#601 Getting through it

Neil Pasricha

That was a tough one.

Come on in and stop for a second to shake your head, dust yourself off, and look back at how far you’ve come.

Sure, it’s been a long year. Some crushing lows slapped you and smacked you around. There were times your heart dipped and you squinted back tears while your stomach squeezed so tightly you couldn’t sleep. There were moments you walked around in a glossy-eyeball daze — when loved ones hurt, friends didn’t stay, or someone dear to your heart slowly drifted away.

Sleepless nights, stressful nights, with teething babies, slurring customers, bad bosses, bickering boyfriends, or blank computer screens. You were feeling and you were dealing and you were reeling and you were healing.

But as you walked your hard path down your long and bumpy road some little drops of confidence dripped like coffee into your head and into your heart. As you stumbled and got back up a quiet inner strength slowly seeped into your bones. And as you climbed over obstacles set in your way some relaxed satisfaction and growing self-awareness glimmered like bright lights at the bottom of your stomach.

Yes, this year changed you and grew you in so many ways you don’t even feel or notice yet. As you struggled you empathized, as you slipped you understood, as you worked you earned…

… as you looked you learned

… … as you dared you grew

… … … and as you jumped you flew.

Your dreams are still focusing and your passion is growing. Your energy is still bubbling and your story keeps going.

You’ve been through so much and gained a year’s supply of experience along the way. You’re stronger than you were last year and stronger than you realize. Sure, there were times you bent, but you definitely didn’t break. There were times you caved, but you definitely didn’t flake.

Listen up: you got bigger, you got better, and you got the scars to prove it.

So stop for a second today to smile and look back at everything you’ve done this year… everything you’ve seen… everywhere you’ve been…

You’ve taken more illegal naps and had more blurry-eyed late nights.

You’ve danced to more wedding songs and smiled at more beautiful sights.

You’ve seen more scorching sunsets and heard more head-bopping songs.

You’ve tripped a few times, but baby, you kept rolling right along.

Yes, you’ve hugged more old friends and kissed some brand new pretty faces.

You’ve cheered more on the sidelines and visited some brand new pretty places.

You tasted more meals, you got more deals, and you’ve sniffed more flower blossoms.

And you made it all the way through this year because you’re so completely

AWESOME!

(Thanks for our first full year! If you’re feeling awesome, check out the book.)

Photos from: here, here, here, and here

138 thoughts to “#601 Getting through it”

  1. heading into a new year of possibilities, feeling a sense of hope in not yet knowing what will happen – absolutely awesome.

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  2. Let’s not forget all the pretty recap lists that give us, as a people, as glimpse of what we’ve done right, and a glimpse of what we need to do differently.

  3. Sir, you’ve got a certain way of words that stirs up emotions like no other…Please, for the sake of us all, keep being awesome.

  4. Wow… this has been such an amazing year spent with you and i’m STOKED for the new year. You’ve inspired me to start a mini awesomethings on my own blog. And Thank you for such a motivational post. It really is a great blog to end the year!!

  6. WOW. i felt like you were talking to me as i read this entry. this year definitely was a rewarding struggle.
    as some people have already said, you have a way with words that just gets to me, man. i check your blog incessantly daily and look forward to every new entry. definitely puts a smile on my face! :) thanks for this awesome blog and hope you have a happy new year!!! definitely going to recommend this blog and the book to all my friends

    1. Well I was going to leave a comment nut you said pretty much exactly what I would have said. So ditto, I suppose. (and a high five for a year of, as you said, “rewarding struggle”). :)

  8. :) I think this is one of my favorite posts so far! Story of my year for sure–it’s completely amazing to be able to look back and finally say, “I MADE IT!”

  9. You make me so happy – I am glad there are people out there in the world that find such happiness in the sweet simplicities in life. :) Happy New Year!!!

  14. Thank you for helping me recognise the positive in more than just physical accomplishments.

    I started out feeling hopeful as 2008 had battered me hard. I didn’t take a second to realise how strong I have become and wonder what 2010 has to bring.

    Thank you

  15. I graduated high school and started my freshman year at college. This year has been insane, full of spirit building experiences. Thank you for helping me further realize that the glass is, indeed, half full.

  17. That reminds me… my sister says that when a person is high on the drugs, sitting by themselves, super out of it that they’re “going through it”.

  18. Thanks, really. This was exactly what I needed when I came to see what today’s guaranteed-to-be-awesome thing was.

  25. I discovered this blog a few weeks ago and since then I came back to it every single day to read these amazing entries. This one totally got me, it is just so true and seemed to be desribing my 2009! A wonderful new year for everybody, full of new and rewarding experiences!

  26. Thank you.

    I wonder if you truly realize how much reading your words in the morning can completely turn someone’s day around, just by starting them off with a positive thought. I think you just turned 2010 around for everyone, but starting it off with a positive thought.

  29. This is what I needed to hear right now. I also had tears in my eyes whilst reading. I love this site :)

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  33. That was one of the most simply eloquent things I’ve ever read (and working in publishing- I’ve read a lot!) You’ve created something wonderfully magical here. Have a Happy New Year and can’t wait to see what awesome things 2010 will bring.

  34. Haven’t commented as much as I’d like recently, but couldn’t let this one pass by without stopping to say how much I enjoyed it.

    Beautiful post, and a great chance to stop and reflect on a big year, and stay hopeful for the one ahead.

    Keep doing what you do best, man.. Happy New Year!

  35. Reading this post just instilled so much hope in me for the New Year. Thank for for being so awesome!

  36. What a great post. You’ve summed it pretty well. It has been a tough year for a lot of us. Thankfully some like myself were able to make it almost unscathed. We took a hit in the market, I was out of work (thankfully only 3 months), and we had to make do without a couple of luxuries we are used to but the recession we went through did not stop me from enjoying the things I love most in my life…my wife, friends and family.

    Thanks for a year of great posts. Some are funny, some not so much but all speak of what is really important….take time to smell the roses and appreciate what we have.

    I wish you and all of your readers a safe and prosperous 2010.

  38. I’m with everyone else in that I could not pass up the opportunity to comment on this heart-warming post. With your words, you seemed to have mastered presenting the essence of our mortal lives, our ups and downs and turnarounds. You’ve definitely made this last year one to remember for me, and though you don’t know me personally, you know how we all are essentially. That’s a gift I can absolutely appreciate and stand behind.

  40. My first visit to 1000 Awesome Things was in the summer and I love all of the posts I’ve read. This post, though, had to be one of the best. Thank you!

  41. I’ve been following this blog for a while now, and the emotion in this post that everyone has experienced at one time or another is absolutely perfect. Thank you for writing it. :)

  42. So perfectly poetic. What a great reminder to us all. Thanks for this. I think it’s something many people may need to be reminded of as the year comes to an end.

  43. That was one of the most moving things I’ve ever read. This is only the second post that has left me with tears in my eyes. I’m going to share this with everyone I know. This blog is so awesome. I hope you do a book tour so we can all meet you.

    You have such a way with words. Thank you for sharing them with us.

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