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January 1, 2012

20 Lessons from 2011

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Resolutions for the New Year? I have none. But I do have lessons from last year that I am carrying over to this one. If I must resolve to anything, it would be to not forget them and remember them as I venture into what I expect to be an exciting time for me and my family.

Time has a way of passing by so quickly. It’s so easy to forget so it’s important for me to write them down.

Most memorable lessons from 2011 for me are:

  1. I learned to better reject negativity and embrace love.
  2. I learned that opportunities are never really lost and that a “good” opportunity is relevant.
  3. I learned the value of quality in friendships and that quantity has very little to do with it.
  4. I learned to accept that I am not a follower – I learned there’s nothing wrong with that.
  5. I learned to ignore the chatter and trust my gut. Some of my best decisions came about this way.
  6. I learned that I can develop a better opinion about places, people, and things when I shut up about my own, shut out other people’s and just observe and listen.
  7. I learned that I don’t always have to share my opinion…no matter how strongly I feel it.
  8. I learned that I really love living in New Jersey (and that it doesn’t suddenly make me a NOT New Yorker) and that where I live is faster to get to than most boroughs of NY and yet still it terrifies people – I learned that those people are stupid.
  9. I learned to respond to the question “Are you going to be NJ City Mama now?” without throwing death darts from my eyes.
  10. I learned to laugh about it.
  11. I learned to take breaks and disconnect – I learned that I really, really love that.
  12. I learned that even some of the most well-read blogger have no clue and even not really all that liked, but no one will tell them. (I would, but see lesson #7).
  13. I learned that the least read blogger is usually the most interesting overall.
  14. I learned to eat smaller meals throughout the day and drink more water.
  15. I learned to tell my family and friends that I love them more.
  16. I learned that I hate attending conferences – I learned there’s nothing wrong with that.
  17. I learned the importance of flossing…after I learned I had the first cavity in my life.
  18. I learned that I really love being in a space where no one blogs or uses Twitter, at times more than I love being in the space with people who do.
  19. I learned that I am lucky in so many ways. This lesson keeps me grounded and grateful on a daily basis.
  20. I learned that even at this age I still have so much to learn.

Happy New Year!

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Carol Cain

Brooklyn native Carol is happiest when on an adventure, whether close to home or farther away. She is a small business owner and travel writer. In addition to creating Girl Gone Travel, she is the Founder and Principal of Brave World Media, a social media marketing, communications, and branding agency. She's mom to three wonderful sons and wife to a handsome Irish/Scot. She lives, works, and plays in the beautiful Finger Lakes region of NY.

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6 Comments
  • Alma Pacheco
    January 1, 2012

    Carol,

    This is a great list of all the things you've learned. The NJ comment made me laugh. Congrats on getting voted in the 100 mom blog, that is a great honor. You were the first blog I started following. I found you on Twitter. It open a whole new world for me. Now i have started one on my own. I recently lost my job and found more time to spend with my kids and alone. I started it less than a month and i realized i have a lot to learn. I hope to write a list like this this time next year. You are a great writer and have a beautiful family. Feliz Año Nuevo!!!

    Reply
  • Carol Cain
    January 1, 2012

    That's wonderful Alma! Congrats on starting your blog, will definitely check it out. Thank you so much for your kind words and continued readership and support : ) Happy New Year to you as well!

    Reply
  • Elisa
    January 1, 2012

    Much as it happened every time we had conversations in real life (man, do I miss you!), this post made me nod, and smile, and sometimes laugh out loud (#12? True story :-)). Those are fabulous lessons, most of which I am still working on, myself 😉

    Happy New year, Bella! May this be the year that I manage to fly to NY and hopefully enjoy the pleasure of your company again!!

    Reply
  • cancan
    January 1, 2012

    thank you for being completely who you are this year.

    Reply
  • Carol Cain
    January 1, 2012

    Thank you Elisa!!! I hope you do make it to this side of the world this year! Fingers and toes crossed : )

    Reply
  • Carol Cain
    January 1, 2012

    Big hugs and love to you Cancan! xoxoxo

    Reply

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About me

Hi! I'm Carol! I am an award-winning travel blogger, a keynote speaker, and the Principal and owner of Brave World Media, a social media marketing, communications, and branding agency. I a wife to a handsome Irish/Scot and a mom to 3 sons. Welcome to my blog where I share stories of my travels and professional public relations insights and advice. Thank you for reading and for your support!

Carol Cain

Contact

  • caincarol@gmail.com

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The most perfect date night in the most perfect li The most perfect date night in the most perfect little bistro in the most perfect New York destination. No, not NYC. The Finger Lakes. 

The entire experience at @deanlanedining felt so incredibly elevated and special, and some might even say unexpected, especially from a farmhouse in rural Dundee, NY. 

Husband and wife team, Michael and Lisa Dean create a wonderful farm-to-table prix fix menu, beautifully paired with wines selected by Sommelier @danbrezinsky, who, for as long as the moment allows, further complements the first tastings with a sharing of his deep knowledge and passion for the Finger Lakes wines he serves. The individual pairings per course (4) are optional but I do highly recommend as they influenced each dish and in some cases, my opinion of certain wines. 

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Life is changing and moving fast, which can be ove Life is changing and moving fast, which can be overwhelming and unsettling. But I can always count on these beautiful Finger Lakes mornings to ease my mind and soul. Taking nothing for granted. 

Special shoutout to @workingclass_coffee for caffeinating me this AM. 

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One of the dreamiest of views for me, that I don’t think I will ever tire of, is mist over the hills and lakes. And rainy seasons like these are perfect for such moments. 

After an eventful evening (and thank you all for the love and congratulatory messages🤎), I am eager to spend this rainy day back at my computer getting work done. 

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So whether it is for work (@braveworldmedia) or on this page, I am happy to share the stories and many reasons why we, along with so many others, decided to make this our home. ❤️

Thanks for the support and for following along. 

📸 Canandaigua Lake, the fourth largest of the New York Finger Lakes.
Mom and dad cleaned up real good, kids. It’s a Mom and dad cleaned up real good, kids. 

It’s awards ceremony night! 🙌🏾✨
Today is a shoot day for us, which started out sun Today is a shoot day for us, which started out sunny, and is now snowy…but such is early spring in the Finger Lakes. Pros: the cozy wineries on our photography list. 🥂📸

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I’m a little late to the game, but finally made I’m a little late to the game, but finally made it to @scalehousebrews in Hector, NY, which was serving up some delicious @overlookcoffeecompany (Burdett, NY) drip…and ya, girl had to go support her besties ✨

The coffee? Amazing of course, but Scale House brew also delish, and I was really impressed with their pizza. So if ya know, ya know. If you don’t, get over there stat. I heard it’s pretty busy during the summer months!

And make sure to stop into Overlook Coffee too. They are 😘👌🏾.

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