Once upon a time, I could speak my goals into existence… Reflecting on life lessons from 2024, I’ve found ways to refine this practice.
I used to be one of those people who could set ambitious goals at the beginning of the year and then methodically work toward achieving them. I’d make my lists, create my systems, and somehow manage to check off most of the items by December.
2024 was not one of those years.
2024 was the year that taught me the difference between being in control and being along for the ride. It was the year that humbled me in ways I didn’t expect and challenged assumptions I didn’t even know I had about how life works.
It was the year that reminded me I’m not nearly as in charge as I like to think I am.
The Best Laid Plans…
At the beginning of 2024, I had it all figured out. I was going to focus on scaling back some of our commitments and simplifying our lives. We were going to spend more time on the homestead projects we’d been putting off. I was going to write more consistently and launch a few new business initiatives I’d been planning.
We were going to have a nice, manageable year of steady progress on our terms.
Instead, 2024 became the year of unexpected opportunities, crisis management, and learning to say yes to things we hadn’t planned for. Christian ended up taking on additional responsibilities with the charter school. I found myself involved in community projects I hadn’t anticipated. We dealt with family situations that required more time and energy than we’d budgeted for.
Instead of scaling back, we somehow ended up busier than ever.
But here’s the interesting part: despite feeling like we were constantly reacting to circumstances rather than creating them, 2024 also ended up being one of the most growth-filled years we’ve had in a long time.
Sometimes the best outcomes come from the plans that go completely sideways.
Lesson One: Big Changes Take More Time Than You Think
I’m a recover-quickly, implement-immediately kind of person. When I decide to change something, I want to see results fast. But 2024 taught me that meaningful change operates on a completely different timeline than I’m comfortable with.
Real change happens in seasons, not in weeks.
We started some major infrastructure projects on the homestead that I thought would be finished by summer. We’re still working on them. I began some business transitions that I expected to complete in a few months—they’re still evolving. Christian implemented some changes at the school that are just now starting to show results.
Everything good took longer than I expected, and that’s actually okay.
The temptation is to interpret slow progress as failure or to abandon projects that don’t produce immediate results. But 2024 taught me that the most valuable changes are often the ones that require the most patience.
The timeline doesn’t determine the value of the work.
Lesson Two: Surrender isn’t Passive
I used to think surrender meant giving up, accepting defeat, or becoming passive in the face of circumstances. But 2024 taught me that real surrender is actually an active choice to work with reality instead of against it.
Surrender is what happens when you stop trying to force outcomes and start focusing on showing up well for whatever presents itself.
When our carefully laid plans got disrupted by unexpected opportunities and obligations, I had a choice: I could spend energy fighting against the new reality, or I could spend energy figuring out how to respond effectively to what was actually happening.
The second approach turned out to be much more productive and a lot less stressful.
This doesn’t mean becoming a doormat or abandoning all goals and standards. It means staying flexible about methods while remaining committed to values. It means being willing to take a different path to get where you’re going.
Sometimes surrender leads to better outcomes than control ever could.
Lesson Three: The Reward is in the Risk
2024 forced us to take several risks we hadn’t planned on taking. We invested time and energy in projects that had uncertain outcomes. We committed to responsibilities that stretched our capabilities. We said yes to opportunities that required us to figure things out as we went along.
Every single one of those risks ended up being worth it.
Not because they all succeeded in the way we hoped—some didn’t—but because the process of taking risks built our confidence and capabilities in ways that playing it safe never could have.
The biggest risk is often not taking any risks at all.
This is particularly true as you get older and more established. It becomes easier to stick with what you know works rather than attempting things that might not work. But 2024 reminded me that growth requires discomfort, and discomfort requires risk.
If you’re not occasionally failing at things, you’re probably not trying hard enough.
Lesson Four: Life Has Seasons
I’ve always understood this intellectually, but 2024 taught me to feel it in my bones. There are seasons for planting and seasons for harvesting, seasons for building and seasons for maintaining, seasons for expansion and seasons for consolidation.
Trying to force the wrong kind of work in the wrong season is exhausting and counterproductive.
Part of my frustration with 2024 came from expecting it to be a harvesting season when it was actually a planting season. I wanted to see results from previous investments when what was actually needed was more investment in new directions.
Once I accepted what season we were actually in, everything became more manageable.
This applies to business seasons, family seasons, community seasons, and personal seasons. Sometimes you’re in a season of high energy and big projects. Sometimes you’re in a season of maintenance and steady progress. Sometimes you’re in a season of rest and planning.
Fighting against the season you’re in is a waste of energy that could be better spent working with it.
Lesson Five: It’s Ok to Like Pressure
I spent a lot of 2024 feeling guilty about the fact that I actually function better under pressure than I do when everything is calm and manageable. I kept thinking I should want a more peaceful, predictable life.
But 2024 taught me that there’s nothing wrong with thriving in challenging circumstances.
Some people do their best work when everything is stable and predictable. Other people do their best work when they’re responding to demands and deadlines and changing circumstances.
Neither approach is better than the other—they’re just different.
Instead of feeling bad about needing pressure to perform at my best, I’m learning to create appropriate pressure for myself and to seek out situations that challenge me in energizing rather than depleting ways.
Working with your natural tendencies is more effective than fighting against them.
Lesson Six: Be Open to Who Shows Up
2024 brought several people into our lives who weren’t part of our original plans but who ended up playing important roles in our year. New collaborators, unexpected mentors, surprise supporters who appeared at exactly the right moments.
The people who show up aren’t always the people you expect, but they’re often exactly the people you need.
This required me to let go of some preconceptions about where help and opportunity come from. Instead of looking for specific types of people in specific places, I had to learn to be open to connection and collaboration wherever it appeared.
Some of the most valuable relationships in my life started as complete surprises.
Looking back at 2024, I can see that it was exactly the year I needed, even though it wasn’t the year I planned. It challenged me in ways that made me stronger, taught me lessons I needed to learn, and connected me with people who enriched my life.
Sometimes the best thing that can happen to your plans is for them to get completely derailed.
2025 is already shaping up to be another year of unexpected developments and unplanned opportunities. And instead of feeling anxious about the uncertainty, I’m feeling curious about what I’ll learn and who I’ll meet along the way.
Because if 2024 taught me anything, it’s that the most interesting stories come from the chapters you didn’t see coming.
Embracing the unexpected,
-Nichole
P.S. If your year didn’t go according to plan either, you’re in good company. Sometimes the most valuable lessons come from the years that teach us we’re not as in control as we thought we were. And sometimes that’s exactly what we need to learn.
