Each year for the past 9 years, I’ve taken a couple of days to review my year gone by and plan out my goals for the year to come. The exercise is incredibly focusing. It causes me to channel my energy more intentionally. It makes me take action.
2019 was bananas. Simultaneously amazing and overwhelming. Highs, and lows.
We have a daughter, Lida Rose. We think she is just great. She is talking up a storm these days. Running around, swimming, balance biking, making friends, throwing tantrums, eating everything. A singing, dancing, potty using machine. She also happens to have been diagnosed with Epilepsy in 2019. Man, it is scary shit. Seizures, or the threat of them weighed heavily over 2019 in a big way. Hospital stays, specialists, meds, monitoring, children’s hospitals, sleeping in hospitals. We’ve found a medication regime that seems to be limiting the seizures dramatically, and our team feel that the goal of a 100% seizure free life for her is realistic. But man, some scary shit.
We also have a new house in a new state, which we love. But I am a dumb person. True story: I was convinced a doing remodel on a house built in 1899 would lower my stress levels. I literally said those words out loud to my wife. I am so happy that we have it done, and thankful for the months working and learning from my dad. But I am a dumb person.
We also have more than a house, we have a home that doesn’t have a defined expiration date for the first time. If/when we leave it will be our choice. No random placements. Matches or scholarship restrictions. It feels very different.
We love our neighborhood, our neighbors, our city. (Rochester). It is perfect for us. Tons of action but no real traffic, close to our families and our cottage. We walk more than we drive. I bike to work. Walk my daughter to day care. We are very, very lucky.
Also: Selling a house. Moving. Finding a new school, office, car. A new job for my wife. A product launch. Building permits. Inspectors. Reincorporating LooseGrip. Cottage flooding (again). Temporary housing. Inspections. Leaving good friends. Slowly making new ones. Man, I am very, very luck to have the wife I do. And the family support. And coffee. And whiskey.
One for the books for sure. But specifics are more useful than feelings. So below I’ve outlined how things stacked up:
Life:
- Conduct 6 Micro Resolutions: These are 30 day challenges designed to shake things up a bit. Ideas on the list: (January: No Booze, February: No TV, August: No email) Fail.
- Date Night(or day): x20. No children. Success. We managed to get out on the town a few times, + a week long child-free trip to the Caribbean
- Get some help: We’ve sort of pieced together help around the house in the past. In 2019, I want to really commit to having access consistent help at least 1x per week around the house. Deadline: 3/1. Success.
- Sell our home. Buy a home. Great news – My wife accepted a job offer, so we’ll be moving back to NY state sometime in 2019. See ya soon Rochester. Success.
- Reading Appreciation Month: When we were moving from Maine, I did a month of appreciation posts highlighting something I loved about the state. Month: May. Fail. (Its been a few years since I’ve posted on social media of any kind which weirdly made this hard to figure out how to execute)
Business:
- Get MeetBrief out of Beta: We’re pushing hard to launch, like really launch in Q1. Success.
- 12 “Fuck Yeahs”: Basically our way of measuring the moments, wins and events that make for a killer year. Success.
- Get Some Help: LooseGrip is almost 10 years old, I still do all bookkeeping, accounting and payroll. We can’t grow if I stay in the weeds. Deadline: 4/15 Meh. This process has been painful but I see the light.
- Speak at 1 additional conference: In 2018 I got a chance to speak at a kickass event in Bangkok. I’m aiming to do something similar in 2019. Fail.
- Hire 1 person: 1 more person to focus 100% on MeetBrief. It’s time. Deadline 5/1 Success. (Oh, hey Nick.)
Travel:
- 1 Epic Trip: If things go well, Laura will finish residency 8 or so weeks before she starts her new job. It’s our last best chance to get a 4-6 week trip done. Fail/Success. The remodel and health stuff made this less viable, but we did get to spend a full month at the lake. Which was perfect.
- Family Trip: We’ve been lucky enough to spend some great time having trips with my in-laws. I’m aiming to drag my rents and sister some where in 2019. Success. (Iceland)
- 1 Solo Overnight: I get a ton out of even just a single overnight trip in the woods. Deadline: 3/1 Fail.
Fitness:
- One Adventure race: Given the price and training requirements, one is a solid win if we can make it happen. Deadline: Register by 3/1. Fail.
- Ease into knee recovery: I’m on the mend, itching to run and bike the distances of old me. I’ve got to be careful about ramping back up. Meh
- Post Knee Recovery: MTB 1x per week. Crossfit 2x per week. Ramp up to 10 mile run by 3/15. Meh.
I was pleasantly surprised with how close I came to hitting most of the original goals given the sheer amount of turmoil and change. More than ever, it took a village. None of it would have happened without family, friends, and my LooseGrip team. You guys are the best.
See you in 2020.
nc
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About my annual review: For the last 9 or so years, I’ve tried to look back at the year before and see how it stacks up, while also setting goals for the year to come. I find the exercise invaluable as a mechanism to be inspired to do more cool stuff. As categories Life, Fitness, Business & Travel work best for me, but if you’d like to do your own I recommend checking out my buddy Chris’ Template to get started.
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