The higher you fly, the harder the fall. Whether it be in your career, studies, love life, or social circle, it's all about managing expecations. At the end of it all, if they truly value you, they'll make the effort and time, otherwise, they were never meant to be in your life in the long run.

Almost a year ago, I never thought I could reach peak performance in my runs, nor did I ever think of signing up for a marathon, but here we are. A scrapped knee, a broken leg, and a burst appendix only made me wiser, faster and stronger. Time and time again, your body proves itself stubborn against illnesses, and injuries, as you only get better, so I wonder why we can't transcend that into other life facets.

The moment you throw your ego aside, you learn so much about yourself. Listening to my body and my mind has become something I take more seriously, especially after I got appendicitis and suffered multiple mental burnouts when I worked and studied at the same time.

To get from point A to point B, you need to view it in 2 ways: the macro (destination) and the micro (how you get there). If you tend to jump into the micro, you tend to get lost and lose emotional regulation quickly, but viewing the macro first before planning out the micro can get you to far places without worry or stress.

The three most important resources you'll ever have are time, energy, and money. Where you go and how you get there depend on those three resources, which emphasizes the importance of ensuring you utilize them wisely and with proper and thoughtful intent, whether in school, work, or even your love life.

Every first child is no stranger to the word sacrifice. We're the first ones to receive stricter scoldings for misbehaving, to give up the last piece of BBQ skewer so our younger sibling can have it, and to face the world head-on to protect our younger siblings. On the one hand, this makes us independent, but on the other, it makes it hard to overcome our pride and ask for help when needed. Though it's hard to admit you're struggling, sometimes, that's when you realize you just need a little nudge to push on.

There's the suffering we were given, and then there's the suffering we choose. And there's something about chosen suffering and discomfort that can either shape or break you. Believe it or not, this struggle in the job hunt, redefining who I am and training for a marathon taught me much more than I thought.

I know I'm not the only one going through this, and I know that you know that it doesn't get easier. The sheer amount of idle time led me to reflect on how I could make the most out of this time that I was given. It took me a whole year to arrive at this conclusion, so I hope it doesn't have to be for you.

The mind is a double-edged sword; it either refines or destroys. Reflecting on 2024, many of the challenges I went through were mental battles, so I hope you take the time to ask yourself what you did right and wrong and how you will proceed moving forward. Cheers to 2025!

"A lot can change in a year," they say, and boy, were they right. From almost being at risk of being deported, appendicitis, a half marathon, getting two dates, and getting serious into my life of faith, has been a crazy series of unexpected events. If you can, I encourage you to take the time to reflect on key events, what you learnt, and how you can improve as the new year approaches. See ya in 2025!