Reflecting on 2015
I distinctly remember stating that I predicted 2015 to be a challenging year. Why? Because the person I said it to got angry at my negativity, which is funny as that's normally my job.
I had to explain that I don't see challenges as negative things. They can shape us, often for the better. Thankfully, 2015's challenges did just that.
Big stuff
What shaped me in 2015:
- Dad going through a few months of radiation for early stage cancer
- Getting laid off
- Organising a three-day design conference as a side project
Each of these and more kicked my ass in 2015, but I choose to believe I've come out the better for all of it.
Dad thankfully got through his radiation treatment with minimal side effects and a positive prognosis. Fucking amazing. The project I worked on for 2.5 years didn't ship and myself and a wedge of my colleagues got laid off. It sucked. It also taught me a whole bunch about myself, the culture of Silicon Valley and the kindness of friends and strangers. I tried to postpone involvement in Rebase until I was ready, but no such luck. It was an exhausting, educational and exhilarating experience. I have come out with even more respect for those who organise similar events and learned so much not just about event organisation but also about the design community, particularly on a local level.
Lessons
Sure we all love a list this time of year.
- Time is the most precious thing we have
- Friends are the second most precious thing we have
- Be grateful; take nothing for granted
- You can't control everything
- You can't please everyone or expect them to respect or like you
- I am getting better at saying "no"
- I am getting better at saying "yes"
- I am getting comfortable with accepting what I'm good at and delegating what I'm not so good at
- You can and should save for a rainy day
- Health and well-being is my responsibility and mine alone
Challenges for 2016
It's nearly impossible to predict what I'll be writing about this time next year, but I've got already got a few challenges I'd like to set myself regardless of what the year holds. Oddly, they're all related.
Time
Top lesson of 2015, time is the thing I'm going to obsess over in 2016. Not only is it a finite thing, but we have no idea how much of it any of us have. Time to make the most of it.
Focus
Abstracting the approach I've taken to resolutions the last couple of years, I will be working on focus itself this year. Year on year, I've found myself getting more easily distracted to the point of becoming an enemy. If I'm going to suceed with managing my time, focus is essential.
Memory
My ability to commit things to memory or recall information has gotten muddy. I don't know why but it's bothering me. During the year I came across Joshua Foer through a podcast (if my memory was better I might be able to link you to it...) who talked about ways of training your memory. I'm going to dip into that this year and see if I can upgrade that part of my noggin.
Happy New Year friends, let's make it count!