12/29/2024
As I reflect on the end of 2024, I’m reminded of something I wrote back in January 2022, during one of the lowest points in my life. It was a time when I felt emotionally drained and disconnected, coming out of a breakup that had shattered my sense of stability. In many ways, that reflection feels eerily relevant today.
Here’s what I wrote:
“If I ever get around to living again…”
Back then, I used this phrase as a way to confront my emotions head-on. I was grappling with the heavy toll the previous year had taken on me, wrestling with anger, sadness, and anxiety—feelings that felt so overwhelming at times they threatened to consume me.
But here’s the truth: feeling those emotions is not just normal; it’s healthy. Pain, loss, and uncertainty are unavoidable parts of life. What matters most is how we choose to respond. Do we let those emotions define us, or do we face them, process them, and keep moving forward?
The ability to move through pain without becoming stuck in it is called resilience. And resilience is not something we’re born with—it’s a skill that takes conscious effort to build and maintain. Back in 2022, I realized how much I needed to focus on that skill, along with other areas of my life that had felt unsteady.
I made a promise to myself to focus on six key areas:
1. Build resilience – to face challenges with strength and grace.
2. Live with purpose – instead of winging my way through everything.
3. Cultivate happier, healthier relationships – both personally and professionally.
4. Master emotional intelligence – to better understand myself and others.
5. Challenge my own beliefs – to grow and learn from discomfort.
6. Set achievable goals – to become the kind of person I aspire to be.
As I sit here at the close of 2024, I find myself revisiting those same principles. The year felt like an emotional roller coaster—full of highs and lows, lessons and losses. But now, it’s time to step off the ride. To ground myself. To take what I’ve learned and use it to build a life that feels more intentional, balanced, and fulfilling.
This week’s podcast episode is about exactly that: getting off the roller coaster and finding steady ground. Life will always have its ups and downs, but how we navigate those twists and turns defines who we become.
I hope you’ll join me as I dive into these reflections, share my journey, and explore how we can all work toward living with more purpose, resilience, and grace.
1/1/2025” Perfectly Lost”
Episode 1: 2024 – Getting Off the Roller Coaster
Stay tuned,
Shawn
