2019 Year in Review

As 2019 comes to an end, I’ve found myself reflecting on the past year—something that I haven’t done in years past. I genuinely struggle with reflecting on and acknowledging accomplishments. Usually, I only recognize the shortcomings in an attempt to find opportunities for improvement.

But 2019 has been a big year with lots of changes—not least of which has been my efforts to practice gratitude and thoughtful reflection. Here’s my rundown of everything that happened in 2019, and what I’m looking forward to in 2020.

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Starting a New Job

I’ve met some of the smartest and most passionate people over my first year at Lyft.

I’ll admit, it has been challenging to come back into the corporate Learning and Development world—but it’s been worth it and the best sort of challenge. I can’t wait to see what our team accomplishes in 2020.

Presenting at DevLearn 2019

In October, I had the opportunity to speak at the eLearning Guild’s annual DevLearn conference, and it is one of the more significant highlights for the year. Especially considering that it was my first time speaking at any industry event.

Be on the lookout for a future post where I’ll share my approach to using Minimum Viable Products in LXD.

In 2020, I’m looking forward to revamping the presentation and having the opportunity to share it with a few local ATD chapters. I also hope that DevLearn was the first of many future public speaking opportunities in the future.

Highlights From My Network

Joining Lyft and attending DevLearn this year gave me multiple opportunities to expand my professional network. Some of my most notable highlights included:

• Caught up with colleagues from past roles (shoutouts to Matt, Nick, Tim, William, and Diane.)
• Joined an incredible team (shoutouts to Vivian, Catherine, Kara, Alyssa, Nick, Christy, and Lauren.)
• Welcomed new teammates and leadership (shoutouts to Lucia, Daniel, Joey, Ashley, and Ryan.)
• Expanded my professional network (shoutouts to Cara, Roberta, Andrew, Chandler, and Lee.)

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I also connected with many new folks on social media both on Twitter and LinkedIn. There are too many new connections to list—so, if you joined with me in 2019, thank you! Here’s to keep learning, growing, and interacting with all of you in 2020!

New Adventures

This year has been one of the most traveled than any previously. Here’s where I went and what I saw.

Nashville, TN—I’ve had multiple trips to Music City to visit the rest of my team at Lyft. It’s always a pleasure to be on-site in the office, and Nashville has quickly become like a second home.

Saint Augustine Beach, FL—In May, my family took a vacation to Saint Augustine. It was our first time there, but it was a great week of relaxation on the beach. Even a snafu with our flight home and a 3-hour Lyft ride from Jacksonville to Orlando couldn’t ruin it.

Tampa, FL—I spent time over Independence Day and Christmas visiting family in Florida, this year. Highlights from those trips included spending time with my niece, and trying lengua for the first time in a quesadilla.

Columbus, OH—I had the opportunity to visit a friend I hadn’t seen in many years towards the end of the summer. It was also the first time I had been to Columbus since my undergraduate days of attending percussion conferences. I enjoyed having the opportunity to catch up with my friend and see more of the city beyond the convention center.

Montego Bay, Jamaica—The most significant trip of the year was my trip to Jamaica. It was my first time traveling abroad, and it was such an eye-opening experience to work face-to-face with learners from a different culture. A fascinating thing I learned was just how much the locals love Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC)—it tastes nothing like what we have stateside.

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I’m looking forward to continuing to travel for work—hopefully to more international locations—and taking the time for some more personal travel in 2020.

Personal Milestones

Last, but certainly not least, are the things that happened in my own life that don’t fall into any of the above categories.

• My mom faced and beat a diagnosis of Breast Cancer in the spring—here’s to hoping for continued remission in 2020 and beyond.
• I made significant changes to my diet and cut out most processed food and sugar thanks to Freshly. In 2020, I want to take the time to join and go to a gym to continue improving my health.
• I got my second tattoo to celebrate my 34th birthday—here’s to more ink therapy in 2020.

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How Was 2019 For You?

That’s a pretty good list of accomplishments, things for me to celebrate, and my first attempt at reflecting on the past year. What about you—what did you do or celebrate in 2019? Share your highlights in a comment below!