Year-End Review: 2024—Everything Was Worth It

On March 9, 2022, I attended a workshop and created a Vision Board.

On the board, my hopes for 2022 were to embark on a journey of self‑discovery—finding out who I am through travel, reading, and living well—while also hoping to adopt a furry companion and have a cozy home.

Looking back from the beginning of 2023, I’m pleased that some of those wishes came true, though others did not. That’s okay; some things simply take time. I’ll keep doing my best, living each day well, and aim to have a clear conscience.

Major Changes in 2022

• Life: In May I ended my “Hangzhou drift” and returned to Beijing to reunite with family, ending my rental‑apartment life.
• Cat‑keeping: I cared for a friend’s cat named 王一一, and later adopted my own cat, 皮皮. Having a cat is truly joyful!
• Reading: Although my reading list was eclectic, I broke the 30‑book barrier—my highest ever. See my yearly book recommendations.
• Binge‑watching: I watched plenty of series and movies; my top pick for the year is The Ming Dynasty 1566 (《大明王朝1566》).
• Travel: New Year’s trip to Nanjing, Qingming holiday in Anhui, and that’s about it—thanks, pandemic.
• Pandemic: Multiple quarantines, living under strict controls in the capital. I tested positive in mid‑December, finally saying goodbye to COVID‑19.
• Psychology: I took systematic psychology courses and read related books; realizing that “knowing yourself” is the simplest‑sounding yet hardest thing to achieve.
• Work: In May I switched to a new role and environment, still adjusting. I’m in a period of career uncertainty, unsure where I’m headed, but I don’t want the next twenty or thirty years to be a repeat of the same routine. I don’t want to pretend I’m not struggling, yet I’m open to further exploration.

My hopes for 2023 are health, simplicity, and happiness.

Whether the pandemic resurges or not, I wish all the people I love good health.

No matter what the world or our environment looks like, I’ll live according to my own values and try to be a simple person.

Even if I continue the painful, repetitive quest—exploring who I am, who I want to become, what kind of work and life I’ll pursue—I hope to make life more comfortable through reading, travel, or any other activities that bring me joy.

Come on, 2023. Every experience is worthwhile.

Today the sun is bright, the sky is clear—perhaps this is what “peaceful days” feel like.

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Product Manager | Reading | Travel | Psychology | Everyday​

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Originally written by Estela Young and published in Chinese on 一只产品汪的自白. Translated and edited for DriftSeas with permission.