what 2024 has taught me / #1
New year, new me!! (new site + new newsletter platform, actually)
I have an annual practice of reflecting on the year, and you can see the full, longer version on my (new!) site.
It’s always nice to look back at what I’ve learned, so here are my 3 biggest learning moments:
🧠 No amount of anxiety changes anything that is going to happen
I’m pretty anxiety-prone: it’s background noise in my head. I’ve tried the usual tricks — meditating, journaling, working out — but there is a baseline that I return to.
This year, I found myself anxious about: the layoffs in the company, how my teammates were coping, and my financial situation in the case that it drops on me.
And yet, any worrying wasn’t going to change the outcome of whatever’s going to happen anyway. So, instead of dwelling on thing out of my control, I should shift my focus on the things that are going to move the needle, and convert that time and energy spent anxious into something constructive instead.
⛷️ Look far ahead — not just at your skis or the road right ahead
I picked up quite a few technical skills last year, including skiing and getting my driving license, so this is recency effect at play.
On the slopes, I was surprised to hear the skiing instructor talk about this concept my driving instructors had instilled in me, and I realized that it’s an apt metaphor for our short-term tasks vs. the long-term vision.
It’s a reminder to lift my gaze, look further, and plan bigger, and not have the tunnel vision for what’s right in front of me.
📍 Reframing work: Fine, good enough, and great work
There are moments in my 15-year career that feel tolerable, stable, and ultimately: just fine. It’s not going to be enough to garner a footnote in the story.
Then there’s the good enough work, the kind that you look forward to. For me, that’s something like mentoring, teaching, and getting that solid balance of satisfaction and function.
Then there’s the elusive great work — the kind that lights me up, aligns with my purpose. For me, right now, great work is writing and sharing my ideas, and turning what I’ve amassed inward. It feels meaningful and deeply personal.
Recognizing this has given me clarity on what to pursue and what to let go of.
On that ending note: I’m shifting the focus of this newsletter away from a strict theme (like mental models and psychology frameworks in previous editions) toward something more curated.
This change lets me share longer-form writing on the site, while keeping this space more personal: a two-way street where I can share my experiments in redesigning life, the lessons I’m learning during this sabbatical, and other bits and bobs along the way.
If you know someone who might enjoy this journey, please forward this email or share the link to subscribe. I’d love to connect with more people who are taking — or considering! — this path, and it’ll help me immensely in growing my connections with curious, intentional explorers.
So, that’s me.
What did you learn in 2024? What are you looking forward in 2025? I’ll love to hear about it!
Your pal,
Jalyn (with the new Substack and site!)