Hello, 2018!

Cue the “Happy New Year” posts, conversations, and resolutions… now!

The holiday’s are finally over; we came, we conquered, we ate, and we hopefully spent time with friends, family, and loved ones. Another year is in the books, and in looking back on it, it went by at a record-setting pace, at least in my opinion. Why is it that as we get older, the years seem to fly by quicker and quicker?

For my girlfriend and I, 2017 was certainly a big year. Among other things, we both started new jobs (ok, newer for her than for me), and we bought a house. Money has been coming in just about as quick as it has been going out, and maybe planning everything in 2-week increments has been speeding things along. By the way, whoever said owning a home would be cheaper than renting was lying. Sure, we’re building equity in something that belongs to us (rather than someone else) but, considering the urge to make this house a home, the spending just never seems to stop. Some notable projects throughout our first year of home ownership include epoxying the garage floor, concealing cables and cords for the TV in the family room, finally installing recessed lighting in the family room, and installing a plethora of smart home items such as an Ecobee 4, an iDevices Wall Switch, a LiftMaster Smart Garage Door Opener, and some LIFX Bulbs. On top of everything going on, I also managed to complete my second 6-credit MBA course over the summer, and obtained two AWS Certifications (Developer and Solutions Architect, associate). Not bad for a “Scrum Master”, right?

Outside of everything that has happened in 2017, it’s also important to look ahead into the new year that is 2018. I’m typically not one to make resolutions anymore, as I’ve determined that for me, smaller goals are often more attainable. There are always things I want to do, whether it be continuing to broaden my technical skills, continue a path towards financial independence, or live a healthier lifestyle, but given my past experiences, it’s often better to have smaller goals and milestones, than such lofty ‘resolutions’ that most people set out to pursue on January 1.

With that in mind, what works best for you? Will you be setting any New Years resolutions, or will you set some smaller, more attainable, goals for yourself in the near-term?

–Sean