Closing Out 2023. Onto 2024.
2023 is coming to a close. 2024 here we come.
Whenever a year comes to a close, it’s important to reflect on all the things accomplished, all the experiences to be grateful for, and all the aspirations to carry on to the new year. It’s important to reflect on what worked out, what didn’t work out, and what things to change.
For me, I will try to review things using Ali Abdaal’s Annual Review template on Notion. But I find it challenging to do so. I find it hard to reflect because I find it hard to acknowledge what has happened, especially the positives.
I don’t unpackage and process what I’ve done. My mind goes to the things I failed to do or instead glosses over everything, and feel that the year was fine.
Everything was stable.
I didn’t accomplish all my goals.
I failed to achieve my goals.
I didn’t do the things as good as I could’ve or should’ve.
I want to change that and I’ve tried to change it but it’s definitely something I struggle with regularly and it hasn’t really gotten any easier. I know how to walk the walk and go through the motions but to actually believe it myself is hard.
The annual review kinda helps me take myself out of the equation. I find it extremely uncomfortable to praise myself or give myself that language of success because I always think I can do more. Instead, my mind typically focuses on what I did wrong, could have done better, failed to do. By having a framework for an annual review, it actually focuses on some of the positives that I’ve accomplished and does so in a list-based, factual form. Its important because it sets aside some very key events and actionable items in almost a check-list manner, a matter-of-fact way.
These things happened. I cannot deny that. And if I cannot deny them, then it means that I did them. And if I did them, then they are my accomplishments.
It forces you to acknowledge the things you’ve accomplished
It forces you to acknowledge things that you need to keep doing and things that you need to stop doing.
It forces you write down and concretely define what you like and dislike.
I think the longer things stay ephemeral and vague, the easier it is to coast and the easier it is to end a year without knowing your next direction or how to adjust. Like, if I didn’t write it down, I don’t think I would’ve recognized that I let myself relax a lot more, that I indulged in video games a lot more, that I lessened my focus on meditation and prioritized sleep a lit more.
Although not consciously, I think I made some decisions with my instincts that led to a lot more mental and physical health prioritization rather than aspiration and goal achievement. I’d like to think my body just knew. And now, I feel revitalized and a little more restless wanting to get back into project management, skill development, and goal accomplishing in 2024.
As 2023 comes to an end, recognizing the things you made the most progress on, acknowledging the importance and dedication you placed on them, and protecting space for yourself in the new year to either continue those goals or to pursue new ones is important. It’s something that you can only recognize if you sit and look at it.
For me, this year, the general theme was rest and relaxation.
My personal business life was non-existent.
My 9-5 day job responsibilities grew.
My personal life was prioritized with it’s own ups and downs. I had an unexpected and devastating loss in the family. It
brought my family closer together but it also highlighted the fragility and instability that is human life.
From a goals and personal development perspective, I tried a few new interesting things. I dabbled in some woodworking (although limited in the apartment). I posted weekly on my personal and private business websites respectively, but I didn’t really push as hard as I feel I can. I also didn’t create a physical or digital product to sell.
Now, 2024 is coming in fast. So for me, reviewing and now creating a plan for 2024 will be the most important thing.
For anyone out there reading this blog, thank you. Whenever you read this, however this falls onto you, I hope some of what
I say here resonates with you and spurs you onto your next thing. I started this blog to motivate myself, to get myself to
commit to something, and to put my words into action because I do feel like I can do great things. And so, if you’re reading
this, then that is my great thing - sharing myself and my perspective with someone else. I appreciate it.