At the beginning of 2012, I blogged about my goals and aspirations, both personal and professional. My very last point was to "be perceptive of great opportunities," and that, I feel, sums up the reason why 2012 went the way it did...
First and foremost, in March, I accepted a position as a Developer at a digital agency in NYC. A great opportunity presented itself, and I decided to act on it after discussions with friends and family. I knew that accepting this position would mean bad news for a bunch of other things I had planned, like branding and developing my company, writing more and redesigning this blog, and launching 2 or more personal projects.
Accepting this role has improved my skills very fast, which is something I felt I needed to do. Responsive Web Design, complex JavaScript interactivity, and working on large/enterprise-level projects are now well up my alley. More thoughts and reflections after the jump...
More recently, in November, I finally travelled to Australia for a couple of weeks, and got to experience Sydney and Melbourne – now I'm left craving for more. The trip was extremely expensive, but worth it. It will probably be a while until I take on a trip/vacation where a round trip plane ticket is $2k.
2012 has also been a year a great personal development. People I've met and had conversations with have introduced new ideas, perspectives, and thought processes, which I'm a fan of. I feel as though the older I get, I realize how much more there is to how people, life, and the world function. It's humbling to the extreme, to know that everything I know and learn, can and will change.
With that said, I'm faced by a new challenge. As I grow and develop into the person I am becoming, I've been finding it increasingly difficult to efficiently communicate with people that aren't as keen with change, new ideas, perspectives, and so forth. Not that I can't sit down and hold a conversation, but the bother and disturbance I feel from the person not knowing or having interest in newer, grander ideas than where they currently stand. I acknowledge that not everyone has the idea or notion of constant learning and change as an individual. I need to better control my emotions when exposed to this, especially with those that are dear to me.
Pheww, okay. That wasn't as easy to write as I hoped it'd be – which leads me to another idea thing that's been lingering in my mind for a while. One of the biggest reasons I want to write more, including both personal and technical pieces, is that it helps put thoughts and ideas in order. The previous paragraph took me longer to write than normal due the amount of organizing I had to do. The more I write, the more I feel I develop my thoughts and feelings, and coherently express them.
So, do I feel I've succeeded and met my expectations this year? Yes, but borderline; I wish I had written more and launched at least 1 project. Some other things I fell behind on was maintaining my health, and teaching/organizing a class/workshop. Working full-time took a toll on my diet and exercise cycles – managed to regain just under 20 pounds. I will put a higher priority on my health, and more focus on teaching.
Early in 2013, I'll put together a list of things I want to focus on throughout the year. I hope you have a fantastic New Year!
Loading ...
