoughts about 2019 or the 2010s in general. Share them with me in the comment box below.

That’s all for now. Wishing you all good health, peace, contentment and lots of love, xx.