It’s that time of year again, when we need to stop for a moment and reflect on the goals we set for ourselves the year before. This ritual is of great importance to me, as it helps me reflect on the development I have had during the year. In this article, just like the year before, I will share some of my goals and accomplishments from 2024.
One of the most important goals for 2024 was to combine physical activity with nature exploration. In 2023, I had the goal of running a full marathon, which I eventually accomplished with great dedication. For 2024, I decided to expand my horizons by climbing three peaks in Albania. Maja e Korrës (1409 m) was the first climb of the year, a trail in Elbasan that didn’t require great physical preparation. It offered a very interesting view and the opportunity to have conversations with friends along the way.
June was reserved for Korab (2764 m), the highest peak in Albania. It was a real challenge, requiring not only physical preparation, but also patience and resilience. The descent was the hardest part for me, as it seemed never ending. For this particular adventure, I wrote the article The highest of all, Korab Mountain!.
My last climb of the year was Vajusha Peak (2057 m), in the Kelmend Alps. This experience, during the month of October, was unforgettable for me. The entire round trip, was about 3 and a half hours. Only when you really reach the top, you understand the magic that ‘Bjeshkët e Namuna’ offer, which stand dramatic and majestic. Meanwhile, you are surrounded by Trojani Peak, Berizhdol Peak, Gucia and Plava. Fortunately, there was no wind on the day of the climb, so we enjoyed the breathtaking view for a long time.
For 2025, I plan to continue hiking, but I also want to bring back a goal I had in 2023. To run a 10K once a month. This habit has helped me in the past to stay active in the running discipline.
Travel goals continued for 2024. I started the year with plans to visit Kenya and Uganda. The goal for 2024 was to see two new countries and reach a total of 33 countries. It was a modest goal that I achieved in the first months of the year.
After traveling to East Africa and the USA, I also visited Germany, Romania, and the Netherlands which were not planned at the beginning of the year, but turned out to be some of the most beautiful experiences. One lesson I learned this year was to be more flexible and create opportunities for unplanned trips. For 2025, I plan to explore an Asian country, since I have never visited that part of the world.
The next goal was related to reading, just like in 2023. For 2024, my goal was the same as previously: read at least 5 new books. However, I was not entirely convinced that this objective was enough, so I decided to become part of a book club called Bibliophage. I got one of this year’s books as a recommendation from this club. Unfortunately, since I’m always on the move, I was unable to go to the book discussions. However, I am very grateful for the existence of this club. Even thought I have not been able to go to the monthly meetings, they recommend very interesting books for me to read.
During 2025, I will try to be more involved, in order to increase the number of books and at the same time open new horizons. Meanwhile, the completion of the book “Reflections on the Guillotine” by Albert Camus continues to remain pending and since I am a stubborn person and do not give up easily, I will pass it on to the objectives of the following year.
The books I read this year are:
– What I Talk About When I Talk About Running– Haruki Murakami
– The First Lie Always Wins — Ashley Elston
– M Train — Patti Smith
– 451 Fahrenheit– Ray Bradbury
– We Had a Dream– Nasi Lera
– The Secret — Rhonda Byrne
Among them, ‘The Secret’ was the book that disappointed me the most, since its content was like an Instagram quote that was repeated for 180 pages. For 2025, I plan to read Haruki Murakami’s ‘1Q84’ and Diana Çuli’s ‘The Sidewalk Deer’. The latter is a recommendation from the book club.
2024 was a beautiful journey towards more personal fulfillment. With the combination of physical activity, traveling, reading, and many other goals that I prefer not to share, I developed myself in several aspects of life. For 2025, my goal is to stay true to myself, adding new and fulfilling experiences.
