Life lessons from 2024

With the year coming to an end and a new one beginning, I think it’s a great time to reflect on everything 2024 entailed.

This may sound extreme, but it felt like an ongoing manic episode. I had some of the highest highs, but I also fell flat on my face. There were various instances where I had to navigate life with a broken heart when all I wanted to do was hide and suffer in silence. But despite multiple tribulations, I shined through. So, for now, I’ll share with you the life lessons 2024 has taught me.

1. You’re Not Everyone’s Cup of Tea

As a pathological people-pleaser, this has been a tough pill to swallow—but I think I’ve finally made peace with it. When you frequently deal with world-class narcissists who will never be fully satisfied, you eventually come to terms with the fact that you will never be enough for them.

This may be hard to digest, but the best thing we can do is try our best. If others don’t recognize it, at least be self-aware that you did everything you possibly could in that situation. I view not pleasing everyone like this: when you go to the grocery store, you have a preference for the type of cereal you eat. This is how some people view others—you’re not the box of Lucky Charms they hoped for, and that’s okay. It’s okay to be Cheerios.

This shouldn’t make you want to change. Stay true to yourself because you’ll eventually find someone who prefers Cheerios—aka you.

2. Grief Looks Different Throughout Experiences

Sadly, this isn’t my first rodeo dealing with the grief of losing a loved one. Back in 2017, I lost one of my dear childhood friends. I had never faced that much turbulence in my life until then. It led me into some of the darkest moments of my life that I would never want to relive. That grief came from being introduced to the feeling of loss and essentially having to let go of someone at such a young age.

This year, I lost another childhood friend. There are many reasons why this loss feels different. For starters, my friend lived in California, so a part of me was used to not seeing him often. Secondly, we lost him during the summer. You may wonder, “What does the season have to do with the loss of someone?” The underlying parallel is seasonal depression.

When I lost my first friend back in 2017, it was in late August, which meant fall was right around the corner. It heightened my emotions with sadness. But losing my second friend during the prime of summer felt different.

I miss them both immensely and would do anything to have them back on this earth. But I like to think they now have each other in heaven, and that gives me a little bit of peace. The best thing we can do for our loved ones we’ve lost is to hold onto the memories.

3. Travel More

This point ties in with the previous one. Life is short, so we must make the most of it—and for me, that includes traveling.

For the first time in my life, I traveled by myself outside of the country, and it makes me want to do it a million times more. Toronto, Canada, was an experience of a lifetime that I’ll never forget, and I want to make more experiences like that happen.

So, dear reader, this is your sign to travel more! Cheap flights are always a thing. My dad once bought plane tickets for my mom and me when I was a baby to Mexico (I’ve been living a lavish life since the diaper days), and the booker told him that a flight to London was cheaper than going to Mexico. I obviously couldn’t speak at the time, but if it were up to me, I would’ve crossed the pond to England.

My goal is to make it to Europe in 2025. I’ve heard that getting around different countries over there is fairly cheap through trains and flights. For those who may be scared of flying on planes, I hate every second of it, but that fear or disliking vanishes once the reality of my destination sets in.

4. Don’t Let Anyone ‘Yuck’ Your ‘Yum’

Do not allow people to make you feel bad about the things you enjoy. As long as those things aren’t hurting anyone, don’t let others dictate your favorite things.

I’m eternally grateful I never fell for the trap of disliking Taylor Swift just because others thought it was cool—mind you, those were the same people trying to attend the Eras Tour. So, if you wish to attend 20 concerts to see your favorite artist, do it. If you want to become a Twitch streamer, do it. The world is your oyster, so enjoy everything that makes you “you.”

5. Read More

In case you were wondering, I’m just one book shy of reaching my reading goal. Not to sound like a grade-school teacher, but reading is everything. It opens up gateways for inspiration, imagination, and escapism.

Yes, numerous books are being adapted into movies or shows, but there’s a reason people always say the book is better than the adaptation—it’s because they are. Books provide small, nitty-gritty details that even the greatest scriptwriters and directors can’t evoke on screen.

Before anyone says reading is an expensive hobby, remember you can always support your local library by checking out books—they even offer e-books now! In reality, it’s a win-win situation for all parties.