We do not learn from experience...we learn from reflecting on experience. ― John Dewey
This year, I’m writing my first Annual Review! I think this is a great way to allow myself the opportunity to take stock of what went well and what didn’t go so well, while pausing to appreciate the progress I’ve made over the past 12 months. It’s a chance to reflect on the highs, the lows, and everything in between, and to use those insights to guide me toward the future I want to create.
But this isn’t just about looking back. A good Annual Review is also a way to recalibrate—to reflect on whether the life I’m living today is aligned with my bigger vision and long-term goals. It forces me to ask, “Are my daily choices contributing to the life I truly want, or am I being swept along by habits, routines, or external expectations that don’t serve me?”
As I share my reflections, I encourage you to use this framework to look at your own life—not as a measurement against mine or anyone else’s, but as a tool to learn, grow, and design a life you truly love.
To guide my reflection, I’m answering six key questions that have shaped my understanding of 2024.
1. What Went Well This Year?
2024 was a year of growth and progress, and I had a lot to celebrate this year!
Becoming a mother. The most beautiful moment of the year was becoming a mother. And although his birth was the most horrific experience you don’t wish your worst enemy to experience, it has given me immense joy and meaning into my life. It literally has put my life in a whole different perspective, and things that seemed important, now don’t really matter as much anymore. He is the best thing that has ever happened to me.
Running/workouts. I ran my first half marathon (time: 3 hrs and 7 min) and completed the City to Bay race (12K run from Adelaide city centre to the beach)—huge personal achievements. I also became more consistent with gym workouts, compared to 2023, and prioritised healthier eating, which left me feeling stronger and more energised.
Workouts per month in 2024:
- January: 13 (61.94 km; 9.4 hrs)
- February: 9 (45.95 km; 7.5 hrs)
- March: 5 (11.21 km; 2 hrs)
- April: 2 (12.46 km; 1.7 hrs)
- May: 12 (41.61 km; 6.7 hrs)
- June: 11 (65.12 km; 9 hrs)
- July: 21 (91.01 km; 14.9 hrs)
- August: 20 (40.54 km; 8.8 hrs)
- September: 14 (24.23 km; 7.9 hrs)
- October: 16 (127.28 km; 13.8 hrs)
- November: 26 (133.49 km; 16 hrs)
- December: 3 (14.27 km; 1.7 hrs)
Book. I finally started writing my book. This has been a long-standing dream, and in 2024, I made real progress, creating an outline and nearly finishing the first chapter. Getting these foundational pieces in place has been incredibly motivating, and I’m excited to see the book take shape in the new year.
Articles. Consistency was a theme for 2024, and I’m proud to have published 52 articles for The Happier Studio—one for every week of the year. Covering topics like happiness, meaning, and productivity, these articles reflected my ongoing commitment to sharing valuable, actionable ideas.
Newsletter. I launched The Happier Newsletter in April, and wrote 20 newsletters in total!
Website. I launched a brand-new website design for The Happier Studio. During the transition to a new web hosting platform, I realised I needed to learn how to code to customise the theme and make the changes I envisioned. It was challenging at first, but learning to code has been incredibly rewarding. Not only did it allow me to take full control of the website’s design and functionality, but it also gave me a valuable new skill that I can continue to build on in the future.
Travel. A highlight of the year was traveling to Perth with my newborn son and parents, and traveling to Bali, which was my first time, and my son’s first overseas holiday (he is only four months and has already travelled twice!). Since this article is published on Christmas, I’m also flying back home to the Netherlands tomorrow, which I’m so stoked about.
Entire list of trips & travel this year:
- 05-01-24 / 02-02-24: Week away in a self-sustained cabin in the Adelaide Hills
- 05-03-24 / 06-03-24: Work trip to Port Lincoln
- 09-03-24 / 10-03-24: One night away in the city
- 21-03-23 / 03-04-24: Netherlands
- 07-04-24: Work trip to Port Lincoln
- 23-05-24 / 24-05-24: Work trip to Whyalla
- 31-05-24 / 03-06-24: Great Ocean Road
- 10-10-24 / 14-10-24: Trip to Perth
- 15-11-24: Work trip Port Lincoln
- 02-12-24 / 10-12-24: Bali
- 26-12-24: Netherlands
PhD. This year, I officially became a PhD candidate—a milestone I’m incredibly proud of. After years of determination, I successfully secured the opportunity to pursue a PhD externally through ****my home university, Maastricht University. For this, I’m using my research job, which focuses on improving the access to, and delivery of, palliative care for underserved populations.
2. What Didn’t Go So Well This Year?
Like any year, 2024 wasn’t without its challenges. Here’s what didn’t go entirely according to plan:
Podcast. I launched the Do What Matters podcast in July with excitement and big plans for regular episodes. However, I only managed to record the introductory episode and the first full episode. I realised pretty early on that while this goal is important to me, it needed to be paused until I can dedicate the time and energy it deserves.
Birth of my son. The birth of my son was the most terrifying and emotionally taxing experience of my life. After more than a day of labour and an induction, he became distressed, and my wife was in excruciating pain despite an epidural. Ultimately, an emergency c-section was necessary. Seeing him born not breathing and watching the medical team struggle to intubate him was harrowing—I was standing just an arm’s length away. He spent five days in the NICU, starting on oxygen before he was able to breathe on his own after 16 hours. Thankfully, there have been no long-term repercussions, and he is now a healthy, happy baby. While I’m deeply grateful for his recovery, the trauma of the experience has stayed with me, serving as a sobering reminder of how fragile and precious life is.
Social Media Consistency. At the start of the year, I had big plans to post on Instagram daily to grow my personal and The Happier Studio’s audience, but it quickly became overwhelming. Coming up with ideas, creating posts, and writing captions took far more time and energy than I expected, especially with everything else I had going on. Similarly, I started strong with my YouTube channel, but over time, I felt like the videos weren’t good enough, so I made them private and decided to focus more on writing articles. While I still want to grow these platforms, I’ve realised that trying to do everything at once isn’t sustainable. Moving forward, I plan to focus on quality over quantity and align my social media goals with what feels manageable.
Paramedicine Decision. One of the hardest decisions this year was deferring Paramedicine for the second—and final—time. While it feels like my calling, the financial risks and commitment of 3+ years of study weighed heavily on me, especially with a young family to prioritise. My current job, though unfulfilling, provides stability and the opportunity to pursue a PhD. In the end, I chose to defer again and dedicate the coming year to growing The Happier Studio, which truly feels like my passion.
3. What Created Energy This Year?
One of the greatest sources of energy for me this year was working on The Happier Studio and everything it encompasses. Writing articles, creating newsletters, brainstorming YouTube videos, recording the podcast, and sharing ideas on social media platforms like Twitter, Threads, and Instagram brought me so much joy and fulfilment. Each of these outlets gave me the opportunity to explore topics I’m passionate about—happiness, meaning, productivity, and life design—and share insights that can help others build a life they love.
I’ve come to realise that this work is more than just a creative outlet; it’s my purpose. Learning about how we can live more intentionally, cultivate joy, and align our lives with our values is something I truly love, and sharing those lessons with others feels incredibly meaningful.
It’s not always easy to juggle everything, but knowing that what I’m doing has the potential to make a difference keeps me motivated and inspired. The Happier Studio has become a reflection of the life I’m trying to build for myself and my family, and being able to share that journey with others has been one of the most energising parts of my year.
4. What Drained Energy This Year?
The biggest energy drain for me this year was my research job. While it’s meaningful work, it doesn’t ignite the same passion in me as The Happier Studio, and I often find myself feeling uninspired and disconnected from the environment.
Working in an office without windows and with only two colleagues—one of whom has been on maternity leave and the other working part-time—has made it a quiet and isolating experience. There’s very little interaction or camaraderie, and the lack of casual chats or collaboration leaves me feeling drained rather than energised. As a result, I often found myself questioning the logistics of working in the office when I could just as easily do the same tasks from home. Working remotely would save so much time on getting ready, preparing lunch, and commuting—time I could spend on my passion project or with my family, which brings me far more energy and joy.
Adding to this, I’m the only one in my location working on my specific project, which is a collaboration between multiple universities. While my work focuses on palliative care, the colleagues in my physical office are working on entirely different topics, like farmer mental health, so it’s hard to relate to their day-to-day. And to make matters worse, the broader team working across the universities isn’t closely knit either. Everyone is siloed into their own projects, and the lack of connection or teamwork has made the experience feel impersonal.
While I’ve learned a lot from this role, it’s clear that it doesn’t align with the kind of work environment or purpose that energises me. This realisation has been a key takeaway for me this year.
5. What Did I Learn This Year?
Some of my major lessons from this year include:
Progress matters more than perfection. This year, I learned that success isn’t about waiting for the perfect moment or having everything perfectly planned—it’s about showing up consistently, no matter the circumstances. Running my first half marathon, writing the introduction to my book, and publishing 52 articles for The Happier Studio taught me that progress is made through steady, incremental steps. It wasn’t always easy, it was hard and took a lot of time and effort, and it certainly wasn’t perfect, but taking action—even imperfect action—has helped me achieve more than I thought possible. This year has been a reminder that doing something is always better than doing nothing, and the momentum from small steps can lead to big results.
Priorities evolve, and that’s okay. Becoming a mother has completely shifted my perspective on what truly matters in life. Things that used to feel urgent or important no longer hold the same weight, and that’s something I’ve learned to embrace. This year taught me that it’s okay to let go of what no longer aligns with my values or current season of life. My son has become my biggest priority, and with that, I’ve learned to focus my energy on what truly brings me joy, meaning, and purpose. It’s not about doing everything anymore—it’s about doing the right things, even if that means leaving some goals or tasks for another time.
I’m stronger than I think. This year pushed me to my limits in the best way possible. Completing a half marathon, navigating the physical and emotional demands of motherhood, and balancing my PhD, job, creative projects, and personal life showed me that I’m capable of far more than I often give myself credit for. There were moments when I doubted my ability to handle it all, but I kept going, and every challenge taught me something new about resilience and determination. I’ve come to realise that strength isn’t about never struggling—it’s about showing up and pushing through, even when things feel tough.
6. What Am I Working Toward?
Looking ahead to 2025, I’m focusing on building a life that feels even more intentional, balanced, and meaningful.
Here’s what I’m working toward:
- Run a sub-4 marathon at the Chicago 2025 Marathon.
- Grow The Happier Newsletter to 1,000 subscribers
- Daily posts on: Instagram, Threads, and X
- Re-launch the Do What Matters podcast
- Upload 40 Youtube videos
- Write half my book
- Publish 2 research articles
Ultimately, I want to design a life that feels aligned, fulfilling, and meaningful—one that I’m excited to wake up to every single day.
Here’s to a meaningful and intentional 2025!