5 life lessons from 2024
At the end of each year, I like to look back on the year and reflect on what’s worked, what needs to changed and what I’ve learnt. This year has been a particularly big one since I’ve had the opportunity to break free of routine and the gift of time to do anything that I wanted.
Enjoy this reflection on what I’ve learnt in 2024 in the form of 5 life lessons and how they’re changing the way I live and think, including thoughts on taking a break, consumerism, mindful consumption, beliefs and hustle culture.
By the ocean somewhere, Thailand. Note: It was hard to enjoy the sunset whilst also taking photos, but we didn’t do this every day on purpose!
Lesson #1: Taking a break is one of the greatest gifts you can give yourself
When I left home on a one way flight and settled into the rhythm of travel, there were so many moments in those first two months where I knew this was the right choice for me at the time.
The opportunity to reflect, to learn and to act on that change is so rare in a world that rewards productivity, and the opportunity to be away from routine allows for a reset (see Tips for long term travel | the joys, challenges and learnings). It’s a chance to identify what actually matters, provide perspective and set up the foundations for setting your priorities and your why going forward.
I’ve learnt that I want to reconsider how much I subscribe to hustle culture, that I value quality time and memories with family & friends (old and new alike), and that it’s easy to complain and want what you don’t have.
I have realised that if you don’t identify and appreciate the small joys in your life, you'll be waiting a long time to reach a milestone that might not even make you happy.
A break can also mean you take a few hours to yourself and give yourself the permission not do anything, to truly feel like you can rest.
I do recognise that I speak from a place of privilege where I come from a stable, first-world country and can financially afford to stop working for so long, and that I have a healthy family and supportive network that makes this possible - all of which I am super grateful for.
Lesson #2: Less is more
There’s nothing quite like packing your life into a carry on sized suitcase and a backpack for 6 months that forces you to reconsider the utility and value of everything you’re carrying.
To be honest, at times I wish I had more space and had more options, and the rest of the time when I was moving around I was immensely grateful that those two bags were all I had. I deliberately brought less so I could buy some new things (love European fashion) and when I got home I felt overwhelmed by a full wardrobe and a strong urge to declutter.
I’m reading a book called Slow by Brooke McAlary, and decluttering and de-owning are the first steps towards slow living. Since decluttering and de-owning I’ve felt a lot lighter, my room and my wardrobe feels a lot calmer, and I feel that I can do the same with the way I organise my schedule and make decisions.
It was also inspiring to see different communities enjoying the simple things each day, taking the time to connect with others over a drink in the square/park/beach, and not feel this constant urge to rush. I am so grateful for each day - that this was my life, watching sunsets and exploring new places.
I’m also becoming more of a fan of sharing and circle economies, making good use of reselling platforms like Depop and Facebook Marketplace and going thrifting for wardrobe pieces that I’ve been considering for a while.
My biggest win recently is inspiring others to declutter as well, and I encourage you to look around and reconsider if you actually need everything that you own as well.
Lesson #3: Comparison is the thief of joy
What we consume affects how we feel.
Much like the food we eat affecting the way our body feels, the content we consume affects how we feel mentally.
Social media is both a blessing and a curse - an amazing tool for sharing information and staying connected with friends, but addictive and encourages activities like doom scrolling and constant comparison between your life and someone’s highlight reel.
There were so many times I habitually opened social media, scrolled for 15 minutes and realised I had no idea what I had set out to do. I was feeling down, lost - I had no idea what my purpose was, and I was spending my savings in yet another foreign country and seeing another old town.
There was a point where I realised I was ‘living the dream’ but I still felt down because someone else had something I wanted - and from there knew I had to stop comparing up so much. I decided to name three things that I was grateful for each day, whether it was the sun coming out or not being late for the bus or having a good night’s sleep, and be more mindful of how I was using technology and being more present with my surroundings.
Flipping the narrative from envy that someone had an opportunity you wanted (‘victim mindset’) to feeling grateful that these opportunities do exist and more exist in the future (‘abundance mindset’) also helped with managing comparison and finding joy.
Lesson #4: Be the hero in your own story
Reframing the voice in your head to take responsibility for what happens in your life, your career, your relationships had made a huge improvement to my confidence.
Using the example from above, moving away from a victim mindset into an abundance mindset can look like changing the conversation from “why didn’t I get opportunity A“ to “it’s so great that my friend got opportunity A, I’m glad these opportunities exist and there is hope for more in the future which I can put myself forward for“.
This has been huge for me, feeling like a victim feels heavy and like the world is against you, where as feeling like hero means you can look to what you can control and focus on that to create change, and take an active step towards what you want.
Lesson #5: There are beliefs and habits that don’t serve you anymore
Consider if you’re holding onto something (behaviour, person, emotions) - what is it protecting you from? There are beliefs and habits that you've inherited or developed to survive that don't serve you anymore.
Say thank you, and let them them so you can thrive.
One of the big things I've had to unlearn is that self worth is not defined by a number (aka my salary).
Being brought up in a system where you’re ranked at school and in an Asian culture where people view success by company, job title and salary, it’s easy to think those are the things that matter and that money = stuff = status = happiness.
Of course there is a balance, some of these things to matter to an extent, but if we remember a person by the conversations you have and how they made you feel - why should self worth be defined by a number? Instead a better measure of self worth could be a person’s values and how they live by them, their relationships and how they made you feel.
Some more beliefs and habits that no longer serve me:
A victim mindset → adopt an abundance mindset
Fear of failure → small, concrete tasks are less overwhelming than big, fluffly goals
Not asking for help → it’s not all about ego and making it on your own
Over-indugulging on social media → more mindful consumption through long form content (books, podcasts, time-boxed social media scrolling)
What life lessons have you learnt in the past year? Share them in the comments below.
