Reflections: Ten Takeaways from the Year

One of the things I like to do as the end of the year draws closer is to reflect on the lessons learned during the year. In this post, I list ten takeaways that stood out for me this year. Some sound profound. Few are mundane.

Honestly, many of these lessons aren’t new—life seems intent on (patiently) reteaching them to me year after year as I continue to feign ignorance. But this year, for a change, I propose to at least honor the messages by writing them down. Now, whether I can imbibe these lessons fully into the new year remains to be seen, but the world, as they say, lives in hope!

Here are my ten takeaways from the year:

1. No deadlines, no progress

This year, I gave up running marathons to focus on other aspects of fitness—strength and flexibility. Twelve months later, I’m nowhere near sculpted. If anything, I’m on target to becoming as squishy as an overripe avocado.

Here’s the unvarnished truth: I don’t get much done without a looming deadline (self-imposed or external). Call it pressure, or call it motivation.

My takeaway is to embrace deadlines. After all, procrastination, too, needs a finish line.

2. The Spirit May Be Willing, but the Flesh Can Only Do So Much

Eat a live frog first thing in the morning and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day. Mark Twain

I’m an optimist by nature—just look at my daily to-do list. It sprawls like an endless CVS receipt. The only way I can avoid going to bed in abject despair over everything I didn’t get done is to pick three items from the list and tackle them first thing in the morning before everyone else’s priorities start knocking.

3. Memory is unreliable

“I don’t need to write this down” is the biggest lie we tell ourselves. Kevin Kelley.

When I go for a run, my head is buzzing with ideas. But those ideas vanish faster than free samples at Costco.

PSA: The more times you hit 'scroll back' to find your birth year in a dropdown, the more this applies to you.

You think you can hold two thoughts at once? You’re kidding yourself.

Walk and chew gum at the same time? Ha, not happening!

The lesson I’m taking away is this: whenever I think, ‘Oh, I’ll remember this,’ I immediately tell myself, ‘Write. It. Down.’

4. Being a control freak isn’t helpful

Trying to control things is like herding cats in a room full of laser pointers. Yet, I persist in this exercise in futility ­— trying to bend time, events, and people to my will.

But time and time again, life has shown me that it operates on its own timeline.

Takeaway: The sooner we stop wrestling with it and let things happen, the better off we are. Breathe, trust, and let go. It’s less stressful that way.

5. Inertia Is Real

We all know that “just do it” sounds great in theory, but I’ve learned not to underestimate the power of inertia. When challenging tasks stare at us, the couch suddenly feels like the coziest place on earth.

The takeaway is this: Willpower will eventually fail us, but systems won’t. Whether laying out gym clothes the night before or setting reminders, systems are the only way to get us to tackle anything remotely challenging.

You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems. James Clear.

6. Clutter Sneaks Up on You

Like magic, it takes no time at all to accumulate stuff. But getting rid of it? Say goodbye to the word “weekend.”

Lesson learned: Stay vigilant. Be the strict gatekeeper of your space. Ask yourself: “Do I really need this?” before it crosses the threshold into your space. Because once it’s in, it’s like a bad song stuck in your head—it’s staying for a while.

7. Be Present

One of my 'Eureka' moments this year came from a picture of me on vacation. It shows me sitting at a computer—we had barely settled into our destination, and I was on my computer trying to plan the next one.

Whenever I catch myself wishing I were somewhere else, I'm learning to pause, to remind myself: There was a time I dreamed of being here.

8. Karma Is Real

This one doesn’t need much explanation. Every thought, every action, every intention leaves a mark. Good or bad, it comes back. Especially the bad. Be wary. It's as simple as that.

The law of cause and effect is the law of laws. Ralph Waldo Emerson

9. In Your House, In Your Mouth

Trying to eat healthy when your refrigerator (full of sugary sodas and pre-packaged cupcakes) is ten feet away is like trying to run a marathon in flip-flops.

No matter what diet plan you’ve sworn yourself into, if it’s in your house, it’s going in your mouth.

The takeaway: I give myself permission to indulge when I’m outside, but I try my best not to bring junk food into the house.

10. Do Something for Someone Else Every Day

I saved the best for last. This is the most important lesson of all: Do something—anything—for someone else every day.

Want less stress?  Give. Want to feel present? Help someone else.

In the end, it all comes back to connection.

In Short

So, there you have it—some of my takeaways for this year. And when I forget (because I will), I’ll write them down. Again. And then, hopefully, one day, I’ll learn to live them.