2024.
The worst year of my life.
Usually, the final episode of the How I Do Content Podcast every year is a year-in-review episode.
…But this year I thought about not even recording this episode, or simply doing a surface-level review of just the good stuff.
It would be so easy for me to do that – but, if you’re a long-time listener of the podcast, you KNOW that’s not how I roll.
Business doesn’t look like the curated highlight reel you see on Instagram every single day.
There are days, weeks, months, and years when you wonder why you put yourself through the rollercoaster that is running a business.
This is why sharing all sides of business is so powerful – because this way you know you’re not alone, and you know there are other people navigating the same kinda things as you.
And sometimes that’s the reminder you need to keep going when you’re in the thick of it.
My intention with this podcast is for you to always take away something that’s relevant and relatable to you and your business.
So, in this episode of the How I Do Content Podcast, I share my biggest lessons from 2024, what I’m most proud of, and how my business supported me during the worst year of my life.
So, for one final time this year – let’s do this!
First, some context on why 2024 was so challenging for me…
Before I get into my year in review, I want to share a bit of backstory in case you’re completely new to my world, or this is the first podcast episode you’re listening to.
Because you might not otherwise know why 2024 was the worst year of my life – so let me give you some context because that’s often what’s missing in the online space.
Over the last 18 months, I’ve been navigating some mental health challenges. There are some things that have happened in my life that have meant my anxiety and depression have been at an all-time high.
At the start of this year, I made a commitment to myself to really lean into being supported and to prioritise myself – which is something I’m not the best at.
Just as I thought I was turning a corner and things were on the up – the day I’d been dreading happened.
I had to make the decision to put my 11-year-old soul dog, Ned, to sleep. It was sudden and there wasn’t really a decision to make. I walked into the vet with him and walked out without him.
Ned’s been with me for 10 years.
He’s the reason I started my business.
He’s all over my business – you just need to go to my website or Instagram to see that.
Ned was my world and now I have to navigate life without him.
At the time of recording this, it’s been nearly 8 weeks – and they’ve been the slowest and hardest 8 weeks of my life.
Running a business can be challenging even at the best of times, but when you throw grief into the mix it’s a whole nother level.
It’s still very raw and present for me, but I also know I need to keep showing up for myself and allow myself to be supported – the only way to get through it is to go through it.
And ultimately this is why I decided to record this episode.
So yeah – 2024 fucking sucked.
2024 was my ‘Spacious & Supported’ Era
At the end of last year, I chose my “words of the year” – 2024 was to be my spacious and supported era.
Now, whenever I choose my word of the year, I feel like the universe takes a little creative control and gives me what I ask for… just not in the way I expect. So perhaps I need to be even more specific when I choose my 2025 word.
In fact, for the first time in 4 years, I haven’t yet picked my 2025 word of the year – and honestly, I don’t know if I will. Right now I’m just taking it one day at a time.
But when I reflect on 2024: it was definitely giving spacious and supported.
As the eldest daughter and a hyper-independent single woman – I really had to allow myself to be supported.
To ask for help when I needed it, instead of trying to do everything myself.
To be really honest when I wasn’t ok, and communicate that with my family, my friends, my coach, and my clients.
And to go back to therapy, so I could lighten the burden from my mind and soul.
Hyper-independence and struggling to ask for help has always been a theme in my life – and business definitely amplifies it.
Allow yourself to be fully supported.
You don’t have to do it alone – whether that means working with a coach, hiring team support, going to therapy, or seeking out your biz besties when you’re struggling.
The other part of my vision for 2024 was spaciousness.
This came from a very full-on and hectic end to last year. I felt like there was very little wiggle room in my schedule and very little time for Tahryn the human.
I was always serving and supporting my clients, but not serving and supporting myself.
So, in 2024, I intended to create more space for being rather than doing – another thing I’m terrible at!
I wanted to feel like there was space for me to catch up with a friend for lunch and not worry about my overflowing to-do list. Or to take half a day off because I wanted to, and not feel guilty about it or like I was letting everyone down.
I think sometimes as business owners we forget that we’re in control of our schedule and what we say yes to. You start your business for time freedom and creative control – and then you turn your business into the 9 to 5 on repeat grind you escaped from.
The intention of more space this year actually allowed me to take time to grieve Ned.
I still showed up in my business but not because I had to, because I wanted to. It gave me a reason to get out of bed, but if I needed to stay in bed, I could.
So I feel like my 2024 vision was realised – just not in the way I envisioned! But that’s always the way, isn’t it?
My biggest lessons from 2024
1. The worst year of your life doesn’t mean your worst year of business
In fact, there’s a lot of evidence for how 2024 has been my best year in business.
- Made more money than last year
- Doubled the size of my email list
- Sought out and had the opportunity to work with the Beyonces of the online space
- Launched my new program, Micro Messaging, and had my best launch ever
- Still on my hot streak of sales from every offer I’ve launched
Now don’t get it twisted – this didn’t happen as a result of one thing in isolation this year, and it didn’t happen because I’m lucky.
It’s a result of 5 years of playing the long game, setting high standards, and showing up for myself and my business, even when it would’ve been a whole lot easier to stop.
2024 has been the worst year of my life, and still:
- My podcast goes out each week
- I continue to show up and share content on Instagram consistently
- I continue to sell my offers
- My messaging continues to evolve and uplevel
I know this is all just one moment in time (a very long moment, sure), but it’s all building momentum towards my big vision.
How are you showing up for yourself and setting the standard for your big-picture vision, both now and into 2025?
2. People are always paying attention – even when you think they’re not
This manifested in two ways for me this year.
The first was during my Micro Messaging launch, where I had people who’d been in my community for years, or who I hadn’t considered would be interested in the program, step forward and sign up without even having a conversation with me.
Then there were the people completely new to my world who appeared out of nowhere like magic, consumed my content, and then decided to sign up for the program that same day.
This wasn’t magic – not really!
It happened because I have a consistent marketing presence across multiple touchpoints.
You can’t expect people to discover and buy from you today if your visibility is non-existent or you stop sharing because you’re frustrated when you don’t get the reach, views, or engagement on Instagram.
People are silently observing you.
They might love your content but never engage with it.
They might be part of your community for years before they buy from you.
But if there’s no content and you’re not visible – you lose that opportunity.
Show up for the people you don’t even know are watching, because they’re there.
The second way that people manifested for me this year was after I shared the news about Ned with my Instagram community.
The number of messages, comments, flowers, and love that was sent my way was, to be honest, a little overwhelming. But, at the same time, it makes sense because of how much I loved Ned.
I genuinely felt the love from all angles.
It was another great reminder that people are paying attention even when you think they’re not.
3. The power of a personal brand can be felt
I’ve never been more certain about this than after this year.
I intentionally created a brand that’s authentically me, and this included Ned.
This is why it’s been so hard for me: because he’s everywhere I look in my business.
If I didn’t incorporate him into everything I do – I wouldn’t have a community of dog-loving humans who showed up for me when I needed them the most.
I wouldn’t have all these memories with Ned and building my business, and my brand wouldn’t have felt as fun.
I remember being told that incorporating Ned into my business and brand was a mistake because “no one cares about your dog.” At the time I thought that was the biggest load of shit I’d ever heard. And this year proved that statement wrong.
If you want to include your dog (or whatever else is important to you) as part of your personal brand – just do it.
If you care about it, and you invite your people in and make them feel part of your world – they will care about it too.
There are far too many boring carbon copies out there, so focus on creating a brand and business that’s authentic to you that you can love showing up for.
How my business supported me during the worst year of my life
It’s truly given me the support and space I needed.
Friends who have been there for me in the darkest of times.
Clients who choose to work with me again and again.
Community that shows up for me in all the ways.
Being in the position to afford therapy and a cleaner to lighten the load.
And having so much video footage of Ned from stupid Reels that I can watch on repeat when I miss him.
I’m grateful for this business I’ve created.
So there’s a little snapshot of my 2024 – and now I invite you to review your year.
I want you to take some time to reflect on your year.
- Your biggest lessons?
- What are you most proud of?
- Your 2025 vision?
No matter how small you think it is, it’s so important that you celebrate the shit out of yourself. Because dog knows you deserve it!
That’s a wrap on the How I Do Content Podcast for 2024.
THANK YOU so much for being here and listening in. Whether it’s your 1st episode or your 181st episode – I’m so grateful for you.
A big shout out to my podcast editor, Pablo, who works his magic each week. 181 episodes and another season is done!
I’ll be back in 2025 with new episodes and new guests. I already can’t wait.
If there’s a topic or guest you want me to share on the podcast next year – please send me a DM on Instagram and let me know!
And, until then, say hi to your dog for me.
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