2024

Halcyon is an overlooked word—its meaning is one we can all hopefully relate to. Halcyon refers to a period in the past that was happy or successful. This, in essence, is what I constantly strive for (I mean, I feel like this is everyone’s goal, right? lol).

While it's quite obvious that we all want to be happy and create concrete memories of good times, we often spend too much time overthinking and worrying about what's about to come. Uncertainty is scary, but focusing too much on the future distracts us from the present.

Arguably, being present is what ultimately binds and creates halcyon moments. Oftentimes, being truly present is challenging. It's too easy to stress about things that have already happened or might happen in the future. But why? We can't change the past, and we cannot predict the future with certainty.

Don't get me wrong; I believe that evaluating the past is important and having a positive mindset when looking forward is vital. However, what's happened has happened; there's no changing it. So why worry? Just move on and learn from it—life's too short to dwell on unchangeable things.

As 2024 comes to a wrap, and as I've settled more into "adulthood" (turned 25 years old), I now understand why being present becomes harder. There seems to be a never-ending list of things to worry about: career goals, relationships, financial goals, traveling, bills, retirement, and more.

For some of us, it can be quite difficult to recall specific halcyon times. Good moments tend to go unnoticed, whereas times of unhappiness and negativity are sticky; it seems impossible to shake off. Our brains are wired to focus more on challenges and struggles.

The key is simple (well, simple in theory): put your attention towards things you can control and stop focusing on things you can't. Stop dwelling on the past; learn from it instead. Stop overanalyzing the future; instead, embrace it with excitement. Ultimately, halcyon moments are not about perfection, but about being fully present and appreciating the beauty of the current moment.

This year has definitely helped instill this mantra in my mind. I have been trying harder and harder to appreciate each and every moment. This year has also brought many other wins, one of the biggest being my overall well-being and happiness. Another significant win has been running—specifically, completing my first (and second) half marathon. For me, the feeling was simply unmatched. The scenes from both half marathons are etched in my memory:

You can just feel the energy; it's heavy and starts to weigh down the air all around. The feeling of uncertainty begins – a loud bang goes off and everyone lurches forward with adrenaline. The subtle but persistent sound of feet hitting the ground has commenced. A constant sight of people; people everywhere. A sea of nerves and a continuous wave of blurry bright colours from the constant churning of running shoes. Propinquity near, far, everywhere.

The mental toughness built through running long distances has molded me into a more disciplined person. When things get challenging, you really need to separate yourself from the flood of negative thoughts and critically evaluate the situation. When I first started to run, evaluating the situation between pain and perseverance was extremely blurry. However, as I've continued with my running journey, this evaluation has gotten clearer and clearer. It's sort of like when a window is all fogged up, but as it begins to acclimate to the weather, the fog slowly starts to disappear. This mental clarity is such a great feeling, and is a large reason why I am now hooked.

Like every other year, 2024 has flown by. Many things have changed throughout the course of the year, yet it all feels so familiar. This year has been filled with new adventures and self-exploration. Overall, it has been a year of many highs.

Predictions for 2025

Invest + save at least 40% of my income – 55%

This one might be a bit challenging, as I just moved out on my own and won't be getting a roommate until April. Nevertheless, I am fully aware of the importance of investing early in life to harness the magical effects of compound interest, so this goal is quite important to me. Another significant reason for this goal is that I really want to reduce all discretionary purchases this year. I have a tendency to buy things that I don't really need. Also, whenever I shop, I typically go down a rabbit hole and end up purchasing the expensive version of something I want (I don't necessarily think this is a bad trait, as I prefer to purchase high-quality items).

Run the Quebec City Marathon in under 4 hours – 80%

With proper training, I truly believe that I can achieve this goal. The main challenge I foresee is the elevation change in the Quebec City Marathon course, which is quite hilly. Living in Winnipeg makes it difficult to get any incline training since the city is so flat.

Read at least 15 books – 90%

In 2024, I did not read as much as I would have liked. I found it a bit more challenging this year, as I mainly read before bed. Most of my friends know that I am a really good sleeper, so whenever I start my reading session at night, it isn’t long before I doze off. As a result, it’s not unusual for me to read only one to four pages before falling asleep, which explains the lack of books read in 2024. In 2025, I plan to read more during the day.

##

A beautiful sight of the still water at Lake of the Woods! My girlfriend and I spent four nights camping at Rushing River Provincial Park in Ontario, and it was definitely a highlight of 2024!