2024’s Greatest Hits: Lessons Learned and Lived

IT IS THAT TIME OF THE YEAR...

...where I ponder how time flies in a blink of an eye.

Is it just me or are we well into 2025 already that it feels like a couple of months though it has been only 2 weeks? Nevertheless, a new year calls for a reflection. We do a yearly reflection without fail at our work though it is more than necessary personally, right?

As I vowed to revive the writer in me, one day at a time this year, I took this to be a well-thought muse to blog on:

Rather a deep question, I know. It requires immense solitude for me to reflect on key moments. Thanks to myself, I had my planner with me where I had entered all the milestones, lessons learned, and rants on my journal from feeling sad and crappy. Hence, it was easy to identify the ten most important lessons:

1. Pinterest Vision Boards can be real if you work for it. The magic in setting up one and seeing it become real is truly worth it. Side note - Get a Planner too!

2. Turning 30 is not just leveling up in age. It is a mix of a physical (pain) and an emotional (freedom) experience.

3. Quality of your inner circle matters more over the quantity. (turning 30 will do this to you)

4. Making a choice, standing by it no matter what by knowing in your heart that you deserve it, nothing can stop you from having it.

5. Keep doing what you love even if it is hard some days. (I still am trying to stick by this)

6. Be open to experiences - ranging from exhilarating to hurtful. For example: Getting married can be exhilarating but a breakup of friendship can be hurtful.

7. Reading to sleep > Doom scrolling to sleep. Enough said.

8. Progress over perfection. The idea of perfection has led me to drop a lot of interests midway. Just showing up and doing what I can at that moment does more than just staring at the screen and distracting myself.

9. Set routines along with goals. Celebrate small wins when you tick off a goal as a result of that routine.

10. Road ranting inside your helmet does not help anyone. Especially you. (I scold a whole lot of folks while I ride to and back from my office in a louder voice which won't be audible outside of my helmet - I find it rather amusing later but not in the moment).

I certainly feel a burst of pride and joy as I close the book of 2024 and truly welcome 2025, ready to embrace what's in store for me and tick off the goals I set for myself.

So, what are your key takeaways from 2024?

- SJ