2024, I wouldn't change anything about you, even if I could.

I am writing this post after what feels like a decade. A big thank you to the handful of lovely people who occasionally remind me of the writer I used to be. Honestly, I wouldn’t have written this if not for my friend’s friend. She enchanted me yesterday with her Christmas greeting cards (which were adorable, by the way) and casually mentioned that she reads and likes my blog. Now, I’ve heard similar things before, but this one caught me off guard. So here I am, back at it, channeling my inner Shakespeare—or at least trying to.

I vaguely recall promising in my first post of the year that I’d share monthly updates about my goals. Did I keep that promise? Absolutely not. But here’s the thing: no excuses. I thought it would be fun to revisit those goals now, even if my memory about them is as reliable as my gym attendance. Let’s jump in:

Personal Discipline:

1. Don’t die, and avoid any near-death experiences.

=> Achievement unlocked! As someone who loves adventures, it’s a miracle I steered clear of do-or-die stunts. A pat on the back for that one.

2. Work on emotional toughness. Treat me with respect and love. Take me on solo dates. Schedule daily meetings with me for half an hour, five days a week.

=> I made progress! Emotional toughness improved, and I treated myself well—though extravagant solo dinners turned into casual snack dates. Scheduling meetings with myself felt like a corporate nightmare, so I ditched that. Turns out, running long distances does the job for me. Mental strength is still a work in progress, but hey, baby steps.

3. Go to the gym at least four days a week.

=> Inconsistent, with zero excuses. Recently switched to strength training classes because they force me to focus. Before that, I was just wandering around the gym, occasionally attempting ego lifts. Not a great look.

4. Limit biryani, noodles, momos, and samosas to one per week.

=> I didn’t track every bite, but I think I did better than expected. Pretty satisfied with whatever I achieved there. 

5. Learn yoga and meditation to curb overthinking.

=> One yoga class. All year. Meditation? A distant memory. Overthinking? Still here, though slightly less intense. Progress, I suppose.

6. Write letters and notes—two per month.

=> I wrote multiple letters and notes and did a physical letter delivery campaign, which was a chull I carried. Didn't turn out very well. All the letters that I wrote to people other than the ones in my inner circle turned out to be a disastrous move. *As my friend Shivangi warned me(I wish I listened to her more, probably I can take it up as a goal this year) * So guess what I started writing letters to myself now.

7. Take at least five pictures a week.

=> Failed miserably, even with an iPhone in hand. Huh.

9. Perform one story every two months.

=> Lost steam halfway through. The only highlight was my brother roping me in to host Rishika’s sangeet. Thanks bhai if you are reading this.

10. Do 100 push-ups, 100 sit-ups, three half-marathons, and 15 minutes of planks, increasing every alternate week.

=> Exceeded the half-marathon goal (yay!), but the rest? Let’s just say I peaked early in the year.

11. Watch one movie weekly.

=> Failed. Miserably. I would be retaking this goal and seriously now.

12. Sleep before 11 PM, wake at 7 AM, and gradually transition to a 9-to-5 schedule.

=> Mostly nailed it. Waking up early was tricky, but I managed when it mattered—like a 3 AM alarm for a half-marathon. Who even am I?

13. Post 12 technical blogs on Medium.

=> A total flop.

14. Take cold showers five mornings a week.

=> Warm, cozy waters were too tempting. Retrying next year.

Financial Goals:

1. Earn 1 lakh+ outside regular income.

=> Made less than 10k outside the regular income. Probably on the way through running. No freelancing Income and I am not tracking any dividend Income. I hope either my stock investment doubles this year with my seriousness or I could exit everything and move to a mutual fund for peace of mind. 

2. Stay consistent with SIPs and maintain a cash balance.

=> Did fairly well with the SIP or mutual funds and strategic moves, didn't do all the SIPs but pretty much satisfied with my performance there. 

Hobby Goals:

1. Learn to swim confidently in a 6-foot-deep pool.

=> Still as bad at swimming, I went a few times in summer but couldn't get better at it.

2. Read 12 books and review them.

=> I don't remember how many I read this year, but slowly shifting towards fiction from non-fiction, since I realize that I remember things in the form of stories better.

3. Grow the storytelling community to 1,000+.

=> Hit pause. Managing it solo was exhausting. Finding a responsible partner feels harder than climbing Everest.

4. Complete the April A-Z challenge and site migration.

=> Dropped midway as I did have the topics ready in advance, not sure if I would be attempting it this year.

Social Media Goals:

1. Strengthen friendships: remember birthdays, and post photo stories.

=> Nailed it! Remembered birthdays, posted stories, and made calls—gold star for this one.

2. Post two Instagram reels weekly and grow Twitter to 100+ followers.

=> Twitter hit 150 followers but felt pointless. Content creation isn’t my jam.

3. Avoid Instagram, except for posting.

=> Did well, unless the app was on my phone—then doom-scrolling took over.

Family/Friends:

1. Avoid commenting on physical appearances.

=> Success! Though Shivangi occasionally lured me into gossip. It felt good, but I’m not doing it again. (Shivangi, I hate you for this.)

2. Call mom and sister thrice weekly.

=> Talked to Mom almost daily. Sister? Needs improvement.

Professional:

1. Create one full-stack application monthly.

=> Absolute failure.

2. Move the blog to a custom domain and portfolio.

=> Another absolute failure.

Milestones:

1. Watch Northern Lights.

=> Nowhere close. Marketing gimmick?

2. Ask someone out.

=> Did it. Results? Let’s not go there.

3. Watch bioluminescence at Mulki.

=> Nope.

4. Take a shirtless picture on the beach.

=> Shirtless picture yes, in the forest though, far far from the beach.

5. Make Navratri 2024 unforgettable.

=> Not the most memorable one, sadly.