New Year and New Beginnings
Happy New Year! My life looks a lot different in January 2024 than it did twelve months ago. In that time, I’ve accumulated more than 1,000 miles of road cycling experience, completed 55 books, marginally improved my pinball skills, played drums in front of a live audience for the first time in over 7(!) years, gave some hand-made gifts that I personally knitted, and started getting regular haircuts, something that is absolutely one of my most disliked parts of existence (don’t ask me why, I just really don’t like the process – it’s much worse than seeing a dentist, for me!).
More importantly, I’ve also survived two significant life changes: my layoff in July, and more recently, the conclusion of my romantic relationship of 15 years in November. I have been on a self-imposed sabbatical since the loss of my employment, and though it hasn’t always felt that way at times, I think the long, empty days have in fact been helpful, as they’ve provided plenty of time and space to process, mourn, and reflect on these events.
I’m thankful to be blessed with a great support network of friends who have taken time to get together to talk, laugh, and distract me from my life’s significant personal happenings. Though these last few months have been difficult and a new year is an arbitrary marker of a fresh start, I’m coming into 2024 with a refreshed sense of optimism and determination to make this year much better than the last one for myself and those around me.
My theme for this year is self-care. This will manifest itself in myriad ways, first and most importantly by securing meaningful employment to stabilize myself financially and provide professional goals to focus on and work toward. Beyond that, I aim to continue building on the good habits I formed in 2023 to strengthen my mind and body through exercise, independent study, creative pursuits, and play. Additionally, I’m going to seek new opportunities to engage myself socially to help forge new friendships, and take steps toward deepening my existing ones. In practice, this means more of the same (reading, cycling, playing drums), but also challenging myself to get out of my comfort zone by taking courses, attending meetups, and otherwise putting myself out there in ways I might otherwise avoid.
I’m determined to make this a great year, and I hope you are as excited about fresh opportunities as I am. If not, perhaps I could be part of your own support network to help you talk through ideas and challenges, because I believe we’re all capable of so much more than we sometimes give ourselves credit for. Let’s stay positive, find those wins, and help make days brighter for one another in every way that we can, because the only way to move is forward.
Here’s to the start of a great year.