What 2023 meant for me

What went well?

1. Moved to Andorra and started to meet new people, like-minded individuals that were looking for a space which allowed them to grow and build up a piggy bank for their next ventures.
2. I’m back in the game of algorithms to keep up with the expectations of companies and their hiring processes, therefore, I do not have to rush any decision if I want to change the workplace. Before, I dread doing this, but in 2023 I now see it as something that’s fun and refreshing.
3. I have an amazing group of friends that’s supportive of my goals, keeps me engaged and that I can relate with on many topics.
4. I’m grateful for doing well at diversifying in different investment vehicles and how it has paid off. 2023 was a great year to grow, and it has been good for my health.
5. I focused on my hobbies and allowed myself to enjoy my free time and relax.
6. Started a new business with friends that has an interesting angle. I cannot say too much about it other than it is a project that we proposed ourselves to do, and we accomplished to ship our first iteration of it. Since we shipped our v1 in December, I’m grateful for the opportunity to learn and grow through the process.
7. I had an amazing time in South Africa and this year taught me that it was such an experience that I started comparing everything to it. 10/10 would recommend putting the country higher on your must-visit list if you haven’t.

What didn’t go well?

1. A few long-standing friendships had to end for various topics, the physical distance was one of the factors, but I played a mayor’s role in why these relationships decayed to the point they are now. I’m hopeful that I can repair some of them because these are people that were important for me and will continue to be.
2. I could have planned better my investments this year. I was spotty in my first half of the year because I had my focus on too many topics and didn’t automate the process enough.
3. I stopped feeling excited about my current workplace. I felt that I grew in different areas in my career through the people I met. Since the last massive lay-off the vibe of the workplace and the goals drastically changed a version that does not make feel as excited as I was before.

What did I learn?

1. Automation is my friend, off-loading what I can to it to allow more breathing room affords me with more time to enjoy my hobbies and connect with others.
2. I still define myself as a young person, and as such, I’m still learning my ways through the world, this makes me think about where I want to be and who I want to be with, since I believe that if you go somewhere mediocre, and you learn from people who are doing the mediocre work, you’re going to be defining yourself as someone who doesn’t do things that are particularly special. My goal is to leave a mark in this world, and I want to move somewhere or create something where I can accomplish that.
3. I have allowed myself to think about me first and then think about what surrounds me, it has not avoided me from entering situations where I want to chew more than what I can chew, but it gave me the chance to think about the reasons that made me say yes to those situations and also helped me reflect during and after.
4. Seneca once said “It is not that we have a short time to live, but that we waste a lot of it.” I learned that I need to focus my energies on what I want and tick the checks that allow me to reach each of my goals.