2025 started with my friends and me reflecting on how lucky we were to live in Southern California because we had the perfect weather to play golf in the first week of January… Only for the devastating fires to start two days later. It’s a tough reality, especially when you know people who were directly impacted. This was the time when the community came together and showed we’re stronger together.
There are a lot of things to be thankful for – being able to do activities and having the opportunities to go somewhere.
The pandemic was a tough era. I was 25 years old. Going through that “new normal” took a toll on my mental and physical health. When life forcefully hands you sour lemons, you still have to do something with them. Perhaps some good did come out of it, such as the golf boom. Do traumatic experiences need to happen for growth and better outcomes? Do we have to hit the lowest point to reach the top?
This year, I’m making a conscious effort to be the best version of myself. It’s about having the right balance where I’m happy, living, and feeling accomplished. Any money spent on eating well, dressing well, and smelling well is never a waste. I am making an intentional effort to improve my golf game by taking lessons, practicing regularly, keeping score, and always having an open mind.
I’m happy to be at the point where I can enjoy some of the fruits of my labor. I spent years grinding and grinding. Get that bag, get that gold, get whatever it is that makes you, you, within reason. As much as a Porsche GT3 RS would make me, me… It honestly will make me broke HAHA.
I learned that not everyone will be happy for you and your successes. Some people will make you live in their heads rent-free, while going out of their way to tax you out of your own happiness. Imagine doing all of that and neglecting to improve your own life?
You shouldn’t feel burdened by having to maintain relationships. You shouldn’t feel pressured to take an undesirable detour to make someone else happy. You need to do it because you want to and it feels right to you.
2025 so far… Not bad. I’m back in the bach, thriving in my career. My health improved so much. I’m out here sprinting a 15-speed and getting my mile time down to under 7:20. Golf has been GREAT. I’m taking care of myself. I’m putting myself out there. Things can happen to make room for a better path ahead. I can’t control everything, but I can control what I do because of a canon event.
There are things I could improve on. It’s a never-ending process.
At the end of the day, I feel incredibly fortunate.
