2024: The Year That Flew By…
We made it to 2025, friends!
Yeah, I can’t believe it either. 2024 was the year I said, “How is it already December?!?” at least 11 times a day.
Time doesn’t just pass since I hit my 40s — lately, it seems to sprint. But despite feeling like a bit of a blur, 2024 did not pass without some key reflections that I plan to take with me into 2025.
Reflection 1: Getting Older = Making Younger Me Proud
So far, being in my 40s has been about doing things younger me would approve of.
Case in point:
I was 10 when I first imagined travelling to far away countries with matching luggage, because somehow that felt very “adult.” I was obsessed with horses when I was 12 and took lessons for a few years. When I graduated high school, I knew I wanted to study politics and either become a diplomat or work for the UN. I wanted a nose piercing when I was 18 but my mom talked me out of it (and I ended up getting a tattoo instead).
I’ve now lived in Jordan for five years and get to travel a lot. I’ve worked at the UN World Food Programme for nearly two years. I finally got my nose pierced at 40. A year and a half ago, I purchased matching blue luggage. And my husband and I recently started horseback riding lessons at a farm outside of Amman, allowing me to revisit a childhood activity that brought me a lot of joy.
Living the life that younger me dreamt about means a lot to me. There were points growing up where I could not see things getting better. Consciously or unconsciously, many things I’ve done in the last few years – like going to therapy, seeking an ADHD diagnosis, and participating in eating disorder recovery – have all been to heal versions of my younger self.
I can’t physically sit down with Young Brittany and tell her that we turn out alright and are doing the cool things she thought we would. But since she’s still me, I can keep connecting to her through fulfilling dreams she had. And if that isn’t a way to age well, I don’t know what is.
Reflection 2: Re-focus on Being Present
I’m an ADHD-er who struggles with anxiety. My brain spends a lot of time anticipating the future or constantly rehashing the past. I’m always looking for the next thing to put on – and then cross off – a to-do list so I can feel a sense of control over my racing brain. This can make it really hard for me to slow down and be present in the moment.
I’ve been doing CBT journaling for a while, but the habit took a bit of a back seat in 2024. I only journaled 10 times the whole year, and I felt it.
One of my intentions for 2025 is getting back into regular journaling, since it really does help ground me in the present moment.
Reflection 3: Remember the Importance of Self-Compassion
We all know therapy is like tossing a grenade into your life and then deciding how to deal with the pieces as they start raining back down. My therapy grenade went off in 2021, and 2024 was the first full year where I felt like I was putting pieces together again (except for the US election, but that’s a post for a different time).
What does this have to do with self-compassion? Because I’m a typical oldest child and oldest daughter who’s been a perfectionist and hard on myself my whole life. I had to remind myself that still going to therapy after three years didn’t mean I’d failed somehow. So, I flipped the narrative and tried to focus on what being in therapy has allowed me to see and do differently.
I also understand “self-care” in an entirely different way now. How I can I show up for the people in my life that I about in the ways that I want to if I don’t value myself enough to be kind to myself?
Being understanding to myself when I feel inadequate (for whatever reason) is as important as any intention or resolution or goal. In 2025, I’m doubling down on this mindset.
On to 2025
My focus in 2025 will be on regaining some balance. And that will require staying present. More time for hobbies, less time for “imposter syndrome.” More patience with myself, less chasing perfection.
If 2024 was about learning, 2025 is about living those lessons fully.
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