It is a good time for self reflection

I wanted to start the new year with some brutal honesty and self-reflection. I have been writing a personal development blog for over 2 years now and my theme has always been keeping it honest. It will be nothing less here on Steemit.

When I started 2017 I was at the end of a year-long backpacking and having to burn through my savings. I needed a plan and good foundations for the next step. Being a bit spiritual I tend to find sings in life that guide me. Deep down I know it's my subconscious making the decisions and helping my conscious interpret situations as sings. But I still call them signs and always wait for one when I'm stuck.

It is 2018 today and I spent the entire previous year on building a solid foundation for my life coaching/travel business. But I know I made some big mistakes, even by being prepared not to make them. I read countless business books to have an idea of the dos and don'ts, yet I just had to be stubborn about my ideas.

Then I ended up overworking and stressing myself so I burned myself out and I was emotionally drained. But you know what? I got myself out of all the dead ends so it was all worth it. With all the self-disappointments I grew a lot too and it is time to appreciate the long journey.

Those who think they have no room to grow, shut personal development down. But I try recommending myself to not think that I can do it myself, I know it better or that I can't be at fault. I had to decide what kind of life coach I wanted to become and that word is 'relatable'. We all have struggles and low periods in our lives, why hide them? Just because my profession is to help people I can't be lost from time to time? I always believed that honesty is underrated. So many of us don't admit to others or to ourselves when we need support - because we would look weak, when our relationship is failing - because we don't want to be judged, when we just want someone to give us a hug - because we look needy.

No, we are just human who need love, support, belonging, we need to be lost sometimes to find a path, we need to be able to speak up when it hurts if we want anyone to hear us, to help us. I don't like to be alone when I'm surrounded by people so I tell my blog when it hurts. Thousands of my readers see that it is okay to have a human moment and it is okay to feel this way sometimes. In exchange for my honesty, I get comfort from all these people who follow me. They are there, because I speak up.

2018 is going to be about building a strong future on the foundations, so much more learning, falling and standing up is about to come. But if I could give one advice to everyone, it would be to be honest with yourself. With yourself. Speak up.