Issue #92: Five Life-Changing Lessons God Taught Me During A Really Hard Year

And what I am choosing to focus on moving forward.

2024 was by far one of the hardest years I’ve experienced. It was one of those years where I had no other choice but to cling to the hope that there was no way that things could get worse than they already were. A year that tested and stretched me beyond belief. But even through the sh*t-storm that was 2024, what kept me moving forward was the fact that even during so much chaos, God still found a way to teach me so many incredible lessons that I know I will need as I move into this new year.

Looking back, I believe that 2024 was the year that I had to be stripped of everything I found comfort in. After getting laid off in 2023, I’ll admit that I fell into a place of complacency. Depression and anxiety hit me hard, which unknowingly caused me to shut down mentally, physically, and emotionally. I was comfortable being comfortable and didn’t recognize how much I was holding myself back. So, being who He is, God took me through a series of trials that forced me to wake up, step outside of myself, and strengthen my faith in ways that could only be done through him.

Over this past year, I’ve learned:

TO FULLY TRUST GOD OVER MY KNOWLEDGE

There were so many moments in 2024 where I tried to dive in and save myself, only to be left more frustrated than when I began. My anxious mind would allow for any minor moment to turn into panic. With every solution I tried to save myself, I was constantly reminded that all I needed to do was trust.

STOP LOOKING FOR VALIDATION FROM ANYONE BUT HIM

Whew, this one hit. My main love language is “words of affirmation.” I love praise and to be told that I’m doing a great job. But that need for validation can often make me put more weight on other people’s opinions than I do my instinct. I’ve let so many brilliant ideas go because one or two people said they didn’t seem viable. And I’ve let the opinions of others talk me out of what I know God is calling me to do one too many times. This year, that stops.

I MUST REMAIN CONSISTENT EVEN IF I’M NOT GETTING IMMEDIATE RESULTS

We listen and don’t judge, right? A lot of my past pivots were made out of fear. If the results I desired after launching a new project didn't happen on MY timeline, I’d often give up and move on to something new. So many incredible ideas have died because I was too afraid to push through and give them the attention that they needed to soar. This is the year that I stick to it.

THERE ISN’T ONE PERSON TO LOOK UP TO WHO IS DOING WHAT YOU’RE DOING BECAUSE YOU’VE BEEN THE ONE CALLED TO DO IT.

Bloop! No explanation is needed.

I’M NOT LIVING UP TO MY FULLEST POTENTIAL

This one, out of all of the lessons I learned last year, hurt my feelings the worst. I am going to fully toot my own horn and say that I AM THAT GIRL when it comes to creating content, aesthetically pleasing products, and building community. And yet, I have done a terrible job of showcasing those skills. Over the past year I’ve had the honor of helping other people in their businesses and a thought that God continues to drop into my mind is “Why can’t you do this for yourself?” Why can’t I do this for myself and why am I such a bullsh*tter has been a question that I’m currently bringing up in therapy because I know I have the skill, so how do I move beyond what’s holding me back?

There were many other revelations that 2024 taught me, but these five were the most recurring. While I am still glad that it is over, 2024 showed me that I needed to stay anchored in my faith. That I needed to not only trust myself but also trust God, and to keep reminding myself of all the incredible gifts He has given me.

So in 2025, I’ve decided to implement these lessons learned and also focus on my word of the year which is JOY. For the first time in a long time, I feel hopeful. And with that hope, I want to find the JOY in every day, even if the turn of a new year doesn’t immediately change my circumstances.

I tend to begin my new year in the Spring but this year feels different. I can’t wait to share with you all of the ideas that me and God have planned over the next 12 months.

Thank you for being here.

– Alisha

IT’S A NEW YEAR, DON’T FORGET TO BREATHE