2024 is coming to an end, so I wanted to give you one last newsletter before the chaos of 2025 begins.
This is the time of year when our brains almost automatically look back on the previous year.
What went right, what went wrong.
What we did, what we didn’t follow.
If you’re anything like me, it’s easy to overindex on the “what went wrong” part, and feel all kinds of negative emotions around those things.
We may look back with guilt over something we did or didn’t do. As I mentioned in an earlier newsletter, I am a person who has Thethe most “Catholic guilt”The even though I’m not religious.
I stumbled across a story a few months back that I’m still thinking about. Allegedly, there is no word in the Tibetan language that directly translates to “guilt.” The closest possible translation is something closer to “intelligent regret.”
I don’t speak Tibetan and I haven’t tracked down a Tibetan speaker to confirm this, but I think it’s a good sentiment that will help us as we enter 2025.
Guilt can be destructive and counterproductive. But as Dan Pink points out in his book TheThe Power of RegretThe, looking back with the right nice regretting things that happened or didn’t happen can be powerful and transformative for our future selves.
So, instead of trying to live “no ragrets” (opposite of intelligence)…
We can apply regret wisely to how 2024 went.
So, in honor of the band Oasis reuniting for the coming year, Thedon’t look back in angerThe (by the way, it’s still an all-time jam).
Instead…let’s look back with curiosity.
Look back with curiosity, not judgment.
Take some time now, and look back on your year together Thecuriosity, not judgmentThe.
Have you accomplished the things they want to accomplish? Great! I bet you learned something.
Have you lost your life and spent most of the year trying to stay afloat! Great! I bet you learned something! Do you start and stop and bail on a goal over and over again? Great! I bet you learned something!
Write these things down. Notice the emotions you feel as you look back. Write down what you learned, and how it can inform future decisions or choices you make.
Maybe you’ve learned that you hate running, or that going Keto is a complete failure, or that being a first-time parent has really messed up your life, or that we can’t stick to a morning routine.
These are all things that happened. Now, we must decide what kind of emotion to apply to those things.
Remember, Thethe past is not set in stoneTheand some of these setbacks or failures may be the very lessons you need to learn for Your Future. They may be the catalyst for your next step forward.
Remember, it is NOT “I failed/failed, therefore I am lost…”
It’s, “I failed/failed, and I learned this lesson that I can apply in 2025.”
How will 2025 be different?
Next week, we will begin Thefree 5-day challengeThe with coach Matt from Team NF.
If 2024 didn’t turn out the way you wanted or hoped, I’m sorry.
Life is strange and change is hard.
Let’s make 2025 unique! After all, if you do what you’ve always done, you’ll get what you’ve always gotten.
If you want to be different, let’s do it.
Nerd Fitness Rebellion will be with you all the way.
Have a great vacation, and I’ll talk to you next week.
-Steve
PS: Here it is Thesign-up one more time for our free 5-day challengeThe. Cheers!
