In almost a blink of an eye, 2024 came and went.
A lot of people are reflecting on the past 12 months. They may be thinking about what they accomplished – or didn't – and what they learned along the way. Regardless of how big or small life's lessons are, they can shape the way you go into the next year and the rest of your days.
As we embark on the new year, starting on a good note and with a positive outlook can be key. Up First asked newsletter readers and NPR listeners to share stories about their biggest life lessons from this year to provide insight to others.
Responses have been edited for length and clarity.
Prioritize your health
Being brutally honest with herself and facing her demons was key for Carisa Sanders of Palouse, Wash. this year. She says she knew she was drinking too much and ignoring her health checkups.
"For months, my anxiety grew and still I did nothing," Sanders wrote to us.
She eventually started to slowly expose herself to honest stories of alcohol abuse and she says this helped break through her denial. She got better at keeping up with medical appointments and quit drinking in September.
If alcohol is causing you stress or harm, seek medical advice. There are a variety of treatments, including counseling, medications and support groups, to help people who want to end that dependency. This includes Alcoholics Anonymous, which has helped countless people. This guide from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism can help you find a program that's right for you.
Laugh More
Michelle Davis of Maple Grove, Minn., says laughter is more than just a sign of feeling good, but can lift your mood into the next day and perhaps even help with your health. Laughter can't cure ailments, but it can have positive effects including stimulating your organs, soothing tension, and increasing and then decreasing your heart rate and blood pressure, according to the Mayo Clinic. Laughter deserves a spotlight for how it can help, Davis wrote.
"I will keep looking candidly and with humor at life's daily ups and downs, gladly take time to laugh at the wealth of hilarious videos online (better if with family/friends), and try to raise my kids with a healthy appreciation for the power of laughter as well," Davis stated.
Grief is not the enemy
Grieving a loss is not a problem to be solved, it is a response to love, says Martha Antolik, of Vandalia, Ohio. Her husband died in 2022 and she says most of the deep shock of his passing has lifted.
"I am confronting what it means at a deep emotional level that as a physical presence, my husband is gone forever from my life," she writes, "so I must have the courage to honor his memory while also trying to move forward."
Belief in yourself
Benjamin Gregg of Twinsburg, Ohio. says he is learning to recognize that he is capable of achieving his aspirations. Gregg, 40, says he has struggled with mental health issues since he was a teenager. It took 10 years for him to find the right care, and he says it paid off. Gregg applied to graduate school during the pandemic, was accepted and started the first semester with strong grades, but when he was in the throes of a crisis he says that feat seemed inconceivable. Through this challenge, Gregg says he learned with the right care and hard work, mental illness doesn't define who you are.
"I plan on continuing to stay the course and give my best effort throughout my academic studies - and also not be afraid to ask for support when needed," which Gregg wrote was another lesson for him.
If you or someone you know may be considering suicide or is in crisis, contact the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by dialing 9-8-8, or the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741.
Perseverance is key
Three years ago, Amelia Davis of Jensen Beach, Fla., was diagnosed with rare inflammatory breast cancer. It accounts for only one to five percent of breast cancers, according to the American Cancer Society, and can spread aggressively to other parts of the body.
Davis sought treatment in Florida, but she wasn't aware oncologists in her area would be unable to properly treat her complicated cancer. After completing her initial treatment, she knew the cancer wasn't gone. Her doctor did not believe her.
The cancer was still in her arm. After extensive research, she sought treatment at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston where they prescribed a treatment that she preferred. The institute suggested finding another local oncologist who would work with them. She found a reputable local oncologist, who refused her case and referred her to a partner who offered a far less than ideal situation: undergoing chemo for the rest of her life and possibly losing her arm.
After advocating for herself and receiving multiple opinions, she found her third and "hopefully last" local oncologist who agreed with Dana-Farber's assessment. Davis says she is doing so well now with the treatment that she might be able to discontinue it or at least pause it.
She told us she hopes to "get off treatment and live with two arms intact."
Stand up for yourself
"No one gets to use the sick card to excuse racism," says Rae Earley of Cumberland, Vt.
Earley is Asian-American and works as a patient service specialist. She says some patients have made unnecessary and unwelcome comments about her race.
At first, she didn't say anything when hearing those comments, but she didn't like her own lack of response. She decided she would begin calling out inappropriate comments and has a tip for people on practicing how to approach those incidents.
"Keep a steady voice, firm eye contact, name the offense and explain why that was inappropriate," Earley says. "I find it's more effective to call out the behavior in the moment, even if you won't see the person again."
Be present in the moment
"I have worked to be aware, thinking about this moment. Nothing else matters. This is it … right here. Future and past are irrelevant. This moment is mine right now. The moment is yours right now. Embrace and be grateful for this moment," says Teresa Drummond of Winston-Salem, N.C. One reason Drummond, who is 63, made this assessment is because her parents are in their 80s and she sees changes in them happening more rapidly as they age.
When it comes to living in the moment, Drummond wrote, "I hope to look around me more closely, reassessing as the new year begins. Remove clutter, simplify, think more about my own mortality and how best to spend what time I hope to have left. I am already asking myself what is most important to me before I leave this realm."
Less screen time
Instead of spending time on electronics, Hatley Christensen of Saint Paul, Minn., spends time on activities she finds to be more fulfilling. Christensen enjoys reading, baking, arts and crafts, and journaling. When the urge comes to pick up the phone or turn on the TV, she asks herself if there's something better she could be doing. As a result, she has found it has improved her mental health and made her more present in life.
"I think everyone has experienced that moment when you know you need to stop scrolling but just can't stop. For me, those moments bring up feelings of guilt and sadness," Christensen wrote. "I've started being really intentional about turning off screens when my brain tells me that it's had enough."
This article was edited by Obed Manuel.
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