#95 Reflections on 2024

Author

Alex Joshi
November 24, 2024

Greetings from Madrid.

On the flight out I took some time to reflect on 2024, and here are a few of the insights. I've loosely grouped them for ease of consumption:

Self-care and personal growth

  • Life doesn't have to be a struggle, a continuous war with oneself and the world. It is a choice to make it so, to believe it is the only way to get what you truly want. The alternative is to just choose happiness, to be content in the here and now. Yes, you can want more, but you don't need to be dissatisfied with life until you get there. It's okay to slow down and smile about today.

  • Take time out for yourself every day. Set boundaries with others to protect your time and your own mental health. It's okay to say no.

  • Asking for help isn't a sign of weakness. Seek out experts and professionals.

  • Show yourself compassion.

  • A healthy body leads to a healthy mind. A healthy mind leads to a healthy body.

  • Life gets better when you sleep better.

  • Move every day to move until your last day.

  • Maintain a low flame; it's easier than reigniting a fire from cold embers.

  • Slow down. Build slack into your schedule.

  • The highest return on investment you can make is in yourself.

  • Spend the money on quality, on saving tim and effort, and peace of mind.

  • Simplicity brings happiness. Elimination over accumulation.

  • The things that helped you survive in one chapter of your life may not necessarily serve you well in other chapters.

Relationships and connection

  • Be open with yourself and with others. Don't leave anything unsaid. Difficult conversations bring understanding and growth.

  • Love without fear or reservations.

  • Listen intently. Pay as much attention to what is not said.

  • Make them feel special. People will remember you for how you made them feel.

  • People connect to people and stories. Simplify the messaging. Less words are more.

  • Family first.

  • Speak up when you don't like something.

  • Go where your heart feels full.

  • Make time for what truly matters.

  • Tomorrow is not guaranteed, for you and for those around you. Cherish every moment.

Mindset and perspective

  • The things that you are complaining about are the same things you had once prayed for. Show gratitude.

  • There is no one who has your best interests in mind more than yourself. Look out for yourself, ask for what you want.

  • Actions really do speak louder than words.

  • Remind yourself frequently of what you most value in life.

  • Turn the volume down on the noise. Be as careful about what you feed your mind as what you feed your body.

  • Traffic lights turn amber to give you time to prepare for red. The universe has its own way of flashing amber; listen to the early warning signs.

  • We overestimate what can be achieved in the short-term and underestimate the long-term.

  • Small issues left unaddressed compound over time.

  • Rules don't always have logic behind them; bend them or even break them. Sometimes it's better to do it and then ask for forgiveness later.

  • Feel deeply. Ride the waves, don't fight them.

  • If you know you're unlikely to like the answers, it's even more important to ask the question.

  • There's never a perfect time to jump.

Implementation idea

Some prompts for your own end-of-year review:

  1. What were your biggest achievements this year, and why were they significant?

  2. What challenges did you face, and what did you learn from them?

  3. How did you grow this year?

  4. What habits served you well, and which ones need improvement or elimination?

  5. What were your most memorable moments, and what made them stand out?

  6. What relationships had the most impact on you, and how did they evolve?

  7. Did you live in alignment with your core values, and if not, where can you improve?

  8. What goals did you set but not achieve, and what were the reasons behind it?

  9. What is one thing you wish you had done differently this year?

  10. What are the top three lessons you’ll carry forward into 2025?

— AJ

On my bedside table:

🎬 Video: Andrew Tate vs Therapist (Round 2) - 2 hrs 12

💬 Quote: “Manifestation isn't about getting what you want; it's about becoming who you need to be to receive it.” - Matt Cooke

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