2024: A Year of Extremes

Wow, 2024... what a year! It feels like a whirlwind, a rollercoaster ride that somehow managed to be exhilarating and exhausting all at once. Imagine this: I'm sipping champagne in France, pinching myself over landing my dream project. Pure bliss! Then, boom! A job offer I couldn't refuse – a thrilling new chapter, full of learning and the kind of nervous excitement that makes stretch my thinking, and freak out simultaneously (what's that phrase, "fake it til...?"

And amidst all this, my partner and I decided to take the plunge and co-launch our own business. Talk about a labour of love! There were those exhilarating "we did it!" moments, of course, but also the frustrating setbacks that made us want to tear our hair out. Good thing we had each other, a tremendous business partner, and a healthy dose of humour to get through it - it feels like just the beginning...

Summer in Chicago was also magical. Hosting friends and family, rediscovering the city with fresh eyes – it felt like we finally established our home in this city, and had the opportunity to share with our friends and family, our new "locals". Good times, good food, and memories that will forever be etched in my heart.

And then, the icing on the cake: my partner and I got engaged! It was a moment I'll cherish forever, and topped off with a beautiful celebration with the friends we've made in our new home - consider my heart truly warmed!

But amidst all the good, there was a shadow. The demanding new job, while incredibly fulfilling, started to drain me. I found myself neglecting my own interests, feeling that familiar burnout creeping in. And our business, while exciting, came with its own set of pressures. It felt like I was constantly running, and never quite catching my breath, and I look back to determine whether the pressure was real, or just a result of my overall sense at the time. 2024 was a year of extremes, a wild dance between soaring highs and unexpected lows. It taught me some valuable lessons – the importance of balance, the need to prioritize self-care (something I seem to forget every now and then!), and the incredible resilience of the human soul. It also reminded me that even in the midst of chaos, there's always opportunity to stop and see the beauty, you just have to set boundaries and prioritize it (sometimes harder to do in reality).

As I look ahead to 2025, I'm feeling a mix of excitement and a healthy dose of "let's see what this year throws at me..." I'm determined to find a better balance, to rediscover the joys and passions in the everyday outside of work, and to nurture the passions that make me, well, me. Here's to a 2025 filled with more laughter than tears, more self-compassion than self-criticism, and hopefully, a little less chaos (but I won't hold my breath!).