Reflections and Going Forward
Every year is filled with moments you will cherish forever and those you wish you would forget. Nonetheless, each moment is part of your journey and it would be a disservice to your story to leave those out. So here is my review of this year.
The last few months have been, by far, the most grueling months I have ever gone through. I don’t want the last few months to eclipse the entire year. 2023 deserves gratitude, discoveries, and reflection.
Gratitude
This year family and friends were the highlight. Camping trips, getting together for hikes, KBBQ, running groups, conventions, and bachelor franchise nights. This year I created a digitized view of the year ahead. However small, each of these made me appreciate life that much more.
Discoveries
This year I have discovered Lamy fountain pens, The Daily Stoic by Ryan Holiday, and Make Time by Jake Knapp and John Zeratsky.
Fountain Pen
Interestingly enough, having the fountain pen has motivated me to journal more consistently. I used to think that uninteresting days were not worthy of documenting. The truth is the most boring of days are still filled with thoughts, hopes, and dreams. So now I pick up my pen, write the date, and jot whatever thought comes to mind, even if it is “I did nothing.”
Books
Both the Daily Stoic and Make Time have taught me valuable lessons this year. The most impactful lesson I learned from the Daily Stoic was that everything is either endurable or unendurable, either way, we should not worry. If there is a solution then I should do that and there is no need to dwell on the problem. If there isn’t anything I can do about a problem, then I also should not worry because there isn’t anything I can do.
Make Time was one of the most applicable productivity books I have read. The ultimate goal of this book is for you to try many methods and stick to the one that works for you. The goal of each method is for you to do the things that matter most to you.
An honorable mention: The Sign For Home by Blair Fell. The fictional Professor Bahr says that you have to write badly many times before you become good. This quote is the one that encouraged me to write more.
Reflection
Many good things came out of this year and I cannot be grateful enough for all the good I had. However, I put a lot on my plate the last few months and ultimately had to put it aside due to things that were out of my control. I wanted to obtain a real estate license while taking a graduate course, having a rambunctious dog that needs many walks, interviewing for a new job, and filming/editing videos. Work, school, and my dog were the only things I could focus on if I wanted to also enjoy the outside world. After all, life is meant to be enjoyed.
A couple of months ago I was informed that I would be laid off. Like most people, I was angry, and to some extent I still am upset. I had dreams that were months away from becoming reality, but now those dreams have been put on hold. I started applying and interviewing. The interview process has been quite brutal for me. Tech is quite vast and you never know what will be asked, so when you get asked a string of questions you don’t know the answer or when you answer things well enough you get to the last rounds but end up being rejected, it is soul-crushing.
Through the job search, anger, disappointment, self-doubt, and many Ali Abdaal videos. I sat down and thought about my answer to the following questions:
- If money were no object, what would I do?
- What are my strengths? weaknesses?
- What if I don’t find a job in my current field?
During the holidays I rid myself of all responsibilities: the semester finished, PTO was approved, and house chores were also off the table due to holiday travel. I needed to answer these questions. The author of Squiggly Career defines strength as something you enjoy doing and weaknesses as things that drain your energy. Keep in mind that weaknesses can be things you are good at, and strengths can be things that you are not good at yet. Let’s get to the answers!
Going Forward
The new year is right around the corner, and looking back I know I put a lot on my plate: real estate, class, dog, and all the other day-to-day adult responsibilities.
I want to fill 2024 with things I enjoy whether I am good, bad, or mediocre at them. I want to find the people that will relate to my content. So if money were no object, I would write and create content that tells my story and that helps you, the reader, in some way. I would also learn ASL, I took two years in high school and it was one of the most enjoyable classes I had. It has also proven useful a couple of times.
A few years ago I set the goal of running a 5k and that was a big accomplishment for me, I want to run a half marathon this coming year. Career-wise wise I just want to learn new things and work with people that I can learn from. As I grow in the field, Plato’s words have never been truer “All I know is that I know nothing.” Someone once asked me how I would rate my knowledge on a scale of one to ten on a certain framework. Honestly, I didn’t know how to answer that. There is always something to learn, and I would almost always put myself at a ~7, not because I don’t know the tech, but because I know there is always a lot more to know, especially if it is something that is actively being maintained and updated consistently.
I watch too many productivity videos, which makes me feel like I should be able to accomplish 1001 things all at once. This is what drains me. So in 2024, we will figure out our method that leads to success, rather than trying to follow all the techniques from all of the people all the time.
So what will I do if I don’t find a new job? I am not sure yet. that is ok.
Some Bucket List Items
Here are some outlandish bucket list items I would like to accomplish at some point. I have no real path to these, just things that if they happen would be cool in my opinion
- Guest on Iced Coffee hour
- Guest on The Financial Diet (podcast or as a writer)
- Bowl my first 200 game (my average is ~100)
Let me know in the comments what would you do if money were no object. And if you enjoyed this article give it some claps.
