Was 2024 My Year?

It’s January 2nd and here I am, jotting down aspirations and resolutions for 2025. How has it already been 365 days since the last time I did this?

I spent the holidays in Green Bay, Wisconsin, with my in-laws, wife, 4-year-old son, and (almost) 2-year-old daughter. It was a much-needed break spent enjoying time with family and friends with a sprinkle of reflection on the past year. ?

During the 12-hour travel day on Christmas Eve to the Midwest, I listened to a podcast episode from Andrew Huberman (linked in the comments) and Dr. Laurie Santos. Dr. Laurie Santos is a professor of psychology and cognitive science at Yale University and a leading researcher on fulfillment and happiness – two topics I often discuss with my clients who are near or in retirement.

The preparation, transition, and fulfillment of retirement is a major shift in one’s life.? Positive relationships, sense of achievement or purpose, and socialization are the big topics of conversation that come up in these chats.? Wealth management, I believe, is one of the many puzzle pieces that can enhance happiness—but as we all know, money doesn’t buy it.

One idea from the podcast that really stuck with me was to focus on life’s “delights” rather than solely practicing gratitude. While gratitude journaling has proven benefits, I’ve since found it more impactful to notice the daily delights—those moments, big or small, that spark joy.

Here are a few of my 2024 resolutions that didn’t go as planned:

• Workout more: My “biggest consistent workout win” was sweating it out in my steam hut 56 times.
• Get better sleep: This is tough with two kids under five, though I’m improving with help from WHOOP .
• Read more: I’ve realized I retain information better through listening, so I leaned into audiobooks and podcasts.
• 100 pushups a day challenge (from John Juhlke ): I managed 4,250 pushups in January…and stopped on February 3rd.

So, by those metrics, was 2024 “my year”? It’s easy to focus on what didn’t happen and conclude that it wasn’t. However, instead of dwelling on the resolutions I didn’t keep, I’ve shifted my perspective on the moments of delight that shaped this past year, and the answer feels quite different.

What made 2024 special?

• I woke up every morning to my amazing wife and two kids, who leaned on me as a husband and dad.
• My son told me daily that I’m his best friend, and my daughter said “I love you” for the first time.
• I reconnected with old friends, made new ones, and spent meaningful time with extended family.
• I became a Godfather for the first time and met my Godson at his baptism in Chicago.
• I nearly tripled my book of business and built relationships with clients that I deeply value.
• I got to talk with my grandmother.
• I went on two company retreats—to Palm Springs and Vancouver—and strengthened connections with colleagues from coast to coast at Connor, Clark & Lunn Private Capital Ltd. (CC&L)
• I attended two weddings, one in Berlin and the other in Punta Cana, and served as Master of Ceremonies for my youngest brother’s wedding.
• I watched my kids play with their cousins and build lifelong bonds.
• I contributed to creating an office culture that I enjoy being a part of every day.

These moments weren’t on my original list of aspirations and could have very well been overlooked. But looking back now, they all added immeasurable joy to my life.

So, will 2025 be “my year”? I don’t know if I’ll work out more, sleep better, or read more. But I do know I’ll keep noticing and celebrating the unexpected delights that come my way.

Here’s to another incredible year of moments that remind us of what truly matters in life!