2024 Year-in-Review

At the start of this year, I sat down for my first journaling session and called it "Tabula Rasa"—a clean slate.

After stumbling through 2023 and making more mistakes than I care to admit, my intention for 2024 was simple: I wanted to re-strategize and do better. I promised myself I’d slow down, make better decisions, and stay focused on what really mattered.

By the end of 2023, I had landed a decent job. It seemed promising at first, but within two months, I resigned. The environment was a bit toxic, and they requested for more than I could give. So, I began the year jobless—though, thankfully, I had good savings. I had a clear plan for the year, but life has a way of surprising you.

In March, I unexpectedly landed a great job in a role I never planned for. It was the fastest hiring process I’ve ever experienced—two interviews and I was onboarded within three days. It felt surreal, like they had been waiting for me all along.

A few months in, I fell sick suddenly and was rushed to the hospital in the middle of the night. What I thought would be a quick checkup and few injections turned into an emergency surgery. I did my surgery and was in so much pain than I’ve ever been in my life. I was stuck there for about a week, but that 1 week felt like 10 years while I was on the bed. While others who had surgery at the same time were discharged, my body refused to heal and I just kept wondering, “Will I ever recover?” or “What if this pain never stops?” It was tough, really, but my family was there for me, and slowly, and with more effort than I thought I had, I began to heal. One of the things I learned this year is that;

“Growth and strength is on the other side of pain and stagnation. You won’t know how strong you are until you’ve gone through the worst. So, if you are reading this, whatever pain or disappointment you are feeling right now is only temporary and on the other side of the complete opposite - so be patient.“

From there, everything began to stabilize. I tackled my goals one by one: I moved to a new apartment, made my mum so happy, got over my fear of driving(still on this path), started a new business with my friends, bought my first car, and even got promoted as my “department lead” at work.

Beyond all these achievements, my biggest win was finding peace. For years, I felt unsettled, but this year, I finally felt calm and content with myself, my choices, my setbacks and how I’ve grown. It’s something I worked for, and it feels so good to finally experience it.

Let's not forget, I also had two wisdom teeth removed, and let me tell you—don’t do it unless you have to! The pain had me questioning my existence😭

Through it all, one thing remains clear: God carried me and my family. Many things happened this year I can't even write about. Every step, every breakthrough, every moment of stillness—I see His hand in all of it.

Was 2024 the clean slate I envisioned? In many ways, yes. But it came with lessons, growth, and a kind of peace I've always craved for.

Here’s to fresh starts—this journey called 'life' and the beauty of not knowing where it’ll take you. 😅