What I Know to Be True (part 2) — leave a little sparkle

I recently finished Oprah’s book What I Know For Sure. It’s a short, snappy book, but I found so much value in it. I had originally borrowed it from the Brooklyn Public Library, but I liked it so much that I bought a copy for my bookshelf. [Pro-tip: this is what I do to curb the number of books I buy. I borrow them from the library and then, only after reading it, do I decide whether to purchase it. So far it’s proven successful; I’ve bought about half as many books.]

While I was reading Oprah’s sage words, it got me thinking about what I know to be true…which then quickly turned into this blog post. As I got to writing, I realized, I actually wrote a similar post back in 2017 (!!). It was also called what i know to be true. So consider this an addendum, a part 2, if you wish. 6 years later, many of my truisms have actually held true [except I’m trading living in London for living in Mexico City as part of my living abroad aspirations]. I’ve also picked up quite a few since then, so, in no particular order, sharing them with you.

Time is our most finite, precious resource. Spend it wisely. If you don't want to go to the birthday party, don’t. If you want to quit your job to try something else, make strides so that you can quit. [If you’re looking for someone to tell you not to quit, you’re reading the wrong blog.] Effectively, if something’s not serving you, it’s time to move on. There’s simply not enough time.
Everyone has a story. Some may be less willing to share it as readily as others may be, but if you give people the chance (and the space), you just might learn a thing or two. And, what’s more, you may learn that you’re more alike than you would have ever imagined.
Life can change in a blink of an eye. Savor these moments- the big and the small. And, hug the ones you love deeply today.
You can't live your life for anyone else. No matter how much you want to make Mom, Dad, your aunt, and/or your community proud. That’ll only take you so far. Eventually, you'll start yearning to live life for you. Pay attention to your gut instinct or that little voice inside your head. It’s almost always pointing you in the right direction.

And, if you do start listening to those instincts, they may lead you somewhere uncharted, and, well, scary. I’m learning that those are the directions to run towards, not away from.

Know your worth. I mean this in all senses of the word:

Know how much you should be getting paid. Got your number? Great, now add $15K-$30K. Chances are that’s what someone else who is less qualified is already making, or, at the very least, it gives you wiggle room in your negotiation. [Always negotiate. Coming from a Caribbean immigrant household, I didn’t learn this until later on in my career, but I’m taking this lesson with me everywhere I go from now on]. You don’t always have to choose the highest bidder [I certainly haven’t always], but that is your choice to make.
Know who is worthy of your time: who deserves to be in your inner circle, who gets to spend time with you, who you choose to pour into.
And lastly, and maybe most importantly, know what you deserve. Lean into your talents, your uniqueness, your story. Go after your aspirations, so you can live your most fulfilled life.

The only way forward is through. Things might get tough. They might get tougher than you could ever imagine; I think the last 3 years have proven that. And they might get tougher before it gets better. But somehow, someway, we always make our way through.

Maybe in another 6 years I’ll have another addendum. Any of these particularly resonate with you? What do you know to be true? I’d love to hear what tenets ring true for you.