Happy New Year. Here are just 24 of the varied and random things I learned in 2024.
What I learned in 2024…
1. What we’d do differently in a future kitchen renovation. We learned a lot about what to expect as part of a kitchen renovation, what we liked and didn’t, pitfalls, and mistakes. One mistake is that our microwave is placed too high. I won’t be doing that again. A small kitchen about our size can be done in about a month. Lots go into kitchen renos and it was nerve wracking to research it all and pick a trustworthy contractor.
2. How to set up a site on WordPress. I fumbled a few times with getting it set up, but I’m happy to now have an outlet to write (even when I don’t want to). This WordPress site started as an experiment, and I’m glad I pushed forward. Looking back from when I started, taking the time to write every week has helped me feel more fulfilled overall.
3. Use Google Photo links to share high quality photos from Android to iOS. Whenever I’ve gotten messages from Android phones with photos, the files tend to be blurry. I learned that by sharing images via Google Photos, you can maintain the original photo quality. Instead of messaging the image itself, go into Google Photos and “share” the Google Photos image link instead.
4. An at-home printer is surprisingly more useful than I thought it would be. I used to rely on printing at an office, or a Fedex for print services whenever I needed a printed document. Now that we have a printer at home, it’s saved a lot of time. I’m surprised by how many documents I actually do need to print. For example, all the documents I need to apply for a visa, electronic gift cards as part of gifts, store coupons, I printed checklists for our kitchen contractors to double-check things, and more. This is the one we have.
5. You can sign documents directly from your phone. I learned this from a window contractor on New Year’s Eve. My mind. Was. Blown. At least on iOS, here’s how you can do it:
- Open the file/document (from an email for example)
- Hit the “share” icon in the upper right (the one with the up arrow)
- Scroll and choose “Markup”
- Use 2 fingers to zoom into where you want to sign
- Choose a pen color, sign away. If you made a mistake, use the “eraser”.
- Then you can hit the share arrow in the bottom left to send the document back via email or text message
6. A rice cooker can be more than just for rice. I started following some Instagram accounts with one-pot rice cooker recipes, and they can be delicious (and easy). My favorite so far is the Adobo Chicken rice in the rice cooker (Instagram recipe from @easypeasyjordan)
7. You can freeze unused tomato paste by putting 1 tablespoon in between parchment paper and then in a baggy in the freezer to use at a later date.
8. If your spice jars are visible from the top, labeling them with masking tape and arranging them alphabetically can save you a lot of time. Labeling them will take some time at first, but it is so much faster to find the spices you need afterwards
9. Being “additive” versus “restrictive” when it comes to meals has helped us eat better. Instead of restricting the foods we know are “bad”, we’ve chosen to instead “add” greens and vegetables. For example, if we want to have pizza for dinner, we’ll try to add a salad or a side of steamed greens in addition to the pizza. For me this is much easier in the long run than never having pizza again. What’s happened for me is that when I have the veggies alongside the meal, I tend to eat less of the bad stuff. My eating habits have improved, and I’m now better at eating many of the foods I crave in moderation
10. Dental health is so important, and not noticing or feeling any issues doesn’t necessarily mean your dental health is in good condition. Many dental issues early on are undetected. If your condition continues to worsen, it’s often not reversible and can cost major $$$ down the line. Take care of your teeth, and particularly your gums! See here and here on reflections on my dental journey
11. Setting a reminder every quarter to change out our filters has reduced the mental energy of having to track when filters were last changed. This includes the HVAC filter, air purifiers, and water filters. This helps us remember when exactly the last filter change was.
12. To get the mildew smell out of towels (or any fabric), put 1 cup of vinegar in the fabric softener compartment of your washer (and do your laundry as normal). This will release the vinegar during the rinse cycle to get rid of the smell. If it’s pretty bad, you can pre-treat the fabric by spraying vinegar on it
13. Cat owners: Keep spare newspaper sheets or coupon inserts in a convenient spot so you can quickly grab one as soon as you are alerted that your cat is about to vomit. Pre-separate the sheets in advance to make it even quicker to place them under your cat’s mouth. This helps minimize or even eliminate cleanup afterwards!
14. Expensive skin care is not necessary and will rarely (maybe never) live up to the company’s marketing claims. (Thank you XB for these tips and thank you to your dermatologist!). A gentle face wash (I like La Roche-Posay Toleriane) and face cream (like Cerave) is just as good if not better than any expensive facial product. It may also be worth reminding that creams will not fix wrinkles- only botox will.
15. My favorite sunscreen is Elta MD UV Clear. It doesn’t feel or smell like traditional sunscreen. This past year I’ve also tried Supergoop Glow Screen, Colorescience, Elta MD Daily, and La Roche-Posay Anthelios.
16. Tatcha Hinoki lotion has a really relaxing scent that I can’t get enough of. If you love the smell of cedar or the outdoors, you’ll love this lotion. It uses an essential oil blend from the Japanese Hinoki cypress tree. Hinoki is associated with the Japanese practice of Shinrin-yoku, or forest bathing. Forest bathing (as you can imagine) is the simple and therapeutic act of spending time in a forest. Forest bathing helps reduce stress and enhance overall well being, much of this is due to the smells of nature. The lotion is a little pricey, but I like to put it on when I need some extra pampering or stress reduction.
17. A “Rollover IRA” is just a Traditional IRA with a “Rollover IRA” sticker on it. You can contribute money to a Rollover IRA (or any Traditional IRA), but you’ll need to report the contributions to the IRS so you’re not taxed twice (e.g., taxed again on those dollars when you take it out). I’m staying away from Traditional IRA and backdoor Roth contributions because I don’t trust that I’m going to do it right
18. A 30 oz Stanley tumbler with a straw gets me to drink significantly more water. I’ve had no interest in a Stanley until someone got me one for my birthday. Now I realize that I drink significantly more water throughout the day. While reading, I often keep it tucked under my arm and take frequent sips. Since it holds more water than a regular cup and has a straw, I suspect the easier access (e.g., no need to lift a cup to my lips) encourages me to stay more hydrated. It sounds wild that this small change could make a difference for me, but I really think it does.
19. I’ve saved money by keeping an item in my shopping cart for a week before clicking “buy”. Most times when I take a week or more to think about if I really want or need something, I end up no longer wanting it. Less clutter and money saved!
20. More reading and less screen time has improved my mental health and reduced my stress significantly. I start my day by reading with a cup of coffee for 30 minutes before work, and I often read again before bed. We’ve canceled most of our streaming subscriptions, I spend less time on social media, and I’ve stopped watching reality TV. My mind feels noticeably clearer. Fun fact: A 2009 study from the University of Sussex found that reading can reduce stress by up to 68%.
21. Stress can be an addiction. I’ve come to realize that stress addiction is real, and I believe I’m still in the process of recovering from it. I’ve come a long way, but for a long time, guilt over not being constantly productive was my default state. I felt like a poor performer if I wasn’t always working or producing something. It felt impossible to relax, read, or go to the gym since there was always “too much work”. Over time, this mindset drained my energy, stifled my creativity, and worn down my overall happiness. Now, after making deliberate changes to my habits, I’m much happier and healthier.
22. I’ve given myself more permission to relax, and my mental well-being has improved. This shift relates to recovery from stress addiction. I used to feel constant guilt for not working or being productive, but I’ve learned that taking time to rest doesn’t hinder my ability to do well at work. It actually can enhance it. The brain needs downtime to make connections and spark creativity. There’s one distinct morning I remember when I gave myself permission to not work. I went to a coffee shop to write and brainstorm about non-work topics. When I returned to work, I was filled with new insights and ideas.
23. Yin Yoga (a slow-paced practice that feels like guided stretching), has been a great way to slow my racing mind.. I sometimes like to do this after a morning gym session. On YouTube, I usually search for ‘Yin Yoga with Kassandra.’ Yin Yoga is said to embody the feminine, or yin, energy, as opposed to the more active, masculine yang energy. I once saw a Reiki practitioner (who wasn’t my favorite), who suggested I tap into my feminine energy through practices like Yin Yoga. While I’m not entirely sure what it means to tap more into my feminine energy, I’ve found that practicing Yin Yoga in the evenings or after a workout helps me unwind and feel more centered.
24. None of us knows how much time we have on this earth. Paulo Coehlo (author of The Alchemist) has said, “One day you will wake up and there won’t be any more time to do the things you’ve always wanted. Do it now.”. I’m making an effort to embrace adventures, both big and small, without waiting for “later”. I worry that one day we’ll wake up and realize that too much time has passed and it’s too late. Every day is a gift.
And onto 2025
Overall, 2024 wasn’t so eventful for me personally. I hope that I’ll continue a practice of reflecting on the random things I learned over the past year so I can reflect on them in the future. I’m glad I started writing consistently starting mid-2024. Let’s see if I can keep it up into 2025. Same for our annual retrospectives.
