30 Things I learned in 2017: A quality Listicle

Years are a more or less arbitrary marking of time.  Still, I decided to take the opportunity to reflect on everything I learned in 2017, and share it here.  Some of it’s the trite-but-true, and some of it’s a coffee-addict original.  Of course, I’m looking forward to growth over the course of this year, and by no means do I have everything figured out.  But here’s a little list of what I’ve discovered over the last year.

1. Do stuff that’s fulfilling.
2. Write like crazy.
3. Write some more.
4. Read, read, read. Books, blogs, articles.
5. Pick and choose social media outlets. Keep it to three, maximum, that you feel you don’t waste too much time on, or actually have good content. (Like WordPress.)
6. Listen to good music often and unapologetically.
7. Learn about your friends and listen to what they have to say. They’re actually all pretty damn smart and funny.  And they probably have better taste in fashion than you.
8. Keep drinking coffee.
9. Take reading notes in colorful markers while listening to music.
10. Try out all the coffee shops. All of them.  Every last one.
11. Do things that you’re afraid of, even if the odds seem to be against you. You’ll surprise yourself more than once.
12. Hard work pays off, but so does privilege, so remember that. If you’re ever in a position of power, keep that in mind.
13. Quiet people have the best ideas. Make room for them, especially when others don’t.
14. Sometimes good leadership requires a firmly-worded email.
15. It’s always a good idea to share music with friends. Especially if they share theirs with you.
16. Asking for books for gifts is a great idea, because you get to expand your world and learn more about your friends from the reads they pick.
17. Where there’s a will, there’s a way.
18. Being open to new ideas and ways of life is one of the best avenues of self-improvement.
19. Happiness can just be an upbeat song and a good cup of coffee. It doesn’t have to be complicated.
20. Friends make life better.
21. If you’re the person that your friend’s animals like, you’re not doing so bad for yourself.
22. A good pair of rain boots is worth the investment.
23. Granola is amazing.
24. You can stand up for yourself firmly and still be a kind person.
25. If you’re going to spend a lot of time on something, it’d better be worth it. Spending your time doing things you like is the best motivator I’ve found so far.
26. When life gets overwhelming, plan your week out in detail. And then focus on one thing at a time.
27. Don’t be afraid to fail. You’ll never succeed if you don’t give yourself the chance to flunk, hard.
28. Keep up with good friends. It’s worth it times a thousand.
29. Do something nice for someone else every once and a while.
30. Cheer your friends on. Tell them how awesome you think they are when they might need it.

But what about you?  What’s one thing you learned over 2017?  Any life advice is much appreciated by this lovely coffee addict.  If you blinked while reading this, like this post and follow my blog.  Or don’t.  I’m not your mom or whatever.