Goodbye 2023

This year was crazy. I know we all say that pretty much every year, but more than ever, I feel it. It was the year I worked with more clients than ever (17, just about triple what I did last year), realized I had a chronic illness, and started my health journey (not here to give you the full deets, but it’s something I’m stewing on), and finally seemed to shake off some of the spinsterly ways I’d adopted during COVID (fewer nights in, more time outside the apartment).

It’s both so little and so much. Through it all, I kept thinking to myself: I can’t wait to see what my annual report is going to look like! It will be even more exciting than last year!

Reader, I have a confession, I didn’t end up making one.

That isn’t quite true, I made multiple for clients, but none for myself. All of that bigness was incredibly exciting, but it also made me tired. So as I sit in my bed, starting my holiday break, I find instead of spending my energy making some big fancy report, I’d simply write to you, and share some fun numbers in the way I feel I can right now.

Here they are:

17: As mentioned above, this is the number of clients I worked with this year. I’m so grateful to have them all in my life, even when the work sometimes gives me adjita, they all mean the world to me. Not just because working with them supports me, but also because I learn so much from them. I’ve re-opened my client roster for next year, and I’m already dreaming about the exciting additions I might have to the gang in 2024.

3: The total number of book clubs I’m a part of. One is hosted by a local bookstore, one is the Silent Book Club that I’ve previously written about, and one I co-lead with the fabulous Erin Hendrickson as a part of Carole Ann Penney’s Compass Club. All three have brought me so much in innumerable ways. COVID helped me reconnect with my love of reading, and I’ve never looked back, thank goodness. My favorites this year were Dinners with Ruth by Nina Totenberg and Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross.

7: The total number of streaming services my family subscribes to. Can you tell we love our TV and movies? We recently watched Maestro on Netflix and it was beautiful. I laughed, cried (which is so rare for me), and reveled in how thoughtfully it was made.

21: The total number of Lessons I’ve Learned and shared with you this year. Thank you for reading!

So as I look back at this year, despite the ups and downs, it was definitely one for the books, one I won’t forget anytime soon. I hope you feel the same about your year, and now you can let yourself rest and rejuvenate before entering next year.

You’ll find me with my family on vacation, reading, or obsessing over the 9-month World Cruisers on TikTok.

Thank you for following along with me as I caught my stride and found my love of writing again. I can’t wait to bring you more in 2024.

Lesson Learned: We made it! Time to learn what we can and put the rest to bed.