---
title: Rewind 2023 and future plans
description: My rewind for 2023 and my plans for 2024 and beyond.
tags: [Thoughts]
image: /blog/rewind-2023-and-future-plans/banner.jpg
imageCaption: A sunset with a sign, photo by Javier Allegue Barros on Unsplash
date: 2023-12-16
author: Juan Manzanero
rss: true
---

![A sunset with a sign](@/assets/blog/rewind-2023-and-future-plans/banner.jpg) _Photo by
[Javier Allegue Barros](https://unsplash.com/@soymeraki?utm_content=creditCopyText&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=unsplash)
on
[Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/photos/silhouette-of-road-signage-during-golden-hour-C7B-ExXpOIE?utm_content=creditCopyText&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=unsplash)_

My rewind for 2023 and my plans for 2024 and beyond.

I hope you are having a good time this holiday.

Life is a succession of choices, and in retrospect, I'm happy that this year I
made the right ones.

## In retrospect about my career this 2023

I grew up drastically as a Full Stack Developer, learning new libraries and
establishing my tech stack.

I even started hacking (not the thing you hear in the news), creating side
projects looking to create solutions.

I updated this website, creating new functionalities for content creation.

Now I have more confidence in my skills, ready to keep growing up and taking on
new challenges.

## Futures plans for my career this 2024

I want to start freelancing, I'll be creating templates and demo projects for
selling my services as a Frontend Developer mainly, but I'll keep learning about
backend and cloud, as well as keep practicing my English to enter the USA or
European markets.

Maybe I'll not achieve this in 2024, but I must keep growing, as each year
passes, I'll be more prepared.

I'll check if I could contribute to an Open Source project, as almost every tool
that I use is an Open Source one, I couldn't be here without if not with the
help of Open Source projects.

Honestly, my true wish is to work full time in a Software as a Service startup,
or any startup with a focus on Software.

The good thing that is I keep growing professionally, and I expect (and will)
the next year I'll reach more milestones.

And of course, I'll continue hacking (in a creative way, not stealing info or
criminal things) with side projects, creating an extra incoming source will be
great for my finances.

## Retrospect of 2023 personally and more

This year I rediscovered the hobby of reading, and I really enjoy it.

I discovered my new favorite book, **Ready Player One**, it was a really
exciting and great lecture, the next year I'll read the sequel.

I also started reading **Ikigai**, to keep acquiring good habits for a long and
happy life, and seek a purpose in life.

Another book I started reading is **The Little Book of Common Sense Investing**,
as I already had a good habit of saving, but I want my money to keep growing
more for a dignified retirement.

I'm spending less time on social media,
[even I wrote an article about this](https://juancman.dev/en/blog/the-monotony-of-social-media),
doing things that **I really want to do** instead.

Is really horrible how much time social media steals from us, keeping us away
from doing things that we really enjoy.

I'm doing moderate exercise, but indoors, I want to go outdoors too, I need more
solar light.

I'm happy spending my time with my family, even if the majority of the time I'm
working or studying, I keep contact with my loved ones, and continue doing it,
clearly.

## Future plans for 2024 personally and more

I'll keep reading, I'll write more on this website.

I want to acquire new habits, like pixel art.

And I'm retaking an old hobby, **GameDev**.

As Unity is doing questionable things, I'll be using
[Godot](https://godotengine.org/) instead.

I don't have in mind a big project or something like that, just retake to
develop simple videogames demos, it would be great to launch a little videogame,
but a complete one.

Trust me, is really, **REALLY** challenging to develop videogames, so instead of
overwhelming myself, I'll keep my **ambitions simple**, but **constant**.

### Happy holidays!

![2023 complete image!](@/assets/blog/rewind-2023-and-future-plans/2023-complete!.png)
