What I Have Learned In Three Years: A Reflection
I’m proud to say that yesterday, my girlfriend and I celebrated our three year anniversary. The time has flied by since July 26, 2006 but I can, without a doubt, say that the past three years have been the best of my life. I’ve only lived just over two decades, but from what I’ve experienced, they’ve been the best. I’ve learned a lot along this journey, too. I haven’t arrived at this point wondering, “How did I get here?” I know how I got here and I know why these have been the best three years of my life.
1. Saving Isn’t A Bad Thing.
Before dating my girlfriend, I was horrible with money. Yeah, I had a few investments but nothing serious and my savings account was a joke. However, when I came into contact with her high values concerning money, my empty pockets began to overflow with money. I learned how to manage my money and realized that saving money isn’t a bad thing. Simply because I have it, doesn’t mean I need to spend it. In the past three years, my savings account has become a comfortable emergency fund, I have begun saving for retirement, and I am more aware about the whereabouts of my money.
2. Laziness Is For The Birds
In the years before I met my girlfriend, I was not the most productive person on the face of the Earth (not saying that I am now but…). I had no desire to do anything – I wouldn’t work very hard, I wouldn’t get done my school work, and I would hardly help around the house. If you looked up lazy in the dictionary, you’d find me. It was getting to the point to where I was promising people something and never, ever delivering. However, my relationship with my girlfriend began to change things. I saw her high level of respect for her job (although she didn’t like it all the time), she displayed a desire to learn, and she kept promises. I knew I needed that and I adopted those values as my own. Now, three years later, I can proudly say that I give 100% each day I am working, I have changed jobs and promoted, and I have a 3.85 GPA while pursuing an online degree.
3. The World? I Don’t Need No Stinkin’ World!
This is one of the hardest things I used to struggled with – approval from “the world.” Now that I look back on it, I don’t even really know what I considered “the world.” Sure, everyone wants to be accepted by their friends and family but I knew that no matter what I did, those people would accept me. Once I started dating my girlfriend, I ditched that thinking and realized I needed to become Eric, not everyone else. I dropped the fashion trends, I stopped watching all of the shows and movies everyone else was watching, and broke the mold of routine and lived for once. I didn’t have to be like everyone else. I needed to be me. Now, I have started a blog with consistent readers (thank you, guys), began to volunteer at my church more, and climb the corporate ladder. Those things may not appear to be daring or bold, but they are for me compared to who I once was.
So, there you have it. Three years; three truths. I have learned a lot more and continue to learn as we progress through our relationship and progress as people. As those lessons come, I will continue to share them. Here’s to three years of reflection and here’s to many, many more.
What can you reflect on? How have you grown as a person in the last 2 or 3 years? Let us know in the comments!
