Spotify® gives you a glossy highlight reel of your music habits, so it felt only fair to give the rest of my life the same treatment. Spoiler alert: fewer charts, more lessons. Doing a year-in-review like this is equal parts rewarding and humbling, and occasionally feels like holding up a mirror that doesn’t use a flattering filter.
Thanks to a demanding work schedule, my “off” time was more theoretical than real. Working a second job meant missing out on a few things over the past couple of years, and 2025 made it clear that some recalibration is needed. The good news? Awareness is step one. Step two happens in the new year.
Fitness-wise, cycling did not have the breakout season I hoped for. I aimed for 500 miles and didn’t even crack 200. The bike and I are still on speaking terms, though. Running, on the other hand, showed up strong. I logged more miles than ever before and completed the Patriot Challenge—rolling straight from a half marathon into an 8K. That alone made my legs question all my life choices, but it was absolutely worth it.
Not every goal on my list got checked off, and I won’t pretend otherwise. But in exchange, I had experiences I wouldn’t trade for any perfectly completed spreadsheet. I met new people, shared conversations that mattered, and hopefully helped a few folks through tough moments. If there’s one metric I care about most, it’s that. Helping others will always outrank personal benchmarks.
This year also brought me back to something I truly enjoy: writing. I’ve been working on multiple blogs that reflect my experiences and my ongoing fascination with the everyday absurdities of life and business—the things everyone agrees should change but somehow never do. Think a personal, slightly more earnest version of a 90s sitcom, minus the laugh track.
While the new year is really just another day spinning through space, it gives us humans a convenient reset button. A moment to pause, reassess, and decide what we want to do differently—or better.
I wish each of you a happy, safe, and healthy new year. And remember: every meaningful change starts with one person. It might as well be you.
