In the last few weeks, I spent quite a bit of money on art supplies. My hobbies are cyclical. The interest fades, but it always returns. This time feels different. Sketching and painting have a cathartic effect on me. It feels necessary, not just fun.

Normally, perfectionism makes me quit quickly. Frustration comes quickly when your artwork looks nothing like what you expected. I have been working on that, but lately, I find myself loving the imperfection itself.

Maybe that shift is connected to AI.

Sure, it is neat to generate a Studio Ghibli version of an image. But as someone who knows he could create something unique by hand, it feels hollow.

Every line of ink on paper carries more tactile character, more direct connection to the body and emotions, than anything made on a screen. That was always true. AI just made it more obvious.

I want to harvest that truth for my otherwise very digital life. I feel like it will be essential for my wellbeing going forward.

Something about a sketchbook as a daily companion for life has always fascinated me. Sitting somewhere and sketching what’s around you feels like the purest form of mindfulness.

Pages and pages full of visualized memories. What could be cooler than that?

Here’s a small sketch I did yesterday while sitting on a bench at the Alster, talking to an older woman about her allergies.

2024 will always be the year I started running. My first run was on January 14th, and since then, I’ve stuck to it. One run every other day, all year long. I never would have guessed it, but running turned out to be one of the highlights of my year, profoundly improving my life in ways I didn’t expect.

I ran 889,5 kilometers, which took me 106 hours and 49 minutes. My average pace was 7'12"/km. My current average pace for December 2024 is 6'23".

Somehow, I managed to build and release a new app this year. It’s called Unhinged, and while my opinion is obviously biased, I genuinely believe it’s the best mood-tracking app out there.

Unhinged checks in with you three times a day, asking how you’re feeling and what you’re doing. Over time, it gives you valuable insights into the factors that shape your mood.

I’ve been using Unhinged since March, and it’s fascinating to see how my mood shifted dramatically after finding a new apartment in Hamburg at the end of May. It’s also clear that the second half of the year has been one of the best ever.

There are plenty more insights hidden in the data. For example, my mood is almost always 'Very Good' in the morning block if I’ve gone for a run. I also added a feature to tag people in entries, which has helped me track how different people’s company influences my mood.

Now is the perfect time to start mood tracking. 2025 hasn’t started yet, and you could have a full year of data by the time I release the '2025 Mood in Review' feature. (No promises, though. It’s just something I’m hoping to work on.)

You can download UNHINGED for free on the App Store.

A year ago, I made the mistake of confusing hating Berlin with not wanting to live in a big city anymore, and I moved to a small town. It didn't go well.

At the same time, I declared 2024 to be the Year of Friendship. Those two things combined resulted in one of the worst times of my life. I had never felt more alone than in the first six months of this year.

Fortunately, after accepting that I made an oopsie and needed to rectify the situation, I went ahead and found a new apartment in the city where I spent my most formative years. It felt like coming home.

Which brings us back to my yearly theme: Was 2024 the Year of Friendship?

Absolutely.

The second half of the year was one of my best and most social ever. It surprisingly made 2024 the best year in recent history. Spending the summer, autumn, and winter surrounded by friends compensated for my time in loneliness enough for this year to be considered a success.

This was a triumph.

HUGE SUCCESS.

When the Harry Potter books first came out, I refused to read them. I thought I was too cool to like what everyone else was raving about. I was wrong.

These days, I try to approach popular things with an open mind. I bet meditation will be life-changing for me once I get into the habit. The masses can’t be wrong about that one. If I don’t like it, I must be doing it wrong.

The same was true for working out and practicing gratitude. They changed how I feel and see the world on a daily basis.

Who am I to say that wearing barefoot shoes or reading 50 Shades of Grey isn’t for me? If something resonates with so many people, maybe I should at least be humble enough to acknowledge the possibility that I might like it too.

And what is life about, if not discovering and maximizing the things you truly enjoy?

Despite what society suggests, you're not obligated to stay up-to-date on daily news.

Being in the loop won’t solve your perceived lack of control.

Just because news is available doesn’t mean you must consume it.

Your real responsibility to you and those around you is keeping a clear head and a healthy mind. Don’t let the endless stream of information wear you down.

Society often equates news awareness with caring about issues, but you’re more capable of making an impact if you’re not drowning in despair.

Take care of yourself first.

Then, focus on what you can actually influence.

The only thing you need to grasp is the big-picture flow of events. Don't get lost in ever changing details. Don’t waste your mental health and possible impact scrolling through a relentless flood of noise.

Put your energy into what builds, strengthens, and moves things forward.

Being able to apologize properly is a skill worth honing. At least for those of us who aren’t perfect. It's helpful in almost any situation involving other people, which, it turns out, are most of the important ones.

Since my whole family consisted of people unable to apologize, I could not have been farther away from being able to do so myself. I'm sure I hurt a couple of people on my way to getting better at it.

I had to be proven wrong, repeatedly, to finally accept that I’m fallible.

That I'm not only possibly wrong, but likely.

Years later, I’d look back, realizing I’d misjudged situations I once felt sure about. Each of these moments chipped away at my arrogance, leaving a simple truth: I can and will mess up.

This changed my reaction to criticism. Instead of defending myself, I started considering if it might be valid.

I had to learn to put my ego aside and...