I wrote in my year’s recap on Instagram that 2024 felt, in many ways, like a winning streak. The payoff for consistent habits and hard work. Finish lines crossed and a mortgage signed. Generous portions of luck and circumstance. 13 years with Adam (and our first of marriage) stacking up like a well dealt hand. The above “mood board” was something I created in January of 2024 – and so much of it feels like it represents the incredible year we had.
In truth, I entered into this year with a lot of optimism but also a fair amount of worry. In 2023 I had a personal reckoning of sorts that lead to some big changes. I got married, kicked off an overhaul of my health and habits, and had finally worked to reject a lot of the old ideas and patterns I’d been clinging to in various areas of my life. In many ways I was worried I’d backslide somehow and lose it all.
And so I began this year with a single phrase – think in decades, act in days. In 2024 I knew I wanted to continue the momentum I’d started the year prior, by making sure that my day to day was working towards the bigger picture. That meant working out regularly and choosing a healthy diet – even when it wasn’t always convenient or when the motivation wasn’t there. It meant getting our financials in order to be able to finally buy our apartment. It meant working really hard so that we could have a life that includes regular travel, enjoying all of New York and celebrating things small and large as they came along.
It felt like a windfall when everything started to click further into place this year. Free of the extra weight I’d been carrying (both physically and mentally), I was able to step up my workouts significantly and get into what I’d consider to be the best shape of my life this year. I ran a 10k.. and then 2 more half marathons! I feel really strong, with energy and stamina to spare. I finally made an eye appointment and got fitted for contacts – something I’d been talking about for years. Adam and I went skiing/snowboarding after a decade or more away from it and discovered a whole new thing we loved to do together. I got a big promotion at work. We bought the apartment. We traveled and celebrated every chance we could.
Like any year, there were moments that didn’t make the highlight reel. Challenging and sad ones. We went bust a few rounds. Life will do that. But someday, I suspect we’ll be sentimental over exactly what we had in 2024.
Below a few of my favorite moments from year. And a heartfelt thank you all for being here – I’m never quite sure what to make of this space, but I’m grateful to those of you (readers new and old) that make it a place worth sharing.
