This year was a rollercoaster. From spending just over a month travelling around Europe to losing a job, it was a lot to take on at times. When I look back I'm thankful whilst feeling tired and ready to see in a new year of possiblities.

As I reflect on 2023 and more generally this period as a whole, I always appreciate a chance to slow down just that little bit more than usual and be reflective of what went well and what didn't go so well.

The Highs

• Many many design meetups
• Met some amazing people at conferences, OFFF and Config
• Shipped a bunch of design projects
• Got physically stronger
• Most-travelled year of my life
• Started therapy

The Lows

• Lost a job
• Made new friends but didn't deepen existing ones
• Made less time for side and fun projects
• Felt burned out and unmotivated

Places travelled

• January saw a trip to Lake Tahoe for a memorable snowboarding trip
• March was Prague and then Barcelona for the OFFF conference
• April was spent in Switzerland in Zermatt, a beautiful spot for skiing
• May was a great month in New York meeting with design friends IRL
• June was Figma Config conference in San Francisco
• July I went to Dawlish and then Valencia for a wedding
• August and September covered Portugal, Spain and Italy in what was one epic road trip

Learnings

1. It's okay to leave money on the table

Seeking and striving for more is good, but I think it's important to acknowledge when things are enough. Are you trying to run away from something else?

2. Community and people are key

That could IRL design meetups or building a like-minded group of peers you can bounce ideas off with. Or even if it's a group chat with people you admire and appreciate, anything that helps you share and offload. Words don't go so well when they're kept in.

3. Do more things you love

This is an overly simplistic way of saying that we are our best when we are in our element doing the things we find most interesting, we say yes to every opportunity that comes our way and spontaneity has it's perks, but create an environment you want to be in first

Themes

• Building confidence through failure
• Being comfortable with rejection
• Intentionally choosing my own path

The theme for next year is definitely less and being more intentional with travel, work and relationships.

I think sometimes it seems we're going at this thing we call life alone, but as I look back I appreciate all the people that have given me advice, pointed me in the right direction, those conversations I least expected have been the most profound.

If I met you this year, it's been a pleasure getting to know you and I wish you a successful 2024.