100 Things That Made My Year 2024

Family & Relationships

1. Father’s Day dinner with my daughter Nicole
2. Catching up on Friday afternoons with my son Kallen
3. Ting’s (Cheryl’s daughter) 21st birthday celebration
4. Visiting Cheryl’s mother by train on Sundays
5. Discovering new relatives on Ancestry
6. FaceTiming with my niece Lisa
7. Talking sports with my brother Felton
8. Celebrating Christmas Eve with Nicole
9. Cheryl and I figuring out how to set up the Christmas tree in our apartment
10. Reconnecting with friends from school
11. Staying in touch with old Navy buddies
12. The recovery of my brother Rober

Travel & Exploration

1. Hanging out with locals in Fiji
2. Snorkeling in Fiji (I can’t swim, but with a life vest and guide, I felt safe)
3. Exploring Melbourne on spontaneous tram rides
4. Riding trains to visit different parts of the city
5. Visiting friends on the Sunshine Coast during their holiday
6. Attending a wedding in Brisbane, where only one person knew Cheryl (I didn’t stand a chance!)
7. Attending the races at Flemington
8. Walking through the city with Cheryl and always finding something new

Professional Milestones

1. Recording my weekly podcast
2. Writing newsletters that sparked meaningful conversations
3. Helping clients figure out how to get from here to there faster
4. Developing and delivering new client workshops
5. Completing my fifth book
6. Sharpening my interview skills on Talking Wealth TV
7. Receiving a book endorsement from Marshall Goldsmith
8. Being featured in Robert Middleton’s Ordinary Visionary Series
9. Receiving referrals from past clients
10. Attending a local workshop organized by my publisher

Food & Cooking

1. Saturday morning croissants from the Victorian Markets
2. Mastering cooking pizza on the BBQ
3. Trying new recipes from Ina Garten’s cookbook
4. Perfecting traditional Bolognese sauce
5. Making outrageous garlic bread (Thanks, Ina!)
6. Cooking tacos almost as good as Jimboy’s, thanks to an internet recipe
7. Cooking the Christmas turkey on the Weber – perfect!
8. Going to the Vic Markets without a plan and coming home inspired
9. Discovering Lovo in Fiji
10. Year-round BBQing adventures

Entertainment & Hobbies

1. Watching Trying, Shrinking, and Palm Royale
2. Laughing at Speed the Play during the Melbourne Fringe Festival
3. Listening to live music at Transport Bar
4. Rediscovering my music collection
5. Playing vinyl records
6. Discovering Julie London’s music
7. Finding Temptations videos on YouTube and sharing them with my groupies
8. Listening to jazz and discovering Norman Brown
9. Enjoying Michael McDonald’s timeless music

Books & Reading

1. Reading A Curious Mind by Brian Grazer
2. Exploring Langston Hughes’ selected poems
3. Reading G-Man: J. Edgar Hoover by Beverly Gage
4. Completing the Abby Kane Series (Books 1–6)
5. Rereading old favorites and uncovering new ideas
6. Enjoying The Operator books (1–3)
7. Browsing secondhand bookstores and op shops

Personal Enjoyments & Accomplishments

1. My early morning 4:30 a.m. gym workouts
2. Still bench pressing 100 kg (220 lbs)
3. Early morning walks through the city after workouts
4. Attending zero funerals this year
5. Watching sunsets on the balcony with music
6. Finding ways to keep my clothes from blowing off the balcony (still missing a few socks!)
7. Learning to use AI to save time
8. Searching for bargains in Aldi’s center aisle
9. Getting a pedicure – a rare treat!
10. Being a mentor and helping others

Unexpected & Unique Moments

1. Finding unclaimed money in an insurance policy
2. Trying to find planets with my telescope
3. Attending our building’s annual Christmas party
4. Swapping stories with library colleagues
5. Discovering new stuff on my family tree
6. Making a complaint to the CEO of Palace Cinema and not getting a response – still too busy, I guess!
7. Flying Fiji Airways – amazed at how much people pack into overhead lockers

Reflection & Growth

1. Striving to be a little smarter each year
2. Continuously improving time management and organization
3. Recording my podcast multiple times due to background noise – perseverance pays off!
4. Discovering new places to network
5. Celebrating the small joys in daily life
6. Being intentional about what made my year special

Closing Thoughts

These moments – big and small – made 2024 a year of connection, growth, and joy. Looking forward to 2025!