Reflect, Dream, and Design Your Best Year
It's that time of year when nostalgia for the months that have passed sets in. We evaluate the mistakes we've made, the lessons we've learned, the goals we've accomplished, and we continue to add to our never-ending bucket list of life achievements. Looking back, I'm not sure I "achieved" anything in the traditional sense, yet it was a year full of memorable moments that I would rather count my life by.
I will probably always remember 2024 as one of the most formative years of my life because I felt so much and finally began to have the courage to be more myself. No, it wasn't perfect, and it wasn't always great; but sometimes, perfection would be very boring to experience, don't you think?
Because "being human is not about feeling happy all the time; it's about feeling everything."
I don’t believe in making New Year’s resolutions because 93% of people fail to achieve them, so why should I think I would be any different? However, I do believe in the power of a new year to inspire us to pursue new goals and set fresh intentions for the future.
Last year, instead of making resolutions, I decided to set a theme for the year, and as I look back, it has become more meaningful.
This practice helps me gain clarity, not only about the tangible things I want to own or achieve but also about something deeper. It allowed me to reflect on how I want to feel, who I want to become, and how I want to evolve as a person.
My theme for 2024 was 'Self-Love.'
Instead of chasing too many accomplishments, I focused on something that truly mattered to me, myself. I dedicated the year to rediscovering myself after moving to a new country. It was like hitting "pause" on everything I used to do, while trying to discover how I could become the best version of myself.
Why a "pause"?
I had dreams—things I wanted to accomplish. I’m really good at winging it; I’m scrappy, highly adaptable, and excellent at thinking on my feet. It’s definitely an advantage, and I won’t deny that. However, I realized that I was relying too much on my fast-paced, nimble nature, and it started to take a toll on me after the move. Every fast-moving thing sometimes needs a break, right?
I have always told my mentees that you can’t improve a process that doesn’t exist. Yet, I found myself resisting the creation of simple, effective, repeatable, and most importantly, improvable processes in my life.
Everything was done at the last minute,
Articles
Slides
Social media content...
Not only was it hindering my ability to improve my results, but it was also incredibly stressful.
I realized that focusing on ‘Self-Love’ would encourage me to concentrate on myself, my true purpose, and what I enjoy the most.
And you know what?
I was absolutely right.
This theme transformed everything for me.
It has encouraged me to reflect deeply on the experiences I create for my team and community.
It has also helped me develop and refine "Micro Habits" and productivity strategies that are seldom tailored specifically for engineers.
Additionally, it allowed me to identify my purpose and outline the steps needed to achieve it.
As a result, I have taken actions to improve myself and become a better coach and mentor.
Many of the results I received did not align with my initial thoughts when I chose the theme. This is one of the reasons I find the practice so powerful. It opens up possibilities in a way that enables me to make significant, foundational, and transformational changes that I could never have anticipated.
What’s my theme for 2025?
This time, I decided to add a twist. While I have a main theme for 2025, I've also established a sub-theme to help narrow my focus and achieve the core theme. I'm not yet sure what the outcome will be, but we will find out when we reflect on 2025😉
My theme for 2025 is ‘Craftsmanship.’
The theme of 'Craftsmanship' would push me to focus on treating my work like a craft - something to be done with care, intention, and artistry 🎨
I have decided to adopt the sub-theme of "Slow is smooth" to help me avoid reverting to my fast-paced lifestyle, which compromises my emotional stability. This approach will keep me focused on my core theme, allowing me to sail slowly towards my goals.
The phrase "Slow is smooth. Smooth is fast" is often attributed to the Navy SEALS. The idea behind this saying is that by taking the time to thoroughly understand a situation and carefully plan your actions, you can save yourself time, stress, and the potential pain of avoidable mistakes.
Making this decision has relieved me and guided my choices in the last few days. Especially accepting that 'good enough' is totally okay for a personal side project I am working on.
What is your theme for the year? Are you ready to set it?
If you haven't figured it out already or are confused about how to do it, I have created a template to help you. I have included a whole section to assist you in setting your theme.
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The first step is to reflect on your past year. This is not an opportunity to call on your inner critic or be hyper-critical towards yourself, but rather to give yourself the time, space, and permission to simply reflect.
What win are you still celebrating?
What loss are you still mourning?
What lessons have you learned?
Have you noticed any patterns; good or bad?
Explore anything that arises for you. Get curious about the memories that come up, and try to give yourself the compassion, love, and grace that you would offer to someone else. This is an opportunity to learn, not to judge.
A few years ago, I wrote an article about how to look back on the past year. If you're curious, I invite you to take a look!
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When you think about the upcoming year, what do you want more of in your life? Not possessions or material things, but feelings, ideas, and experiences.
What kind of growth, mindset, or experience do you crave?
Tie it back to an emotion or outcome.
Think about how you would need to evolve as a person to experience these kinds of feelings or experiences. What changes can you make in your approach or philosophy towards life and your work that would enable this kind of growth?
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It can be as short as a single word - craftsmanship, self-love, intention, peace, etc.
or a phrase or statement, such as "slow is smooth," "reclaiming joy," or "love first."
(I wouldn't recommend combining both as I currently do since it's still an experiment for me.)
Make sure that what you choose is not only appealing but also feels authentic to you and aligns with the life you want to live or the person you aspire to be. It should resonate deeply, serving as a guiding principle for the future you wish to create.
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Don't overthink this next step; instead, spend some time imagining how you can incorporate this theme or mantra into your life. Identify 2-3 areas where your theme can influence your decisions, such as process improvement, habits, or delegation.
I believe that if you take some time to envision the changes you want to make, it will help you begin to implement them. I encourage you to dedicate some time over the next few days to focus on this theme for yourself and see how it feels.
Again, if you want access to my Annual Review and Goal Setting Template. I have added a process to help you establish your theme, check in with it each month, and ensure you remain aligned with it every week.
I find that hearing other people’s themes can be inspiring and enlightening, so I would appreciate it if you would share them with me and include any context for your choices.
“Your theme for the year is your compass. Let it guide you to new heights of success, growth, and alignment in 2025.”
So here's to the end of another year, to the love we shared, the dreams we chased, the failures we survived, the lessons we learned, and the courage it takes to step into a new year with hope in our hearts.
In love and growth,
Nithin
