Wrapping up 2024

End-of-Year Reflections: Lessons From a Year of Loss and Gratitude

Wow, 2024 hit like a hurricane, turning everything upside down before spiraling completely out of control. Normally, I’d use the end of the year to reflect and plan for what’s next. But, to be honest, I haven’t fully processed 2024 yet—and somehow, we’re already a third of the way through January 2025! So, I guess I’ll reflect as I write this.

Let’s start with the plans I had for 2024 and how they turned out:

• 30-Day Challenges: I set out to build new habits with monthly challenges. That lasted almost two months before life pulled me in other directions.
  
  
• Goodbye, Netflix and Audible: I planned to cut back on both, but that didn’t stick. Audible lured me back with a 6-month deal for $3, and I’m still hooked. Netflix? I gave in too—signing up for the $6.99 plan with commercials. It turns out I don’t watch much, so that’s been a good compromise.
  
  
• Switching to Bar Shampoo: One win! I ditched bottled shampoo and conditioner and switched to bar shampoo from The Earthling Co. That’s a habit I’ve happily kept.
  
  
• Launching Tails of Flyball: I had big dreams of traveling and creating a book full of flyball dogs. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find the time for even one session. For now, the project is on hold while I decide what to do next.
  
  
• Living More, Working Less: I planned to enjoy life and spend less time tied to my computer. Instead, I found myself simply trying to survive day-to-day in a year that felt riddled with holes from loss. Despite constant reminders to be grateful, I lost sight of what really mattered.

2024 was a year of loss and hard lessons, It taught me to appreciate everyone and everything and to try to live each day with intention.

As I step cautiously into 2025, instead of saddling myself with a list of goals like last year, for this year, my goal is simply: to live with gratitude and to actually live—not just exist in the day-to-day grind. I won’t pretend this will be easy, but I’ll work on it. I hope you’ll join me in making this a year of presence, gratitude, and intention.