I don’t like New Year’s Resolutions.
They tend to seem forced, make me feel guilty, and I usually fail at keeping them. That said, I’m dedicated to personal development and to carving out the life I really want. That requires reflection. If I don’t look back on where I’ve been, how will I know if I’m closer to where I want to go?
The start of a new year lends itself to personal reflection. Here are some significant events that stood out as I ruminated on 2024:
1. My mom passed away after a bad fall that she couldn’t recover from.
2. I published two books, numbers four and five in my spooky middle grade monster mystery series MONSTERIOUS (Penguin Random House).
3. I went on two national book tours, appeared at three book festivals, and hung out with one of my literary heroes, Goosebumps author R L Stine.
4. I had two different book projects rejected, ones that I pitched to my editor as a follow up to MONSTERIOUS.
5. My wife Lisa and I sold three houses, most of our possessions, and transitioned to living nomadically.
6. We traveled to eight countries, taking our nomadic experiment international.
7. I shockingly became a USA Today best-selling author on Christmas Day when my first book hit the list a year and a half after its publication.
Here are some insights I gained from that reflection:
1. I went through some hard things
The death of my mom, the gut-punch of multiple book rejections, the grind of selling three properties, and the difficult transition to nomadic living took a lot out of me physically and emotionally. I realized I need to rest, be kind to myself, and give myself grace.
2. I accomplished a lot
In the busyness of daily living, significant accomplishments can quickly get lost. Listing them reminded me of how far I’ve come in my personal and professional life. When those victories arrive, I need to take time to celebrate them, something I’m not good at.
3. I’m going in the right direction
I came into 2024 wanting to push my writing career forward, find freedom through nomadic living, travel, and spend more time with people I love. I was surprised to realize how much ground I’d gained on those goals this past year. It was a lot of hard work and intentionality, but the results are incredibly gratifying. My life now looks close to what I’d set out to make it.
As you reflect on the past year, what significant milestones stand out? What do those markers say about your progress toward your goals? Does your life more closely mirror your preferred vision for it than it did a year ago?
Ask yourself these hard questions. Be brutally honest. Give yourself grace for the hard things you’ve endured. Lavishly celebrate your accomplishments. Take comfort in the progress you’ve made. Course correct as needed. If you do, you’ll have a more meaningful and enjoyable life, and you’ll take another step toward Becoming Yourself.
