I haven't accomplished any of my work goals in 2024, which hasn't happened since I started on this path. And it's hard to fight that voice in your head that says it means you haven't accomplished anything, and maybe, you've gotten as far as you're capable and that's it. Thing is, to even stay afloat when so much is going wrong in so many areas of your life is probably the biggest accomplishment anyone can achieve.
It certainly forced me to take better care of my mental health. My physical health is also better than it has been in a long time, even if I haven't managed to go back to exercising. This newsletter is completing two years, and despite missing three months this year, is still alive and well.
So I guess, 2024 reminded me how sometimes in life your priority really needs to be to take care of yourself, even if the pressure to produce and achieve is always there, and hardships keep being thrown at you nonstop. And that's something that I'm really not good at, but I'm improving.
It's been a year of many doubts and uncertainties, rethinking priorities and big questions (like what's the point of my work after so many years). All that while so much is changing at an increasingly faster pace in the world. But I've started to realise that it's exactly this sort of moment, especially when you don't have most answers, that helps you figure out what's really important to you and what truly brings you happiness.
I usually end the year hoping the next year will be better, deep down hoping for this utopic peace and happiness in my life. This year I'm hoping for calm and clarity to navigate what is essentially life. It's tough, but it's also full of good and even unexpected happy moments and developments. We're collectively having a hard time recognizing these, but they're essential for crossing to better times.
I wish all of you a restful end of the year.
My favs
Books
To be honest, this year many books I had been expecting frustrated me. I also ended up reading way less overall, four books on this list were February-March recs, and the last was from November's. But as always I picked the 5 books that left me with a lasting impression for whatever reasons. In reading order:
Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree (I'm including Bookshops and Bonedust here.)
Vengeance Planning for Amateurs by Lee Winter
How You Get the Girl by Anita Kelly
Tempting Olivia (2nd book of Oxford Romance series but a standalone) by Clare Ashton
A Dark and Drowning Tide by Allison Saft (probably my favourite book of the year? Most likely it's sharing the first place with Tempting Olivia.)
A special mention to The Guy She Was Interested in Wasn't a Guy at All, barelly kept up with comics this year, but this one was a great surprise.
TV
I watched more stuff this year, mostly thanks to Thailand. Here are my 5 in watching order:
Arcane (My absolute favourite!)
See you in 2025!
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