What to Leave Behind in 2024

As you probably have figured out by now, I love podcasts -- so much so that I used to host my own podcast called Join the Conversation with Denise Clark. Life and space limitations have prevented me from continuing that adventure at the present moment, but perhaps one day, the season of podcast-hosting will return for me. 

Podcasts offer a lot for me -- new information, a wide variety of experiences and stories that I wouldn't hear about otherwise, and inspiration for living the best version of my life. I tend to love new years -- January, the new calendar year, and August, the new academic year. I also love new starts -- Mondays, new months, new marking periods. I guess you can say I'm a sucker for fresh starts. 

Emily P. Freeman, host of a podcast called The Next Right Thing, is an author and spiritual director who shares reflection questions for her readers/listeners at the end of each month, each season, each year. In an episode in which she reflected on "What Worked in 2024," she urges listeners to consider what worked and what didn't in 2024. Another podcaster I've shared about before, Jay Shetty, mused on a year-end episode about "10 Things I am Leaving Behind in 2024." 

Inspired by both of these creators, I offer up three things I plan to leave behind in 2024. These are fairly large umbrellas, under which other things that no longer serve can find shelter:

1. Giving More than I Get (Out of It): Lest you think I'm being selfish here, this is more of a boundary thing than a "I'm not going to volunteer at the food bank" thing. I tend to over-do and over-help. I've found myself offering suggestions, for example, on how groups I'm part of can improve, and I've been met with a brand of pettiness and passive aggression that tells me my input isn't actually wanted. It's time to find a better balance in 2025. 

2. Mindlessness: I've already written about setting limits on apps and my weekly Digital Sabbaths, but a great example of mindlessness is unchecked time on social media. I've noticed that when I spend thoughtless, unintentional time on social media, I come away cynical, irritated, offended, and uninspired. I prefer Marie Forleo's mantra: "Create before you Consume" for 2025. 

3. Unhealthy Coping Strategies: These can take many forms, from mindless eating/drinking to gossip to avoiding tough conversations. Instead of escaping, I plan to take a look at what is beneath the urge to escape. (Note: this is hard, and I will no doubt mess it up. But hey, it's worth a shot, right?)

Now, I don't like to leave on a negative note, and I did say I'm striving for balance in 2025, so here are three things that I'm taking with me from 2024 into the new year:

1. My Hydration Habit: I regularly drink 90-120 ounces of water a day. Yes, I also pee a lot. But it's true that the body adjusts after a while, so it's not that bad. I was worried that as the weather turned colder, I'd struggle because cold water is a lot more appealing when it's warm, but I've stuck with it. It's officially a habit. I fill up three water bottles, which I put in my little cooler backpack each day before work. It may sound silly, but I'm proud of this habit -- water means I'm taking care of my body and my voice (a priority for a singer). 

2. My Morning Routine: It took a little while to sort out what worked best for me in the morning, because I'm the type of person who feels compelled to fit it ALL in, in 60 mins. of quiet time at dawn. But I've paired it down to a realistic ritual that I look forward to each morning, which makes it easy to get out of bed most mornings. 

3. My Writing Practice: I love to write. While blogs are likely a bit outdated, I've loved revamping this venue for my writing. I also journal regularly, and I've written a few short plays. I plan to devote more time to writing in the new year, and I have an idea for something that may end up being a play or a series of monologues/vignettes. I don't know yet. I just plan to keep writing and see where it takes me. 

So, while those lists are personal and unique to me, I encourage you to write (or at the very least, think about) your own "What Worked/What Didn't" lists.  What do you leave behind as we journey into 2025? What is no longer serving you that you drop? Do you need to create boundaries with people who have been taking advantage of you? Do you need to tend to yourself a bit more?

After all, the Internet is right --


But don't dwell on the negative. Don't forget to give yourself credit where credit is due. What is working well for you, that you can be proud to carry forward into the new year? I am sure you will find more than a few things that you can be proud of, that you can continue to build upon. 

Happy Reflecting! 

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