As I look back on 2024, I can’t help but marvel at the power of intentionality and the impact of showing up for your own vision. Early this year, I crafted a vision board—a vibrant collection of aspirations and dreams—that became both a daily reminder and a driving force throughout the year. It wasn’t just a pretty collage on an 18”x24” board on my wall, or my laptop wallpaper; it was a commitment to myself, to growth, and to experiences that bring joy, fulfillment, and connection. This year, I challenged myself to lean into those commitments fully—and wow, what a year it has been! From spontaneous adventures to long-planned milestones, unexpected lessons, and meaningful progress in both personal and professional arenas, 2024 became a year that proved the magic of aligning vision with action.

I made a commitment to have more experiences this year. And I attacked this one in earnest! I took a last-minute opportunity to attend a super fun concert with a friend. Splurged for tickets to see the iconic P!nk in concert with more friends. Traveled to two countries I’ve never been – Jamaica for family vacation, and Athens for a special mother-daughter trip with my 16-year-old. Took that same teenager on a short overnight to see Hadestown on tour (bonus: time with my long-time bestie, who was working the tour). Joined the local cookbook club at the library with my husband. Played my 19th season with my town’s women’s summer softball league. Spent an amazing 7 days in Ixtapa for a soul-enriching and resetting retreat experience with fellow growth-minded women (and made new friends in the process!). I would consider this vision a success!

Look, I’ll be honest—just a few years ago, I would not have felt I had the power, much less the money, to be able to do this much. My dad always used to say, “pay yourself first,” and it took me forever to really understand what that meant. And it’s not just about money. As a perfectionist-people-pleaser who had taken the role of “martyr mom” seriously, I had to completely reframe what I thought about where I sat on the priority list, what I truly wanted to get out of life (for myself as much as for my family), and how I approached my finances in order to get there. I’ve learned to pay myself first in self-love, self-awareness, self-care, and self-empowerment.

My plan to focus on my health had mixed results. I crushed my goal to build back up my running routine and stamina! Being able to run a full 10K straight for the first time since before COVID felt amazing (even if I may or may not have felt like I might puke at the top of the last hill). And I know that a big part of getting there was joining a local group of avid runners, which provided me with accountability in the form of weekly group runs—and a huge amount of support! And BONUS, I made a few more friends in the process!

On the flip side, my plan to get back to a more comfortable weight did not pan out. The reality that my body just doesn’t operate like it used to (hello, perimenopause!) meant that my usual tactics for getting into shape just don’t work anymore. That was a tough pill to swallow, I will admit. It’s taken some serious mindset work, but now that I’ve recognized and (mostly) accepted my new normal, I’m ready to focus in on some new approaches and kill it in 2025.

I can’t reflect on this past year without some words about my business. I came into the year with a big vision for how my passion for helping women achieve their goals would manifest. I’ve leaned into the support of fellow coaches, and coaches’ coaches, and I have learned a ton in the process! I’ve pushed outside of my comfort zone and put myself out there in a major way—launching this blog, producing videos (and live videos, too!), conducting live workshops, exhibiting at public events, talking to so many amazing people about what I do. These actions, and my plans to build out my audio and video content even more, will continue to be a focus for me in 2025. Just wait!

On a smaller scale, I didn’t quite get to start that herb and vegetable garden I wanted, but I did create a lovely little butterfly garden. I’ve almost finished helping my daughter renovate her room (and before she’s graduated!). We haven’t tackled that kitchen renovation I envisioned, but that’s because we have a dream of a bigger and better renovation in the not-too-distant future.

How has your year been? What accomplishments can you celebrate? Where do you feel you need to focus a little more attention? What would you like to make happen for yourself in the next year (or years)?