I think we all start the year with the best intentions. In 2024, I wanted to continue along my path, just keeping things steady and predictable. I’d had enough upheaval and just wanted to get through my life.

Around November however, I had a regrettable crash out and I know now something big needs to change. I don’t think I’ve ever been this stressed or frustrated with a particular component of my life. This went beyond just setting boundaries or just getting things done.

I turn 40 at the end of the summer. In order to get where I want to be by then, I want to go big. Whether that means finding a new job or diving into a new field, we’ll be doing some hardcore recalibrating.

Buckle Your Seatbelt

I knew by December that this next year is going to be a doozy. In the last week, I repeatedly fell down a mountain trying to re-learn how to ski, had a family health scare, my dog had a seizure, I got called for jury duty; it’s like the worst country song ever.

So I’m going to adjust the mental mindset and emotional flexibility, and try to chalk it all up to: Life’s tough. Get a helment.

“Financial Wellness Becomes a Priority”

Sounds like a fortune cookie. My grandmother passed away in September; and to her grandchildren, she bequeathed a mix of financial assets. Specifically, she wanted to leave us something that could not be touched if we should ever get divorced. She herself was left with very little after her marriage ended, and she became the most fiscally prudent person I know.

When I received this, I did an additional overview of my financial situation, from retirement to stock to my beneficiaries. This was incredibly reassuring, and it’s informed a lot of my future plans. If I’m estimated to live to 96 (from my last assessment), 40-year-old Patti has gotta get some things straight.

In addition to investing in a diverse stock portfolio, I also been able to knock out a chuck of credit debt, added an additional life insurance policy, and resumed 401K contributions. We’ve also adjusted the girls’ college savings and high-interest accounts. I was also inspired by some great TikTokers on financial planning.

So if you want to feel just a tad bit more in control and future-oriented especially in this economy, I highly recommend.

Hit Me Hard and Soft

I’ve been playing around with the 75 Soft and 75 Hard challenges; mostly as a tool to refocus. The challenges are mixes of working out, reading, and eating well. Upping your *mental toughness*. Pretty basic, but I started thinking about what’s considered Hard and Soft.

I want to blend the two because isn’t that ultimately what life is? Yes, the working out regularly is always going to be a “Hard” component. I’ve also been doing NYT Crossword and Games, upping the difficulty on Sudoku, and being more disciplined at the grocery store and snack time. Soft things would be reading my Substack and Deepstash, being more attentive to my facial routine, chopping my hair, etc.

So starting out the year, I will make sure to that I’m giving equal time to both the Hard and the Soft ways we approach personal development.

Back to the Drawing Board

For the last 10 or so years, I’ve had a #101in1001 list. It started as a blogging trend in my 20s, but I particularly liked it and it’s motivated me to do a lot of cool things with a short-term lens. You create a list of 101 things you want to do in 1001 days (2.75 years). I work in house projects, professional development goals, things I want to do with the girls, travel, and so on. It’s a To-Do list that gives me a bit of a design-thinking framework.

At the end of January, my fourth list ends and my fifth list begins. It took me a couple weeks to update my list, self-assess, and think about what I really want within the time frame and why. This ties back to my previous Resolutions of not getting bogged down in the day-to-day and losing motivation to plan. Big trips, goals, progress all need a plan. I also use it as a reference when I’m asked what I’d like to do for my birthday or for a present. I keep the list highlighted in my IG if you want to check it out.

Word of the Year – Engineer

Obviously, I’m looking to clean-slate this year. The end of 2024 taught me that I’m okay in my family and my marriage. With that solid, I can take a bigger leap to figure out what other parts I want to work on and what more I can do. I can engineer the next phase. Fingers crossed that I actually like what I build and don’t have to start over again.

Here we go,