Farewell 2024!

1. Don't be too hard on myself.
2. It's okay to have time to rest.
3. Love myself as I would to others.
4. Small, consistent actions make a difference in life.
5. Be accountable with my actions.

I was a perfectionist person. Whenever I see a mistake or a problem on my tasks, I would restart it all over (quite literally). To be honest, I could take into account of my being competitive ever since I was a kid. However, as time goes on, I began to embrace imperfections and thought, I might have been way too hard on myself.

I always remember that throughout my journey in 2024, I've put way too much energy on working and working that my family and friends were worrying about me all the time. At that time, I was juggling multiple responsibilities to be honest.

As time progresses, I felt my body feeling fainter and getting more fatigued. Whenever I try to take a nap, my body says no because my body was used in working hours and hours. Once I got a well-deserved break in December, I felt more revitalized and wished that I should have done it way earlier.

To be honest, when I reflected my 2024 journey, I exerted way too much effort to others, but not towards myself. I focused on what other people need and desire in exchange of my needs being compromised. Eventually, I then realized that I was becoming a people-pleaser, and hoped that I would change this year with better boundaries.

Before, I struggled on maintaining my habits because I was way too busy that year. I have always underestimated the power of small actions because I excuse myself of having not enough time and energy to do these simple tasks.

When I had a time to read Atomic Habits in my long break, I learned how powerful it was. When I applied it on forming my habits, even if it might take 5 minutes or less daily. When I look back on my progress now, I felt proud of myself for taking a small but consistent step.

Yes, this might be way too harsh, but I am accountable for everything that happened, happens, or will happen to my life. In fact, previous studies support that majority of actions or response will determine how life will be, while the rest is on external influences such as the environment.

Before, I always wondered about the lives of successful people and envied them because of how they were able to live the life that they would want because they were born rich and privileged. Eventually, I realized that I could determine the destiny of my life, and equipped with hard work.

1. Don't be too hard on yourself - Sometimes, mistakes happen as a way to improve yourself.
2. It's okay to have time to rest - Like bread, sometimes we need rest to rise again amidst challenges that we might face in life.
3. Love yourself as you would to others - On the end of the day, you will only have yourself who could truly understand who you are and accept what you truly feel.
4. Small, consistent actions make a difference in life - Small things accumulate.
5. Be accountable with your actions - Changing the steering wheel from the external environment to your own helps you change your destiny.

2024 has ended. Although 2024 has closed, another opportunity awaits for 2025: to bounce back, to improve, and to stand strong amidst the uncertainties this year will offer. Although it will be another tough year, we are now equipped to fight and fight with all of our hearts in this journey to achieve what we are destined to be from our blood, sweat, and tears. It's up to you on how you will apply this article, but the advice that I could offer to you is "Be your personal best."