If you’ll kindly excuse the Kylie Jenner reference we make in the subhead, 2020 gave us lessons we’re going to carry well into our 50s. Because seriously, who lives through a global pandemic and doesn’t come out a completely different person? (Self-correction: it’s not over, it’s not over, it’s not over.) Below, we give you 20 of the best lessons people learned in 2020.

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1. “I learned how to be patient. There were so many plans that were canceled, and I had to wait for another time to make them happen because of ECQ. I had to learn how to understand that my friends had a life outside of my friendship, too.” 

— Chanel, 23

2. “I learned not to rush anything, especially if it’s something I love to do.” 

— Sammie, 22

3. “That I’m actually stronger than I thought. I surprised myself, too. After losing 6 out of 7 clients, I found a way to bounce back.”

— Ching, 33

4. “2020 taught me to get my priorities straight. [It] made me think about which friends I wanted to stay in contact with and get closer to, do the things I needed to advance myself in the career I wanted, and do the things that make me happy. Too much time and choice paralysis is a tough combination, eventually you have to choose what’s important to you.”

— Christoph, 25

5. “A mistake can become an area of growth once you stop obsessing over how it happened and start focusing on finding a solution.”

— Ellie, 26

6. “I learned that it’s critical to have a good foundation. That might mean anything from having a solid bond with your family, sharing trust and goals with your SO, or knowing yourself so well that there is only precious little that can keep you from getting back on track.”

— Pat, 27

7. “Personal time management.”

— Enzo, 23

8. “Take things one at a time with proper caution, and never stress about things that aren’t  meant to be. Keep going on, even when the whole world turns their back on you. Have faith and believe in yourself. Everything will pass. And there’s a better you next time.”

— Ann, 54

9. “That being single should be the least of my worries right now. The world is crumbling right now, and my love life should rank very low in my list of priorities. It’s best to focus on myself, my health, and my emotional state in time for 2021.”

— Josef, 25

10. “I learned how to be more independent…and that being alone isn’t a bad thing sometimes.”

— Heather, 23

11. “The best thing I learned this 2020 is the practice of gratitude. If people can spend so much time ruminating about their worries and problems, then we should also have the ability to re-allocate and spend more time relishing all the good moments and good things in life. Things like being with people that make you happy, going on a road trip, a good laugh, a nice meal, a beautiful view or even a nice cool breeze! When these moments happen, I make sure to stop, be aware, and extend my smile a bit more. At the end of the day, I identify all these things, big and small, that I am grateful for. It has made all the difference during this trying times. If you want abundance, then focus on the abundance you already have. Energy flows where your attention goes.”

— Denise, 34

12. “I learned to trust the process. A lot of things seemed to not go my way but somehow, things turned out for the better.”

— Anya, 30

13. “To like being alone.”

— Val, 23

14. “I learned to take it easier on myself.”

— Nina, 25

15. “Both the good and the bad. It’s valuing relationships, realizing who and what matters most. [2020] gifted me with the most valuable thing—and that was quality time spent with my daughter. COVID brought us together, closer 24/7, uninterrupted moments. Of course, it [came] with a lot of anxieties and panic attacks, but because of those episodes, I realized the value of my work. Lastly, I learned that we really just have to roll with the punches, stand, stay afloat, and as cliche as it may sound, make lemonade out of lemons. And of course, at this transformative and eventful time in our lives, there is nothing that prayer cannot get you through.”

— Rosa, 50

16. “To stand up for myself. This year, I left a boyfriend who disrespected me and our relationship. I didn’t bother to ask for an explanation—I just left. It was one of the best decisions of my life.”

— Marie, 25

17. “I learned to love myself in whatever form I’m currently in.”

— Monique, 20

18. “That money’s hard to come by these days, so I should really be smarter with it.”

— Chad, 22

19. “That I can leave behind certain toxic people in 2020, and that it’s okay to forgive, but never to forget.”

— Liezl, 34

20. “I learned that we took so much for granted, pre-pandemic. Going out, traveling, being able to hug your grandparents…all that went out the door as soon as ECQ announced. As soon as the pandemic is officially over, I swear to God that I am going to live the best life I possibly can. No limitations.”

— Grace, 26

Here’s to making space for something new. Happy New Year, Belo Beauties!