This post is inspired by WaitButWhy’s blog Your Life In Weeks. I strongly recommend reading this piece and more writing from Tim Urban.
This year was one of the more challenging reflections in recent memory to write.
I spent hours reflecting on the past year by scrolling through old photos, catching up with old friends, and silently reflecting on the year. And nothing truly major or life-changing stood out. It didn’t feel like there was a new theme to write about or any major life decisions to be made.
But then it hit me. Maybe that is precisely the point.
Instead of making drastic changes in my life this year, I continued doing the things that matter and bring joy to my life. These are not some magical things that require revamping my life to achieve. A damn good day for me looks like…
- Finishing something — Passing mile 100. Turning the last page of a book. Watching the closing scene of a movie. I’ve found that I derive deep joy from finishing things. Completing something represents a step forward, and I try to finish something every day.
- Getting my heart rate up — Anyone who knows me knows I love working out and moving my body. This is an absolute must to a full day.
- Feeling connected — Even though I consider myself an introvert, feeling connected to the world around me creates a sense of belonging.
Doing these things each day doesn’t feel like extra work because I sense the satisfaction they’ll bring! They simply feel like living my best life. Looking back over my life in one page, I find that nearly everything results from filling each day with these three things.
The past year included so many special moments. Here are a few that stood out to me…
Century Ride: ✅
This was something that I’d always thought about but had never taken any meaningful step forward to accomplishing. After learning that a friend also had a goal of completing it, we spontaneously decided to do it in the summer of 2022. We trained together weekly, gradually increasing our distance, with my focus on accumulating as many miles as possible. For instance, I’d pedal on a stationary bike while watching TV instead of running after work.
The ride exceeded all my expectations. We rode for 102 miles along the California coast. Our journey began in San Francisco, passing through Pacifica and Half-Moon Bay before heading inland to a small mountain town for lunch. We returned to the coast, passed through Santa Cruz, and concluded our adventure at a beautiful beach campsite.
The final stats are insane. We traversed 102 miles, ascending over 5,800 feet in elevation during the 8-hour ride! My Apple watch showed I burned more than 5,400 calories on the ride. In comparison, the South Kaibab trail I hiked at the Grand Canyon involved ~4,800 feet of elevation change.
Shaishav and I celebrating after finishing the ride getting a boost of adrenaline before eating our body weight in Chick-fil-a and falling asleep :)
Our journey took us from San Francisco, south along the California coast, and past Santa Cruz.
New Adventures and a Beginner’s Mindset: ✅
This year, I had the opportunity to visit five new countries: Canada, Greece, Ireland, Portugal, and Spain. Additionally, I returned to Mexico and seven different states in the US. I cannot emphasize enough how much I enjoy discovering new places; such experiences are essential to my life.
Gradually, I’ve come to perceive San Francisco as somewhat of an isolated environment. While I adore aspects of the city, I also recognize that this bubble can hinder progress on crucial societal matters and make it challenging to empathize with the realities of people worldwide. Travel helps me burst this bubble and fosters a beginner’s mindset in all aspects of my life.
A beginner’s mindset is “an attitude of openness, eagerness, and lack of preconceptions when studying or approaching a subject, even at an advanced level. It’s about maintaining a sense of curiosity, wonder, and humility while being open to new perspectives and ideas.” Having this mindset keeps every day fresh for me.
Taking this idea of a new adventure even further — A common thought exercise for me this year was, “If I did not live in San Francisco, where would I live?”
With no children, pets, or job anchoring me to a specific location, the world is my oyster! I find the idea of living in a European (maybe Berlin? Or London? ) city magical. Not only would I experience an entirely new culture, but it would also create new insight into the best methods for government to drive change within their country, a valuable insight given the current state of the US political system. Let’s see what the next year has in store :)
After years of dreaming about attending the US Open Tennis Tournament, my dad and I went for his birthday this year. New York city is a one-of-a-kind place and i’ll remember this trip for the rest of my life.
The La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, Spain was one of the first places to truly take my breath away when I first saw it. From the vast nature inspired architecture, to the centuries long history, to the light pouring through the stained glass, this is the most awe-inspiring physical structure i’ve seen.
Barcelona is home to Paradiso, the bar recently named #1 best bar in the world. Beyond truly delicious cocktails, each drink was created in honor of scientist, artist, and technologist icon who shaped the world. This drink, based on Nikola Tesla, featured a double-walled glass filled with argon gas which lit up when moved in contact of the magnetic field created by the tesla coil!
Our random European adventures continued this year in Barcelona with tons of Honest Greens, sunrise runs along the beach, and going to my first European Soccer game!
Between learning more about the centuries old history, exploring the beautiful natural landscape, and dancing the night away with old and new friends, Greece was a trip to remember.
Who knew the Montreal Public Library System rents out cross-country ski equipment? We had so much fun trying a new sport while exploring the city.
Spending a month as a Vegetarian: ✅
To continue challenging myself this year, I spent a consecutive month as a vegetarian and cooking at least 75% of my meals. This might come as a big surprise for those who know me well since you might never have seen me eat any vegetables.
So why do this? My diet has never been considered the healthiest, and I want to change that! For better or worse, I���m turning 31 today and will not have a young, healthy body forever. Instead of waiting for a scare, I want to become healthier on my terms. Second, countless studies show that higher meat consumption accelerates climate change, and I’d love to limit my impact on the environment around me. And finally, vegetables provide a world of flavors that can elevate meals I had never tried.
Surprisingly, the month proved easier than expected. I discovered that the best meals don’t attempt to mimic meat using some crazy mashup of veggies but instead celebrated the unique flavors and textures of vegetables. For example, eggplant lasagna is not tricking anyone into thinking it is meat-based lasagna.
A few other moments that brought my joy this year
Congrats Joey and Sarah! It was a special moment to watch the first grandkid on my mothers side get married surrounded by so much love.
In 2022, I listed to more than 5,000 minutes of ODESZA music on Spotify which put me in the top 0.05% of listeners on Spotify. Being in the 5th row for their new show, in their hometown of Seattle, brought tears to my eyes 🙂
Ultra Miami Round 2!! It was so fun to return to Miami for another amazing music festival, cigars in Little Havana, and all around shenanigans. Round 3 next year?!
In the age of Generative AI, I also feel the need to include “This text has been generated by a human.”
Until next year.