Happy New Year / Bonne année / 新年快樂!

Welcome to 2025. It’s hard to believe that we’ve already gone through another year, and that we’re already halfway through the 2020s. I’ve mentioned this before in other posts, but time really does seem to go by faster as you get older, but I’m here for the ride and enjoying as much of it as I can. A new year is upon us, and here’s seeing what these next 12 months bring us!

If I had to summarize my 2024 year, I would say that it was the year of mental health. There were many months this year in which, unfortunately, I wasn’t feeling great mentally and it caused me to be not the greatest person to be around. Returning to therapy after taking half a year off helped, however, and I’m still getting therapy to help me navigate my mental health and find ways to live better and to my full potential.

However, this isn’t to say that I didn’t have good moments in 2024. For one, this marked me and my partner’s first full year of living together, and we passed our two-year anniversary in April! We also traveled a lot more together throughout the US, and we plan to do more this year. I traveled quite a bit in 2024, more so than in the previous years, as I was able to do two international trips (Malaysia/Singapore and Canada) and a handful of domestic ones (in California, Georgia, and Massachusetts). I’m gearing up for many more trips this year, but until then, I have plenty of travel posts from this past year, which will start next week and continue until at least July. You’ll have lots to read, I promise!

I’m also sharing my annual “Year in Review” post here, as I do at the start of the new year. Here’s a taste of what I was up to in 2024, and I hope you enjoy. Let’s make 2025 even more adventurous! 🙂

January

20240108_085018Batu Caves in Malaysia

I rang in the New Year at home with my partner, and spent half the month on an overseas trip. I first went to Taiwan to visit my family after seven years and then visited SE Asia for the first time (Malaysia and Singapore). Both countries were absolutely sweltering (even in winter!), but it was a wonderful two weeks of sightseeing and eating incredible food. I already want to go back!

February

20240211_120220Lunar New Year feast with family

The second month of the year was slow and kind of blah. I had some tepid, “meh” moments at work. On the plus side, I celebrated my second Valentine’s Day with my partner and we went out for a lovely dinner at one of our favorite restaurants in town. We also celebrated the Lunar New Year with my family with a big feast at home, and it was nice spending time with loved ones.

March

20240324_095806Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco

What a packed and busy month! I started with getting a second tattoo (10 years since my first one), and I FINALLY took my car to auto repair to fix it up after putting it off for so long. I ended the month with a birthday trip to San Francisco with my partner, a place I hadn’t returned to for over a decade. I ended up spending a lot of money this month, but it had to be done!

April

20240421_121534Soba meal lunch combo with friends

April was also a busy month, but not as hectic as March. It was mostly planning and preparing for upcoming summer trips (i.e. booking flights and accommodations). I also got a haircut, hung out with my friends, and celebrated my two-year anniversary with my partner (how time flies)! Weather started getting warmer, which was much-appreciated.

May

20240511_160012Flowers for Mother’s Day

The month of May was and felt long– in fact, it really dragged and seemed to go on forever. My mental health wasn’t the greatest this month, but I made the right choice to restart therapy and it has been helping so far. I also serviced my car, and celebrated Mother’s Day and Memorial Day weekend with good food and good company.

June

20240613_104805Forsyth Park in Savannah, Georgia

My mental health still wasn’t great in June, but I took a quick trip to Georgia with my partner, and it definitely helped get me out of my funk. We visited Savannah and Atlanta, and despite the intense, humid heat, we had a lot of fun; it was also my first time exploring the US South! The rest of the month was exploring LA with good food and hanging out with friends.

July

20240720_151200Quaint cottage in Carmel-by-the-Sea

July was probably the worst month for my mental health. However, I found ways to practice self-care by going out on weekends to explore parts of LA I hadn’t visited much of (e.g. Koreatown, Beverly Hills, Pasadena). I also had a long-weekend trip to Monterey with my partner, which was absolutely stunning and peaceful. I also tried indoor climbing for the first time!

August

20240804_124932Taking Angel’s Flight in downtown LA

I still had some mental health struggles, but it was slightly better this month. I went indoor climbing every week, and I have to say it’s become a new hobby! I also tried out pottery and celebrated my partner’s birthday in downtown LA (for an exhibit at the Broad). I also passed my one-year sobriety from alcohol and ended the month with a family get-together over Labor Day weekend.

September

20240901_132525Beautiful day in Marina del Rey

I started September by purchasing my first pair of climbing shoes; I also started going to the climbing gym twice a week, and I saw huge improvements! Really love the sport, and it’s been helping my mental health. We had two sweltering weeks (over 100F!), but it thankfully cooled down. I got my COVID and flu shots, in preparation for cold season and also an upcoming trip…

October

20241006_115234Moraine Lake in Banff National Park

October went by fairly quickly: I spent a week visiting Canada with my friend (we’ve known each other for over 25 years)! We went to Banff National Park, as well as had a few days in Calgary and Vancouver. It’d been my dream to visit Banff for so long, and I’m so glad we did! This was my second international trip of the year, and I was happy to squeeze it in. 🙂

November

20241123_132003Acorn Street in Boston

This month went by quickly, due to several holidays (Veterans Day, Thanksgiving), as well as a quick trip to Boston with my partner. I also spent a day in Rhode Island, a new state for me! It was lots of fun re-exploring New England, a place I haven’t returned to since I was a kid. I spent the last of the month with many Thanksgiving celebrations with family, friends, and loved ones. ❤

December

20241221_131618Greystone Mansion in holiday décor

The last month of the year went by surprisingly fast, as there were so many celebrations to get to with family and friends. My partner and I had a lovely time exploring Greystone Mansion in town, which had holiday decorations set up, and we had lots of great food with the gatherings we attended. All around, a nice way to round off the year!

…and that wraps up 2024! Once again, happy new year, and here’s to another 12 months of adventures and growth. Have a wonderful day! 🙂

— Rebecca

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Published by Rebecca

Blogger, world traveler, poet, foodie, part-time penguin. Welcome!

51 thoughts on “2024: My Year in Review”

  1. I’m sorry you had those issues with your mental health but it sounds like you have a very balanced and sensible approach to managing it, and I’m glad things are improving for you. I’m looking forward to hearing more about your time in Malaysia in particular as it’s on our radar for a possible trip this year!

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    1. Thanks, Sarah! Working on my mental health is a work in progress, but I’m getting there! My posts on Malaysia are coming within this month, so stay tuned! I have lots of travel posts to cover this year, so I hope you join me along for the ride!

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  2. I’m looking forward to reading your new travel posts. I hope you had an enjoyable New Year’s Eve. Yes, time passes quicker as we get older. I hope you’ll have less mental health issues this year. I’ve had my fair share of those in 2024 too, feeling overwhelmed and low occasionally.

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  6. Sounds like a year of ups and downs, but ending on the ups. I hope that can continue for you in 2025. I’m looking forward to reading about all the travels you’ve already taken but not published, as well as the ones coming up! Happy New Year!

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  7. It sounds like this year has been challenging, but that you are doing an amazing job of self care and putting in place things to help. I love you managed to fit in so many trips, and your climbing is amazing. Here’s to a 2025 of many more adventures 🙂

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    1. Thank you, Han! 2024 was certainly a year of challenges, but also plenty of fun and adventure. I haven’t traveled this much since 2019, and I really enjoy my climbing journey. I don’t know if I’ll be taking as many trips this year compared to the last, but we shall see! Here’s to a great 2025 ahead!

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  11. Happy New Year, Rebecca! It’s good that you managed to travel quite a lot last year, including many domestic trips — I really should do that more often. I hope 2025 will be kinder to you, especially to your mental health. Here’s to a year full of memorable trips ahead!

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    1. Thanks, Bama! I’m impressed that I managed to do so much traveling this year; I haven’t had this many trips since 2019! Have a wonderful year ahead filled with more adventures!

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  14. I’m so proud of you for seeking the help you needed for your mental health + being so transparent, and I’m happy that you managed to do so much despite the challenges. Cheers to more milestones with your partner and new destinations for 2025! I may not be as active on here for this year as I’d like, but I’ll definitely keep up with your posts as I enjoy them very much. 🙂

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    1. Thanks, Elle! Given that mental health help is still rather stigmatized today, it’s all the more important to advocate for yourself and get the help you need, as we can’t always deal with it on our own; this is something I’m trying to work on. Have a wonderful year ahead, and I’m happy that my posts bring you joy! I have plenty of travel posts starting next week, which will take this blog until summer! Stay tuned 😊

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  15. Happy New Year, Rebecca. Despite some hurdles, you have lots of positives from the past year. So glad you’ve gotten into climbing! I look forward to reading about all your travels – both catchup posts from 2024 and all you get up to in 2025!

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    1. Thank you! 2024 was a year of ups and downs, but it ended on a high note! Climbing has been a fun new hobby of mine, and I intend to keep at it this year! Happy 2025, and here’s to more adventures ahead! 😊

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  16. Despite your mental health problems you have managed to achieve so much during the year and have fond memories of all the travelling you have done. I hope that 2025: will see you return to full health and enjoy more adventures with your partner. Happy New Year, Marion

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    1. Thank you, Marion! Yes, 2024 was a year of chalenges, but it was also filled with joy and adventure. I’m impressed you went to so many places in the world, and I hope you continue to do so this year! Have a wonderful 2025 ahead 😊

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  17. Bonne année, Rebecca! It seems like you had a great year filled with adventures and, despite the ups and downs, you managed to find ways to get better – which is, in the end, what really matters. I hope you have a wonderful 2025, with plenty of love and adventures!

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  22. Great to have this overview of your 2024 Rebecca, I’m just sorry that I’m so late to the party. Have gotten horribly behind with all things WordPress reader, so this is very much a read-and-comment Sunday evening for me. As I said before I relate and fully sympathise / empathise with the mental health stuff. But I am encouraged to see that (like me) you don’t let it stop you from finding joy in the little things and that you still get out to travel. It shows that you are fighting it and coming out on top, even if it doesn’t always feel like that. You have some great travel snapshots here, I particularly like Acorn Street, the bat caves and lovely, lovely Savannah.

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    1. Absolutely, Leighton! 2024 was a year of ups and downs, but also a ton of joy and adventure! I’m taking steps to make sure that 2025 is a better year with more happiness (and travel)! Here’s to a great 12 months ahead 🙂

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  23. Happy New Year! A nice summary of the year which was filled with the good and the bad. I’m glad you had a nice end of the year. Wishing you all the best for this year.
    I noticed the dragon spread in the Lunar New Year pic. So cool!

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  24. A warm and reflective text that celebrates the passage of time with honesty and gratitude. Its beauty lies in the balance it strikes between mental health, relationships, travel, and small, everyday achievements, leaving a sense of conscious growth and hope for the new year.

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