I've been doing public year-in-reviews for several years now (though I missed a few, which I regret). I believe reflection is a crucial tool for growth.
Personal Growth & Gratitude
While I don't publish many blog posts, I write almost daily in my private journal. Growth is one of my three Gs that drive my life's purpose, and this year has been full of meaningful experiences.
Another G is Gratitude, which I've had in abundance this year. The year began with the passing of Mandy's mother after her long battle with cancer. While we deeply miss her, we're grateful for the additional time we had. She had been given just one year to live about 15 years ago. This year also saw the passing of my best friend's dad and one of my Dad's good friends. These events help me realize that our time here is finite, inspiring me to live each day to the fullest.
Last year, I started anxiety medication, which has helped me find peace and renewed drive. Combined with my habit stacking over the years – sleep, exercise, reading, journaling, and gratitude practices – I've seen real progress. These small, consistent actions compound over time. You can read more about life wisdom and philosophy here.
Family Highlights
We made lasting memories through family vacations to Disney and Turks and Caicos (most beautiful water I've ever seen).
These moments are precious, knowing we only get so many with our kids.
Eva Cate turned 14 and started 8th grade. She got her braces off and developed a wonderful small group of friends. She also convinced us to welcome a new family member - Teddy, our dog, who has been a fantastic addition and friend to Winnie.
Jake hit the big 10 and started 4th grade. While he continues to love fishing and soccer, he's also discovered gaming this year.
Business Developments
Business took me to new places this year – Istanbul, Turkey and Cabo, Mexico, both beautiful first-time experiences.
I continue to run SeedProd.com (which turned 14!), RafflePress.com, and Duplicator.com. I also launched OnePageGA.com, a streamlined dashboard for Google Analytics 4, built during nights and weekends with AI assistance. Programming helps satisfy my creative drive, much like playing music does.
Overall, it was a solid business year. While there's always room for improvement, I'm grateful for these opportunities. I've been geeking out about AI and look forward to sharing more thoughts on its potential to simplify and improve efficiency.
2024 Goals Review
- ✅ Maintained consistent healthy habits (exercise, 8-hour sleep schedule, meditation, and work-life balance)
- ✅ Refined my writing process (though shared less publicly than planned)
- ✅ Prioritized family time (especially knowing Eva Cate has just 5 more years at home)
- ✅ Monthly date nights with Mandy (we might need to expand beyond our favorite 5 restaurants!)
- 🤏 Partially achieved daily salad/smoothie goal
- ✅ Pursued creativity through building OnePageGA.com
Looking Forward: 2025 Goals
Again I want to keep stacking, here are a few habits I want to nail this year:
- Develop a more structured nutrition plan
- Return to strength training while maintaining cardio
- Continue studying History and Philosophy (Notable insight: Humans throughout history share the same core emotions, desires, needs, and fears – we're just experiencing them in different times and environments)
- Increase content production (Final G is Give. I want to give back more.)
- Enhance AI efficiency in workflows
- Live each day with intention
This year has taught me to appreciate both the challenges and blessings, learning from setbacks while celebrating progress. Here's to continuing the journey of growth, gratitude & giving.