What a year. My oh my. I just read a Steve Jobs quote: “Some years you win, some years you build character.” And that about sums up 2024 for me.
The Quest
I wanted to chill the eff out and enjoy life more, so I set out on a quest to learn how. But I couldn’t seem to figure it out – more money, fancier apartments, fancier travel trips – all left me feeling meh. It’s not an original story; many have walked this path before.
It’s a bit Eat, Pray, Love minus the divorce: India, Sri Lanka, Bali…and plot twist: Cape Cod, Massachusetts! (Because nothing says spiritual awakening like clam chowder!)
Travel is a wonderful privilege, and I’m deeply grateful for the experiences I had and the lessons I learned along the way. After six months across the world, coming home wasn’t just about returning to a place—it was about finding my way back to myself. Home lives in the people I love and in the person I’m learning to be. Even if that person still can’t fold a fitted sheet.
The Mind Game
The greatest lesson I’ve learned is the mind’s ability to wreak absolute havoc on our lives. The thinking mind is our greatest addiction – everything I thought I knew, I didn’t. Everything I thought was…well, wasn’t?
Self-discovery is a slippery slope. It can lead you to simpler truths or amplify your already burgeoning ego into thinking you’ve discovered wisdom the world needs to know about. In other words: amplify your light or amplify your dark.
Simple Truths
Go stare at a tree. It’s the most real interaction you’ll have all day. No agenda, no small talk, no pretense. Just you and this living thing that doesn’t care about your job title or follower count. It’s been there, growing, while empires rose and fell.
What we resist persists. That sad feeling you’re avoiding is still there, and acknowledging it won’t kill you – it will set you free. Have a good cry, even if it lasts a week. It will stop, and you’ll feel lighter and more capable to handle what life throws at you.
Spirituality is a fancy word some people use to describe intuition and others use to feel special. Learn how to believe in yourself. Whether that takes a trip to India or binge-watching Ted Lasso, just find your way there.
Wisdom
The best advice came from unlikely (or maybe the most likely?) places this year:
From my four-year-old niece and her song: “If you want it, take it.”
Yes, obviously you can’t just take anything. But I heard her little voice singing in my head, and it genuinely inspired me to take action. New job? Go for it. Have something to say? Say it… Because why not? The worst thing that happens is life keeps being exactly what it already is.
From my Brazilian wax specialist, Karen: “What do you think you need self-help for? Think about it, really you’re fine. Just have fun. Everyone is either a season, a reason, or a lifetime, and if it’s meant to be, it will be.”
Looking Forward: 2025
For 2025, I’m aiming for less thinking and more being. Less “Am I doing this right?” and more “I’m just doing this.” Like those dogs you see at the park – they’ve got it figured out without figuring anything out at all. No existential crisis needed. 😉
Final Thoughts
We are meant to navigate our lives our way.
There are 8 billion people on the planet, which means there are 8 billion ways to live a life. Your way is going to look different than my way. We can be inspired and learn from one another, but ultimately, any form of guidance should lead you closer to yourself and your way.
I spent half of 2024 searching for answers in temples and retreats, only to find them in my niece’s songs and Karen’s waxing room wisdom. The universe has a sense of humor that way.
Be well and much love for 2025. May you find your way by doing a little less. After all, things are exactly as they’re meant to be.
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