Alright so last night I was flipping through my old notebooks – you know, the messy ones where I scribble random thoughts and track stuff? Found my December 2023 career notes. Figured, hey, Virgo season is almost here again, why not actually do something with these? Compare that chaotic mess to how things are shaping up now, December 2024. See if the stars aligned or if I was just doodling nonsense.
Digging Up The Dusty Past (Dec 2023)
First step: excavation. Grabbed the big blue notebook. Had to blow dust off it, seriously. Flipped through pages filled with coffee stains and rushed handwriting. Found the section for December 2023. It was… bleak. Mostly stuff like:
- “Still stuck in that damn project management software training limbo??”
- “Still stuck in that damn project management software training limbo??”
- “Meeting fatigue MAX. Another pointless brainstorming session. Zzz.”
- “Asked boss about potential internal move. Vague non-answer. Feels stagnant.”
- “Seriously need more tangible skills.”
- “Did that online course – felt good.”
The tone? Frustrated. Stuck. Lots of question marks.
Setting Up the Present (Dec 2024)
Okay, time to see how things stand now. Didn’t just want to flip open another notebook page. Wanted a side-by-side, clear as day. Opened a fresh spreadsheet – yeah, the Virgo in me kicked in, needed order! Made two columns:
- December 2023 (Copied those messy notes verbatim.)
- December 2024 (Started jotting down current status.)
Then, I grabbed my current daily journal and my digital calendar. Scrolled through emails, project management dashboards – hard evidence, you know?
The Actual Comparison Grind
This is where it got real. Looked at each point from 2023 and forced myself to find its counterpart for 2024. Point by point. Not just guessing, but checking facts.
- Point #1: Software Training Limbo (2023) vs. Current Project (2024)
- Realized I actually USE that damn software daily now. Checked dashboard: Yep, managing two projects fully on it.
- 2024 Status: Actively using it, mentoring a junior colleague on it.
- Point #2: Meeting Fatigue (2023) vs. Meeting Impact (2024)
- Looked at calendar: Fewer big group meetings. Scrolled meeting agendas.
- Looked at calendar: Fewer big group meetings. Scrolled meeting agendas.
- 2024 Status: More focused 1:1s, client calls I lead. Fewer pointless group chats.
- Point #3: Feeling Stagnant / Internal Move (2023) vs. Role & Scope (2024)
- Thought about current responsibilities. Way broader.
- Thought about current responsibilities. Way broader.
- Remembered! I actually did get shifted onto a different team hybrid role 6 months ago! Verified with role change email.
- 2024 Status: Officially covering two related areas, more visibility.
- Point #4: Need Tangible Skills (2023) vs. Skill Gains (2024)
- Checked LinkedIn Learning log: Finished 3 certs this year.
- Checked LinkedIn Learning log: Finished 3 certs this year.
- Asked for peer feedback last month: Mentioned new data analysis skills.
- 2024 Status: Using Python scripts for basic reporting (self-taught!), plus those certs.
Seeing it laid out like that? Big difference. The vague frustrations of 2023 had mostly become specific, tangible results or changes in 2024. Still challenges, sure. But the feeling? Looking at the spreadsheet and my newer, slightly neater journal notes? Way more… directed. Less “ugh,” more “alright, what’s next?”
The Takeaway (For Me, Anyway)
Doing this side-by-side wasn’t magic. Didn’t involve crystals or chants. It was grunt work: flipping pages, scrolling calendars, comparing messy past thoughts against current reality. The biggest shock? How much I’d actually moved the needle without even fully realizing it day-to-day. That “stagnant” feeling back then? False alarm, mostly. The effort to learn back in ’23 paid off big time in ’24. Guess the Virgo vibes did push things forward, just way slower and less dramatically than I imagined back when I was scribbling in frustration. Worth doing? Absolutely. Gonna compare notes again next year!
- Checked LinkedIn Learning log: Finished 3 certs this year.
- Thought about current responsibilities. Way broader.
- Looked at calendar: Fewer big group meetings. Scrolled meeting agendas.