What I’m Leaving in 2024
Let it Go
As some of us try to think about what “new” goals/ resolutions to create for 2025, I find that the easiest first step is to start thinking about what I don’t want to bring into the new year. These things taught me lessons, sure, but their time is up.
I started 2024 with a clear goal: to prioritize my health and become the best version of myself, inside and out. And honestly? I’m proud of how much I’ve accomplished. I learned a lot about what makes me feel my best and how to align my daily life with my goals. But as I reflect on the year, I can’t ignore the habits, fears, and tendencies that stowed away with me from previous years—uninvited guests that only held me back. So, in no particular order, here’s what I’m leaving behind as 2025 rolls into the station.
1. Fear: The Silent Thief of Joy
Fear is sneaky. It doesn’t always announce itself loudly; sometimes, it whispers quietly in the background, shaping your choices without you even realizing it. The voice in my head that tries to keep me “safe” but really just keeps me stuck. Fear has been my uninvited travel companion for too long, and it’s time to send it packing.
Fear of Not Being Liked: How many times have I silenced myself or played small because I didn’t want to ruffle feathers? Too many. How many times have I let fear create unnecessary anxiety? The limit does not exist. The truth is, I can’t control how others perceive me or my actions, but I can control how I show up for me. Not everyone will like me and plenty of people will judge without full context, but I’ve learned that trying to avoid it has kept me from my full potential.
Fear of Sharing What I Love: Whether it’s my favorite new discovery or an idea I’m passionate about, fear has often whispered, “What if no one cares?” I have so many ideas, stories, suggestions for your next online shopping spree, but even with the creation of this platform in 2024, I’ve filtered myself a pretty large amount. But here’s what I’ve learned: the things that light me up are worth sharing, even if they only resonate with a few people. It’s those few people that drew me to create this space, and I’m not going to let them, or me, down.
Fear of Trying Something New: Fear loves to plant seeds of doubt: “You’re not ready. You’re not good enough.” Hell, I about had a panic attack when I launched Relatable Content over the summer. But I did it… and I’ve realized that I’ll never feel “ready” to try something new, and waiting for perfection is a waste of time. The only way to grow is to try—even if I fail. Failures (I’ve found) are the best teachers.
2. Habits That Don’t Serve Me: Clearing the Clutter
Some habits are like that pair of jeans you keep in the back of your closet—you hold onto them out of nostalgia, but they don’t fit, and they never will. I’ve identified a few pairs that need to go, immediately.
Physical Habits:
Poor Diet Choices: Confession #1: I 100% know that my body doesn’t react to gluten well. Confession #2: I’ve indulged in more gluten-filled pastries and sugary treats than I care to count in 2024. Even as I revamped the way I eat to kick-start this year, I still held on to what I knew wasn’t right. And while those indulgent moments were delicious, my body wasn’t a fan of the aftermath—hello, energy crashes and plenty of brain fog.
Lack of Movement: Some weeks/ months, I crushed my fitness goals. Other weeks, my biggest movement was from the couch to the fridge. The inconsistency didn’t do me any favors. While I did make progress in my physical strength, I certainly didn’t live up to the potential I know I have in me.
Mental Habits:
Putting Self-Care Last: Somewhere along the way, I (aka: most women) bought into the idea that taking care of myself was selfish- that taking 5 minutes to have coffee in silence before my kid wakes up was the stuff of monsters. 2024 taught me (in a not so subtle way) that when I neglect self-care, I show up as a lesser version of myself for everyone else. It’s important to specify, that “self-care” isn’t about spending a ridiculous amount of money and time on lavish massages and facials. Instead, this year taught me that Self-Care is about taking time to prioritize my mental health- be it by meditating, spending 10 minutes outside in the morning every day, or finding a therapist that I finally feel connected to. I mean… massages don’t hurt either… but it’s the focus on mental strength that’s the real key.
The Sense of Urgency: Because of my fear of being disliked, I’ve almost always acted with a sense of urgency in order to avoid negative “consequences”. Shockingly, not every email requires an immediate response and not every task is life-or-death. But for some reason, I’ve been treating my to-do list like a ticking time bomb. It’s exhausting, unnecessary and has created more self-induced burnout than anything else.
3. Complexity: Simplifying for Sanity
There’s something oddly comforting about overcomplicating things—until it isn’t. Somewhere along the way, I got caught up in the idea that more is better—more clothes, more skincare steps, more...everything. Spoiler alert: it’s not.
Overcomplicated Style: My love of trendy pieces and following an irrational amount of 'influencers’ has left me with a closet full of “what was I thinking?” I’ve been spending my (very) hard earned paycheck on items that have been fulfilling a false prophecy of “If I just have X, I’ll be liked and happy.” I can confirm that having 5 different checked cardigans, in fact, does not create happiness. It creates laundry and nothing else.
Skincare Gone Overboard: At one point this year, my skincare routine could rival a small lab. And while my intentions were good (I want to age ‘gracefully’ without botox/ filler), my patience (and budget) weren’t. Turns out, my skin doesn’t need a 10-step regimen filled with countless ingredients to thrive.
The “Keeping Up with the Joneses” Mentality: From a very young age I’ve fallen into the trap of thinking I need to match someone else’s version of success to be successful. I attribute it to being bullied growing up, but I’m knocking on 40’s door right now and it’s time to get rid of the excuses. Present-day Samantha scrolls instagram or observes other moms in public for comparison and it has been detrimental to my mental health (and wallet). Here’s a quick dose of reality: trying to keep up with everyone else is exhausting, unsustainable, and pure fiction. I’ve lost a lot of myself by trying to be like everyone else, and I’m on the hunt to find ME again.
Looking Ahead
Reflecting on the last year in this way is less about what I’m leaving behind and more about making room for what’s to come. By shedding fear, unhelpful habits, and unnecessary complexity, I’m creating space for growth, joy, and alignment in 2025.
I’m already working on a game plan for what I’m bringing into the new year—habits, mindsets, and practices that support the person I want to become. But that’s a topic for another blog post (hint hint). For now, I’m content with clearing the slate and stepping into the new year lighter, freer, and more focused.
Final Thoughts
As 2024 comes to a close, I’m reminded that growth isn’t linear, and progress doesn’t happen overnight. The lessons I’ve learned this year—both from my successes and my missteps—are shaping the path forward.
If you’re reading this, I encourage you to take a moment to reflect: What habits or mindsets are you ready to leave behind? What’s holding you back from being your best self? Let’s use this transition into 2025 as an opportunity to reset and refocus.
Here’s to a fresh start and the courage to embrace it. Goodbye, 2024—and thanks for the lessons.
You’re Doing Great
Samantha
