The 4 Lessons That Changed My Year

What stepping back taught me about work and life

December is one of my favorite months. I get to celebrate my birthday and my favorite holiday — Christmas. It’s also the final month of the year, which makes it the perfect time to look back and prepare for what’s ahead.

So, in the spirit of the season, I’d like to give you a gift.

These are the biggest lessons I learned in 2025.

Besides Code was founded on sharing knowledge and helping you grow. This small present might be exactly what you need right now.

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Your health comes first

Nothing matters more than your health. Not your job. Not your family. Not anything else.

I learned this the hard way this year.

By the end of the summer, I had said “yes” so many times that I had no energy left. No desire, either. I was officially burned out — and I had no one to blame but myself.

I thought I understood burnout. I’d been exhausted and overworked before. But this time was different.

It touched every part of my life.

I didn’t want to do even the most basic things — like getting out of bed or eating.

I didn’t want to work on my side projects.
I didn’t want to create content.
And I didn’t want to do my day job.

“What’s the point of working on my side projects? I’m just going to fail again,” I thought.

“Why bother posting on LinkedIn or writing on Substack? I’m a fraud.”

“I’m useless at work. I’m not providing any value.”

The worst part? My relationships suffered too.

I wasn’t myself. I became needy, anxious, constantly overthinking, and catastrophizing everything.

Once I realized I was dealing with burnout, I made a simple two-step recovery plan:

• Stop every non-essential activity

• Find joy again without screens or people

I canceled meetings.
I stopped posting.
I paused coding on the side.

I was doing too much. And I had to stop everything I’d said yes to.

I knew I couldn’t do it all. And even if I could, would I want to? Multitasking never works.

I filled that new space with things that genuinely made me happy.

I journaled.
I took daily walks.
I read a lot.
I prioritized sleep.

Many of these things are free — yet they’re priceless.

They fill my cup. They make me feel alive. And they give me the energy to create, build, and help others.

I’ve slowly started saying “yes” again. But this time, it’s on my terms and within my boundaries.

Your physical and mental health must always come first.

Because how can you do great things in this life if your body and mind aren’t well?

Showing up matters more than streaks

One of my goals this year was to post daily on LinkedIn and Substack.

The streak lasted six months — and then it ended.

Did I fail because I didn’t hit my goal?
Absolutely not.

I showed up consistently. And that matters more than any streak.

As creators and builders, we love to glamorize numbers.

“How many likes did your last post get?”
“How many apps did you build this year?”
“How many days in a row did you commit code?”

But numbers don’t tell the full story.
And there’s more to life than metrics.

Instead of counting followers or calculating engagement rates, try asking yourself this:

Am I learning?
Am I growing?
Am I having fun?
Am I making an impact?

Streaks can help you start a habit.
But they aren’t meant to last forever.

Just show up.

That’s enough.

Communication isn’t optional

Wouldn’t it be great if your manager were a mind reader?
What about your coworker? Your partner? Your kids?

You’d never have to explain yourself.
You’d always know how they felt and what they were thinking.

Of course, that’s not how life works.

So we have to communicate.
It’s required. It’s not optional.

The truth is simple. No one knows what’s going on in your head unless you tell them. I was reminded of this again and again throughout the year.

I messaged colleagues when I needed help.
I invited friends to join me on livestreams.
And I asked you to consider purchasing my digital products.

None of that would have happened without communication.

I had to say what I wanted. We all do.

Yes, it can feel uncomfortable. Even embarrassing, especially when asking for help. But the discomfort is temporary. The outcome can be better than we ever imagined.

Communication is essential to life.

It can be the difference between feeling stuck and miserable and finding fulfillment and purpose.

If you don’t ask, you don’t get.

I love this expression. It reminds us of the power of communication and gives us hope for what could be.

Growth requires change

We’re surrounded by change. In nature. At work. At home. Even in our own bodies.

And yet, we struggle to accept it. Sometimes we even resist it.

One of the biggest lessons I learned this year is simple: growth requires change. And it’s hard to change when you’re comfortable.

When you’re comfortable, you want to stay that way. Change threatens that comfort. It also brings uncertainty.

At work, there were roadmap shifts and project pivots.
My relationships with friends and family changed.
Even my interests and beliefs are different now than they were a year ago.

Some of these changes were scary at first.

But over time, they became less scary.

And once I realized those changes were helping me learn and grow, I stopped fighting them. I welcomed them.

The next time you face a big change in your life, try to look on the bright side.

Growth is ahead.

You’ve stepped outside your comfort zone before.
And you can do it again.

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I’m grateful for this year, even though it didn’t go as planned.

I pushed myself outside my comfort zone.
I chose my health.
I showed up when I could.
And I leaned into change.

Life is a constant cycle of growth and change. The lessons we learn along the way are what make that growth possible.

Here’s to another year of lessons.

What did this year force you to learn?

Let’s keep learning and growing together.