
2024 is officially coming to an end, and with it, one of the most exhausting yet incredible years of my life thus far, marking the end of my early twenties with a bang.
It wasn’t a boon politically (we won’t even go there) or economically (don’t make me laugh) but, for me, it was transformative in several ways that together made up an unforgettable year with much-needed progress in my self-worth, renewed dreams of the future, and a nearly endless stream of “oh my gosh this can’t be real” moments both good and bad.
2024 was not everything I thought it would be—it was more. Here are my plights and highlights for those who care to walk down memory lane with me.
Plights:
Writers Block in a stream of Constant content creation
The funny thing about writing is how connected it is with one’s mental state. Where I can muscle through mental blocks and lack of motivation in my work for my clients, the same process can take double the effort for my personal projects.
Unfortunately, writing for myself has always flowed better when I’m unhappy—which is not ideal, of course. As I am in quite a content state of mind for the most part these days, my writing has ironically suffered.
My tasks for the coming year are to: A) figure out how to channel the same inspiration I’ve had with the blues while being…well, happy. And B) to determine how to best preserve some energy for my projects after a day of writing for other people.
I am beyond grateful for my work, but at the end of the day, all of that writing is not mine, and I must find a way to reserve some inspiration for myself.
Health Challenges, because of course, why not??
This year round-house kicked me a few times in the health department. As someone who has not had many medical issues for the majority of their life, it was a new and annoying experience to end up in urgent care not once but twice in the same year.
I’m fine, but good grief, I’m hoping that pattern is not the new normal for me.
Pet Emergencies (ouch, my heart—and my savings)
Unfortunately, I was not the only one who ended up in urgent care this year. I now have the wonderful experience of rushing a dog to the Pet ER after they’ve had three seizures in under 24 hours. The bright side is that Charlie is now on some medication that—so far—has worked wonders. No seizures for months! Knock on wood!
Side note on that, ladies—if he won’t drive you to a Pet ER on a date night and then proceed to play Uno with you in the truck while you wait for test results, AFTER letting you sob into his shirt, he ain’t the one.
Highlights:
A dangerous bug continues to spread, and it ain’t covid
Oh yes, make no mistake, the travel bug has continued to flourish. Me and my guy road-tripped to Seattle, went to the top of the space needle, explored Olympia, drove up to the Blue Ridge Mountains, drove allllll the way down to Vegas, saw the Grand Canyon, walked the strip in 108-degree weather, and more. Not all at once, to be clear, that would have been insane.
We also found the time to see my mom and step-dad a few hours away not once, not twice, but three times! Including once with Charlie, who got to experience his first road trip.
I also gallivanted to Seminole, Florida with some friends and got so tan I wondered if sunscreen had actually been a marketing ploy this entire time. From my first real beach experience—sand dollars and all!—to (very questionably) consuming most of a jar of moonshine-infused maraschino cherries to attempting to catch a cockroach who had invaded our Airbnb, it was a trip to remember.
A little Florida tip from yours truly: You ABSOLUTELY need a hat and sunglasses for the beach. I’m sure most people know this. But lemme tell ya, a hat was not enough; I nearly went blind.
My Vegas tip: Do not go in Summer unless you’re okay with skin-melting levels of heat that threaten to choke you with every breath while also bringing about enough sweat to collectively drown a rat. Again, I’m sure this is common knowledge, but BE WARNED. We were warned, but the timing was non-negotiable, and for that, I lament.
Falling in love and being fallen in love with! (wha???)
Whoa does it EVER hit different when the vibes are mutual. I’ve fallen in love before, and it was a very lonely experience that ended in a heap of hurt, but this?? This is so much better.
I never could have guessed what it would feel like when it wasn’t just me and a bunch of wondering. There was no room for wondering here.
Sure, it hasn’t been perfect. Nothing real ever is. And yet, I find I don’t mind too much the parts that aren’t perfect because I know what we’ve built is formed around faith and a mutual dedication to one another. And, of course, love. A type of love I was beginning to think didn’t exist, or at least wasn’t possible for me. But as always, God’s plans were better than what I had in mind.
A camping we will go (or, erm, a camping we went)
Before this year, I had not been camping since I was a child and man, I missed it. We roasted brats with savory, tangy barbecue sauce, fried eggs in bacon grease, talked late into the summer night around a crackling fire, had a mostly successful kayaking expedition (a tandem kayak really is an unsung relationship tester), and huddled together warm and dry while the rain tip-tapped on the canvas through the night.
So much of this year has been about embracing the unexpected and rolling with the punches—which, honestly, could be any year—and it’s truly shown me how much can come with letting go.
Gaining confidence driving (aka the freeway still sucks but I am making progress)
Towards the end of last year, I got my first car. This year, I drove and drove and drove. There are still times I despise driving, but the more I do it, the less it bothers me. I even learned how to change my own oil, and getting fuel no longer causes any amount of anxiety—besides the prices.
A real turning point was successfully driving a truck for the first time. It was mostly on one of the straightest roads possible, but still, I drove for six hours straight, and no one died. I count it a win.
2024 was different than anything I ever expected it to be, and honestly, 2025 is looking to be even more full of new and wonderful-terrible-amazing-scary blessings and trials.
I’d be lying if I said I was ready for all of them. The truth is I have no idea what to expect, and I’m doing my best to focus on what is in my control, which, as always, are my responses, reactions, and choices.
Wishing you a bright and fulfilling 2025, and thank you for reading!