Think About Your Thinking: Traci’s 24 Learnings from 2024

Dan Sullivan says that “Our learnings should always be greater than our experiences.” This is such wise and timely advice as I look back at 2024 and ponder on ways I have grown and changed this year as an individual and leader. Growth and development of self is never at a standstill. We are always growing and changing, so taking a moment to pinpoint that change can be both a challenge and a wise experiment.

One of my mentors reminded me that each year I should take time to “think about my thinking” and use the energy in the exercise to propel me forward. As we bring 2024 to a close, I invite you to join me (and maybe create your own list as well) as I think about my 24 learnings from 2024.

1. It is important to match the energy of your clients. Do they need me to respond in 6 hours, 6 days or 6 weeks? And why is that timeframe important?
2. Evil doesn’t want to drown us, but it does want to keep us in a state where we feel we are perpetually drowning.
3. Brokenness is easy. Redemption is really hard work.
4. Anger opens us up to more imagination as to what our life can look like.
5. There is power in disruption.
6. We cannot be creative in hostile environments.
7. Beauty is the antidote to shame.
8. I need to learn to center my story (and others), understanding that we are all young souls and do not know what to do with our suffering.
9. 70% of the muscles in our face are non-voluntary. It takes effort to smile and keep smiling.
10. We are built by God to be known.
11. You can’t understand your longings until you name your grief.
12. Every relationship experiences ruptures; these should be dealt with quickly.
13. When mankind has a rupture, and we witness it, we also experience the rupture within our own selves.
14. Facing your fear is the only way through.
15. Real intimacy is the most terrifying and beautiful thing we all want.
16. Being “with” people can be transformational.
17. There is a burden in always trying to be better. It is exhausting.
18. We all need to surround ourselves with people willing to run at our own pace.
19. Self-awareness means staying open to what you are not seeing.
20. My physiological responses to fear might be keeping me from setting healthy boundaries.
21. No stage of motherhood is forever. This is both a relief and a heartbreak.
22. You cannot influence people you are disgusted by.
23. You are allowed to ask for clarity.
24. Having too many boundaries is as unhealthy as being too lenient with your boundaries.

I hope you have enjoyed these 24 lessons learned as much as I enjoyed thinking about each of these and the profound change they are bringing to me as a person and as a leader!

If you need some help or guidance wading through your year and the lessons you’ve learned, please know, the team at HPA is here to help. Let’s begin.