Every year, I sit down to write this and realize the same thing — time doesn’t slow down, but awareness can.
This year wasn’t about dramatic pivots or loud wins. It was about showing up, moving consistently, and stacking experiences — professionally, personally, and creatively.
Here’s a look back.
Starting 2025 With a Vision Board (And Why It Changed Everything)
I started 2025 with something I hadn’t done seriously before — a Vision Board session.
Not the flashy, Instagram-style version. Just a quiet sit-down where I looked at different areas of life — health, work, learning, relationships, money, creativity — and asked a simple question: What do I actually want from this year?
That session turned out to be a game-changer.
It didn’t magically solve everything, but it gave me direction. Instead of feeling scattered or reacting month to month, I had a loose framework to come back to whenever things felt noisy. Decisions became easier. Priorities felt clearer. And most importantly, I didn’t feel lost.
The vision board wasn’t about rigid goals. It was about intent — how I wanted the year to feel, not just what I wanted to achieve.
Looking back now, a lot of what unfolded this year — the consistency, the content, the travel, even the quieter habits — traces back to that one session at the start of the year.
I’m planning to do this again for 2026, with a few refinements.
Travel That Reset Me
Travel remained my quiet anchor this year.
We started the year with a family trip to Mahabaleshwar — one of those trips that feels comforting simply because it’s familiar. Cool mornings, strawberry stops, long walks, and unhurried conversations. Beginning the year surrounded by family in the hills felt grounding in a way that’s hard to explain.
I went to Lavasa twice — quick getaways, familiar roads, the kind of trips that don’t need an itinerary. Just driving, walking, and thinking. Sometimes, the shortest trips do the most internal resetting.
There were two Goa trips, each with a very different vibe. One to slow down, one to recharge. Same place, different headspace — and that contrast itself felt like growth.
The year also included two international trips — Singapore and Thailand. New cities, new rhythms, and that refreshing reminder of how big the world feels when you step outside your routine. Travel still does what it has always done for me: it resets perspective.
During Diwali, we took a car trip to Umbergaon to spend time with family. It wasn’t about ticking destinations — it was about being present. We explored Dudhani Lake and Silvassa, took slow drives, and let the days unfold naturally. Those trips don’t always make it to highlight reels, but they stay with you longer.
One of the most meaningful journeys, though, was Kumbh Mela at Prayagraj. That wasn’t just travel — it was faith, chaos, discipline, and surrender all packed into one experience. Being there made you realize how small you are… and strangely, how connected everything feels at the same time.
Small Changes, Long-Term Payoffs
This year also included something very personal — I finally got my Toothsi aligners done.
The journey started in November 2024 and wrapped up in August 2025. Overall, the experience was good, with a small hiccup along the way — nothing unexpected, but enough to remind me that consistency matters more than the product itself.
If there’s one takeaway here:
wear them on time, every time.
The results truly depend on discipline.
Ending the year with a better, more confident smile felt like a quiet but meaningful upgrade.
Reading More, Thinking Better
I read more books this year than last, and that itself felt like progress.
Some challenged how I think, some entertained me, and some… didn’t land as expected. But all of them added something.
Here’s what made it to the finish line:
- Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus
- The Mountain Is You – Brianna West
- The Richest Man in Babylon
- Three Men in a Boat — didn’t enjoy this one as much
- Don’t Believe Everything You Think
- The Secret of the Nagas
- The Oath of the Vayuputras — completing the Shiva Trilogy felt oddly satisfying
- 80/20 Your Life (Kindle)
Reading continues to be one of the few habits that consistently compounds without demanding urgency.
Stillness Became a Practice
For most of the year, I stayed consistent with meditation using the Medito app.
Nothing fancy. No chasing streaks. Just showing up on most days.
That practice didn’t make life calmer overnight — but it did make me respond better. And that alone feels worth it.
Steps With Suman & Lift With Suman: Moving in Public
This year, movement wasn’t just personal — it became shared.
Steps With Suman started as a simple idea: walk more, stay consistent, don’t overcomplicate fitness. No challenges, no pressure. Just showing up daily and letting steps do their quiet work. Over time, it became less about numbers and more about rhythm — a reminder that health doesn’t need extremes to be effective.
At the same time, Lift With Suman took shape on YouTube.
I crossed 100+ Shorts uploads, documenting workouts, cues, mistakes, learnings, and real progress. It wasn’t about chasing views — it was about building a habit, learning the craft, and staying honest about the process.
Putting fitness content out there taught me something important:
clarity comes after consistency, not before it.
Both of these — walking and lifting — became anchors. Simple systems I could rely on even when everything else felt noisy.
Building in Public (Even If Slowly)
This year, I finally started my YouTube channel — something I had been thinking about for far too long.
I crossed 100+ Shorts uploads, which might not sound massive, but consistency always matters more to me than virality. Hitting upload repeatedly, learning what works, what doesn’t, and getting comfortable being visible — that itself was a win.
Creating content alongside a full-time role taught me one thing very clearly: momentum beats motivation, every single time.
Professional Growth That Wasn’t Always Visible
Professionally, this year was dense — in a good way.
I worked closely on multiple products like SureDash, SureRank, SureForms, and supported several other initiatives that are quietly shaping what’s coming next. A lot of documentation, a lot of deep thinking, and a lot of problem-solving that doesn’t show up on timelines or dashboards — but absolutely compounds.
I collaborated with many team members across functions, learning how different people think, decide, and execute. I also spent time interviewing candidates, not just to assess skill, but to genuinely understand their point of view, their intent, and how they see growth.
Those conversations stayed with me.
This year reinforced something important: real work often looks boring from the outside, but meaningful from the inside.
The Underlying Theme: Consistency Over Intensity
If I had to summarize this year in one line, it would be this:
I chose consistency over intensity.
No dramatic burnouts. No extreme sprints. Just steady effort across fitness, work, travel, learning, and content. Showing up when it was easy — and especially when it wasn’t.
And honestly, that feels like progress.
Lessons I’m Carrying Forward
This year quietly taught me a few things I don’t want to forget:
- Consistency beats talent, tools, and timing — every single time
- Small habits compound faster than big plans
- Discipline creates freedom, not restriction
- Not everything needs to be shared immediately — some things need time to mature
- Progress doesn’t always feel exciting, but it always feels honest in hindsight
- Listening — to people, to your body, to yourself — is an underrated skill
Most importantly, I learned that it’s okay to move at your own pace, as long as you’re moving in the right direction.
Looking Ahead
I’m heading into the next year clearer than before.
More writing.
More intentional content.
Stronger systems at work.
Deeper experiences, not just more of them.
If this year taught me anything, it’s that quiet momentum is still momentum — and it’s often the kind that lasts.
Here’s to carrying that forward.