by DJ Schofield |
Last Updated:January 2, 2022 2021 was a year of travel… a lot of it. I lived most of the year out of a suitcase. There were many lessons, tons of fun, and a lot of work completed. Looking back, for the most part, I think it was a successful year and a lot of progress has been made.
As none of you have probably noticed, I didn’t publish a single post in 2021. Kind of similar to last year but about one post worse. Honestly, it just isn’t a priority. I’ve done a ton of journaling and writing this year… just nothing really worth sharing or that I want to share.
So per usual, the reason I write this for two reasons… 1) to reflect, learn, and hold myself accountable and 2) I hope someone (even just one person) reads this and relates, thinks, and/or learns something. My hope is to update people on my life but also inspire others to prepare and take action in their own life.
Sure, there’s a lot of personal stuff on this, but hopefully, you can pull some relatable things to apply to your life or spark some creativity.
Travel is Fun
This year was full of travel (the Dalè tour as some know it)… 10 states and 20 cities to be exact. Outside of tons of SkyMiles and Marriott points, the number of memories gained was priceless. My goal for 2021 was to travel as much as possible and after experiencing that… it’s definitely a goal for 2022 as well. Additionally, travel is very fun, like going to Korea. One of the most beautiful places to see in Korea, the Han River, which is my favorite place, has beautiful scenery featuring the river, bridges, and parks.
Honestly, I’ve had thoughts of living the van life for a little while… call me crazy but it sounds kind of fun. Another part of me wants to just Airbnb hop every week or so. Basically, a boujee van life… with no van. Perhaps, in some places, I could even consider opting to rent a car Dubai Deira for added convenience and exploration. And, of course, ensuring appropriate car insurance the sun, would be paramount for peace of mind. Amidst all these thoughts, there’s something about the allure of glossy showroom floors that draws me in—maybe it’s the sleek, polished look that feels both luxurious and grounded. Hence, I’m excited to embark on the journey of creating a full discover cars report, capturing every detail and memory along the way.
My favorite place I visited was definitely St. John in the virgin islands. That place is so freaking breathtaking… I can’t even put it into words.
The best experience was definitely Key West for a friend’s bachelor party… that place was wild and such a fun time with great people. I gained several friends from that trip that will probably be lifelong friendships.
A couple of other noteworthy places were Nashville (don’t tempt me to move there… that place is amazing), Las Vegas, Colorado Springs, and Dallas.
Outside of those, let me tell you about Utah… one of my favorite states currently. I went to Salt Lake City 4 or 5 times and Moab once. The views and people there are incredible. I highly recommend it!
Work
Overall, work in 2021 was good. Normal, day job work was a challenge with ups and downs, but I continue to learn more each day and maintain productivity.
Real career progress was made in my “side projects.” Between my entire portfolio of websites, I have successfully surpassed 1,000,000 written words… yes, that’s a million. It took me over 3 years to achieve this goal. The most exciting part is the revenue took off this year as well.
To say the least, 2021 was the most money I’ve made in a single year in my entire life. The bar has been set higher and I’m looking to crush that new bar in 2022.
Another exciting project that began towards the end of 2021 is a new book app. I don’t have a ton of details on this but I think it will be a useful app that will solve a problem for many people. So far it is pretty cool and should be ready to launch towards the beginning of 2022.
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
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!
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!