The World Race is over. Nearly a year has flown by, just like that. How does one possibly describe or begin to explain all that happened over the past 320 days into one blog? The fact of the matter is, you can’t really. Good stories are hard to tell, and better experienced for the self. So instead, below is a simplified list of 11 lessons learned these past 11 months.
If you would like to hear more, I am one of two things: a phone call or a coffee date away. So please, don’t hesitate to reach out!
11 Lessons I learned on The World Race:
1. Community is vital to the betterment of self and is ALWAYS worth fighting for.
2. Distractions have the detrimental possibility of changing a person’s life trajectory. So, it is important to take time to recognize personal values and purpose, or you may end up on a different path you wouldn’t have found yourself on otherwise.
3. Joy is a choice that is available to us all, no matter what is happening around us.
4. Being BOLD is a byproduct characteristic of someone who knows their identity and is firmly secure in it.
5. Self-awareness is arguably the most important first step in creating a better life for yourself. If you have no idea where to start, highly recommend The Enneagram. It has changed my life and the way that I understand and love others.
6. Trials in life will always reveal your foundation, whether sand or rock. So…choose a firm foundation, because troubles in this life are inevitable.
7. Whether it is receiving or extending, grace (for yourself AND for others) is a 5 letter word that everyone should take the time to know a little more about. (Myself included)
8. At the end of the day, in any country, people don’t care about what you buy them. They do however, care about how you treat them. In the wise words of Maya Angelou, “People will forget what you said. People will forget what you did. But people will never forget how you made them feel.”
9. Don’t worry so much. Be where your feet are, stay present. Life is more enjoyable that way.
10. We live in an incredibly beautiful and broken world and if we are really honest with ourselves, it is possible to find a loving God in the midst of it all.
11. Humility is the chief virtue of a man that loved and lived and walked 2,000 years ago that forever changed the world as we know it. That, if nothing else, is captivating enough and worth seeking more understanding.
And so there you have it.
This year came and went. It was both extremely difficult and incredibly rewarding. Some days I felt like quitting and others I had hoped it would never end. I learned more in this year of my life than I feel some are able to learn in a lifetime. Some months were really hard and others were really good. Sometimes it was a combination of both. It is crazy to think of all that happened, but if you asked me if I would do it again, I’d respond with “100 times over.” To all who have helped encourage and support in making this year happen…I am full of gratitude. My life has changed. I see the world differently now. For some, this season may look like an end. Thankfully, I have chosen to view it as only the beginning.
With Love,
Briana Damilini
