My word of the year for 2019 was Kindness.

kind·ness

noun
the quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate.
- Oxford University Press

Kindness in 2019 taught me how to be successful and well in my own way, not through the lens of anyone else. She taught me forgiveness is strength. She taught me how to advocate for myself and for others. She taught me perseverance, resilience, and humility in the darkest times. She taught me discipline with a firm and gentle hand.

More specifically, here’s 9 takeaways from Kindness in 2019:

Do the work now so your future self doesn’t have to later.
Determine to make every moment count. Live for something now. Savor the sweat and long hours instead of spending endless moments pondering what if?
Allow yourself the freedom to play without rules.
Stop trying to do everything “right” and just start playing. You don’t always have to be so serious.
Tell the truth, especially to yourself.
Don’t live behind a wall of lies you let yourself believe in the past. Even ingrained truths about your identity can be shifted if you dig deep enough.
Speak kindly to yourself. Treat yourself like you would treat others. If it helps, imagine what someone who loves and believes in you would say or how they would treat you.
Sometimes Kindness takes the form of a mentor, a friend, a voice of wisdom, or the wind whistling softly through a crowd of angry voices.
When you have something nice to say, SAY IT. A small, thoughtful compliment or expression of gratitude can do wonders.
Too often do we speak when angry words well up into fireballs of hurt. But when we think good thoughts, why not share it with the people who led us there?
Play good defense by being reliable, prepared, and adaptable. Future you will thank you without the sacrifice of present you.
Sometimes the best defense is changing course instead of running into walls. Sometimes it’s creating a first aid kit for small physical wounds or moments of panic. Sometimes it’s being consistent, celebrating each action that aligns with your purpose, and accepting the missteps without judgement.
Live happier by giving less thought about what everyone else thinks or does.
Be happiest being you.
Ask for help, then help when and where you can—generously.
Remember #3: tell the truth, especially to yourself? Admitting you need help doesn’t mean you’re weak or you failed or you’re not enough. It means there’s still work to be done and you don’t have to do all that work alone. Then, when you’ve accomplished what you set out to do, pay that kindness forward.
Bring people in and build connections.
Isolation is different from being alone with yourself. Choose the latter, and if you do, remember to balance that alone-time by nurturing your relationships. If you have none, make one. If you have many, connect people to each other. Wouldn’t you rather create a garden of kindness than nurture a single flower?