I’m not a big fan of New Year’s resolutions, but I am happy and optimistic about the direction in which 2025 has started. The year 2024 didn’t end well for the Keefer household, but 2025 has been so far so good.
The year 2024 wasn’t the best for the Keefer household. Now don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of other people worse off than us, but we faced plenty of our own adversity. The big one for me was being laid off at the beginning of September. Adding insult to injury, my wife was sick at Thanksgiving, and then had walking pneumonia at Christmas, spending Christmas morning at an urgent care 20 minutes away from home.
On the job front, in total, I applied for nearly 550 jobs, only getting to the interview stage at about 10 companies — most of those entailing multiple interviews. Regardless, I think I found a good one, and interviewed several times leading up to the Thanksgiving holiday. Just prior to Christmas, I had an offer letter in hand and signed, starting a new job as a technical project manager for MOJO Creative Digital just after 2025 rang in — a wonderful Christmas present for me and my whole family.
Until I got that offer letter, I never really felt like I was “off” work. The amount of applications submitted, resumés tweaked, cover letters created, and networking done was really a full time job. It was nearly Christmas when I really felt like I was not working.
Support System
I’m super-blessed to have a great network of friends and family, and appreciate them throughout for their help, check-ins, and just overall support throughout. My work network has been supportive, and have also been helpful in trying to connect me even further.
Fitness as Part of Mental Health
I’ve always used exercise and physical fitness as both a means of staying in some form of shape, but also a means of mental health and routine. My time at my local YMCA, its classes, its staff, and its members all came in handy and were a real needed routine during my four months of unemployment.
This routine and support was further enhanced back in September as I got certified to teach indoor cycling classes, initially substituting for the other cycling instructors, before ultimately taking over a bright and early Monday morning class time slot (and still continuing to substitute).
2025 – So Far So Good
But 2025 is already looking like things across the board are going to be more normalized, more stabilized, and ultimately, more routine. It has been so far, just three days in. Two days in, prior to starting my first day of work, I coincidentally kicked it off and celebrated at the Y, co-teaching a 7am cycling class, battling it out with 22 other cyclists. It was a great way to start the day, and celebrate.
Just a few hours later (and a shower), I was on Zoom, getting things sorted out with HR, and kicking off a new role.
The new job is just ramping up — I’m still getting familiar with the people, process and clients of my new gig, but everyone’s been helpful, genuine, and enthusiastic about me joining the team, and the work ahead in 2025.
Here’s to hoping you all have a wonderful, fruitful, and successful 2025.