I wanted to come up with a more clickbait-y (or interesting?) title for this blog post but unfortunately couldn’t. I don’t think I am creative enough on that front.

2024 has been one heck of a year for me. It started off slow, but around April, things really picked up and threw some unexpected surprises my way. From earning my first career promotion to joining improv, getting kicked out by my landlord (only to move into a bigger place), visiting family back home after 5 years, getting a shocking hearing loss diagnosis in one of my ears, and even performing in my first show — I experienced it all.

My first promotion was, without a doubt, the highlight of 2024. It caught me completely off guard, even though I’d been working tirelessly up to that point. It all began in the last quarter of 2023 during a regular one-on-one with my manager. He said something along the lines of, ‘Ankur, I want you to take over my daily responsibilities on the team so I can focus on Architecture for the org.’ Just like that, I was thrown into the deep end.

But, true to my nature, I took it in stride and stepped up to lead the team. I’ll admit, I was nervous—and rightfully so—because it meant writing less code. I’d never seen myself as a leader before, but I slowly started to. The team thrived in his absence, and I found myself updating VPs on our progress—something I’d never imagined doing. I was learning on the go, figuring things out on the fly.

Through this experience, I realized I didn’t want to keep working in the shadows like I’d always assumed I would. For the first time in my life, I felt like I could do more—and that I wanted to. One big thing I learned through this experience was that I needed to stop seeking external validation & feedback I always craved as an individual. That’s one of the things you learn slowly while leading a team, no one is going to tell you if you’re doing a good or bad job. You got to trust yourself & live with those decisions.

Then came improv—an unexpected love affair that I now enjoy, both watching and doing. I initially signed up because I wanted to build confidence & break out of my shell, but I never imagined it would teach me so many valuable life lessons. The biggest one? ‘Yes, and’—a principle I now want to follow if I ever become a manager.

Improv also introduced me to some incredible teachers and classmates who always support one another. I feel like I’ve made some friends there (and if any of my classmates are reading this, know that I truly look forward to spending time with you in class & love every moment of it).

I’m not naturally a people person—it takes me a while to open up. But with this group, it felt different. I could be my vulnerable self, and that sense of acceptance has meant so much to me.

My anxious self right now is thinking what would happen next year but I just want to sit down & reflect how far I have come. It feels weird saying this but I am proud of myself!