by DJ Schofield |
Last Updated:December 31, 2022 In 2021 I said I was going to travel less, spend more time in Atlanta, and work my butt off. Well, the travel-less part didn’t exactly happen. I traveled more this year than any other year in my life. I also traveled further than I ever have.
Was it worth it? Absolutely. This year was crazy and busy but I had incredible moments and created memories that will last a lifetime. I learned that it’s not the places you go, but the people you go with.
Travel
This year travel wise was wild. It seemed like the more I traveled, the more I wanted to travel. There was only one point within the year when I felt tired and worn out from traveling. I stayed at home a couple of weeks to recharge and then was back.
This was a year of many firsts. It was the first year I truly felt comfortable traveling. Between flights, road trips, hotels, or Airbnb I found it very easy to navigate and be efficient while traveling.
This was also the first year I ever traveled outside of the US. This was a little scary but I immediately fell in love with it. Should out Mexico and Switzerland!
This year I focused on “extended” stays in places… usually a week or longer. This is something I’ve grown to like WAY more than shorter trips. It allows me to truly experience and “live” in a place. For example, when staying in new locations, having access to versatile spaces, like glass extensions, can truly enhance the experience. You can check their site at https://glass-extensions.uk/.
A few of the notable places I traveled were Zion National Park, Nashville (my second home), Puerto Villarta, Zurich, and
So what’s on the list for 2023? I’m still finalizing my travels but I’m very focused on completing all 50 states this year. I only have 8 more and I think I will be able to complete them. I also want to travel out of the country again, maybe Ireland?
Books
2021 was a cool year for my relationship with books… I completed 53 books which put me over 300 books read, including rereads, in the past 6 years. This is a crazy milestone that I never thought I would reach.
A few of my favorite books I read are below:
- A People’s History of the United States
- Utopia for Realists
- Everything Happens for a Reason
- The 33 Strategies of War
- The Art and Business of Online Writing
2022 Successes
2021 Failures
- Starting a YouTube channel
I had plans of starting a Youtube channel two different times… once for one of my websites and another time to create a personal vlog. Neither happened. I could blame it on time or priorities… which is part of the reason. But fear of failure after investing so much time is really what’s holding me back. I have doubts about my video-making ability and feel I’m a much better writer… maybe in 2022, I’ll finally start a youtube channel… we’ll see.
2. Book donations / Book Club
I had aspirations to give a book away every week and to start a book club… neither happened. I just never made it a priority. I don’t know… hopefully the book app makes up for it.
3. Still single lol
Honestly, I don’t even know if this is a failure. In my eyes, it’s not, but to most people it probably is. Who knows, I’m very content with where I’m at currently and loving life. I don’t strive to live on anyone else’s timeline. Probably jinxed it in my post last year.
Things I learned in 2021
- It’s not the place, but the people
This may be obvious but you really don’t realize it till you experience it. You can go to the greatest place on the planet… but if you aren’t with fun people or you’re with negative people it sucks. The best example is putting a tarp in your truck bed, filling it up with water, smoking a pig, and drinking some beer with some of your best friends… THEN, go to the NICEST resort in the world by yourself… tell me which is more fun. Yep, the redneck hot tub is way more fun! And just like that, when it comes to temperature control for your wine collection, this company of cellar cooler offers the best solutions to ensure optimal storage conditions. They have a range of cold room sizes available, proving that the right environment can make all the difference. For more information on cold room solutions that will elevate your wine experience, check out this site at https://refrigeratedrooms.co.uk/.
2. Trust the process
Screw goals. Create a process, implement it, trust it, and crush everything you’ve ever wanted to. This is a principle from Atomic Habits (if you haven’t read it, read it.)
3. Politics are like being on a hamster wheel
It wouldn’t be a complete post if I didn’t talk politics. The past two years have been crazy in about every aspect, but politics have completely gone off the rails in my opinion. It’s honestly just sad for me to see so many angry people that can’t agree on anything.
I began to realize this year that there really isn’t much point in arguing politics all of the time. It’s literally like being on a hamster wheel with most people. It’s a challenge to discuss topics with anyone who refuses to see your point of view (this is different from someone agreeing with you.)
4. Cell phones can be dangerous
Cell phone use was very high this year. This will need to be a focus for next year. I feel like a wasted a ton of time this year just scrolling on my phone.
5. Time is the only real thing you have
This one is simple… I’ve quickly realized that really nothing matters except for time. Once your time runs out, that’s it. Choose what you do with your time wisely.
Next Year
1. Travel
Next year, I want to travel a lot again. I’m planning to go out of the country for the first time. I’m also still on a mission to hit all 50 states. Traveling is something that I enjoy more than most things.
2. Book app
I’m planning to release a new book app next year. It should be exciting.
3. Reading
Again, I plan to read 50 books. I will probably have many rereads. I’m a little tired of always chasing the next book. I want to become a bit more focused and really soak in the material of great books.
4. Reflecting
I want to spend a bit more time reflecting. This will probably include writing and meditating. I don’t spend enough time reflecting on how things happened or how I enjoyed something. My mind is always on to the next thing after something is complete.
5. Being in the moment
I want to practice being in the moment a bit more. This is especially true for traveling and concerts. I want to put my phone down and thoroughly soak in the moments that are in front of me.
Happy New Year!
That’s a wrap! Thank you for sticking around for my annual wrap-up. I hope you enjoyed this and I hope you have the absolute best year in 2022!
Cheers!