New Year, New Perspectives
Today is a day of the year that so many people seem to look forward to... Cliches such as
- "New Year, New Me"
- "A fresh page in a new journal"
- "Turning over a new leaf"
- New Year's Resolutions
I used to, and to some extent still do, think this way. The start of the year feels like a fresh beginning. Time is one of our most valuable assets. That's why opening a blank calendar gives you hope and a breath of fresh air. With this fresh start, many decide it's time to begin something different, to better themselves in a unique way, or to return to something they had done before. It's a noble journey, and I wish everyone who has made resolutions success on their adventure!
Reflecting on 2024: The Year of Foundation
However, this year, I'm not going to create anything new. Last year, I deemed 2024 the year of FOUNDATION, and I did A LOT to lay that foundation. In 2024, I did a complete overhaul of my diet, started to average 5 days per week in the gym, and made significant strides in my professional development as a software engineer.
A Year of Aspirations
I had a lot of big dreams and aspirations too. Let me recap some of them quickly:
- Social Media Growth: I started my Instagram account at the end of 2023, and I hit it hard at the beginning of 2024, but ultimately felt like switching to X would be a better play.
- Content Creation: I produced both short and long-form content, including a 31-day streak of daily posts on YouTube and Instagram, which was part of my attempt at 75 Hard.
- Podcasting: I started 2 different podcasts, and between the two, released 35 episodes.
- Fitness and Hobbies: I focused on fitness with daily weight lifting and tried to lower my golf handicap from 23 to below 10.
- Affiliate Marketing: I experimented with affiliate marketing through, Gospel Golf, Sunrise Sippers, & Buy My Ballz
- Tech Ventures: With friends, I explored app development and starting a web design & development company.
On top of all my efforts to "build my personal brand," I still had my wife, our dog, my actual job that pays the bills, time with family, friends, church, and a tiny bit of time just to breathe. You know... real life stuff. 😂
The Realization of Hustle Culture
As last year wrapped up, I realized that I had fallen completely into the trap of "Hustle Culture," but I wasn't doing it well at all. All of those attempts made me a total of $299.96, but I neglected a bunch of things in my life in the name of some abstract idea of making money in the future.
That was until December 26th when I was spending the day working on things instead of just taking some time to enjoy life. On that day, I noted in an X post that I had 2 unrelated instances telling me that hustle culture is a scam.
Around this time, I was also thinking of what I wanted to work on in 2025, and that's when it hit me: I love most of what I am doing, and, aside from being stretched a little too thin, my life is at a peak but I realize I need to manage my tasks better. Balance... I need more balance in my life.
Focus for 2025: Building Balance upon the Foundation
So that is what I am going to focus on this year. I built a solid foundation of so many great things, but now it is time to build upon that foundation. There are things that I have to do that I need to focus on more than I have been. There are also a lot of things that I want to do, but I am acknowledging that I cannot do them all, so it's crucial to differentiate between what I must do and what I desire to do. Out of all of my wants, it is time to figure out the one or two that I should do.
I know that there are big things ahead for me. I know it because the Lord promised me there would be. I don't know which things they are yet, but I plan to spend a good amount of time over the next couple of days and weeks in prayer and honing in on the things that the Lord is calling me to. Through prayer, I hope to discern which of my desires align with His plan. This year, I will balance all of the things I'm working on to continue working toward the life that God has promised me. A life unscheduled.
Thanks for reading. Love y'all!
Have a PHENomenal day, and Never Stop Peaking!