I'm not a fan of arbitrary milestones - those lines in the sand we draw to shame ourselves for not being as far as we want to be.
We see - or think we see - where others are, and we feel disappointment, envy, or confusion as to why we're "so behind."
We're not.
You are not.
We've grown up in a culture that wires us to chase finish lines and mastery - to become polished case studies, neat and tidy before-and-after anecdotes. But for most of us, we spend more time in the messy middle than anywhere else.
As a mom, it's a personal mission of mine to teach my daughter to not only embrace but enjoy the process of learning - the stumbles, the foibles, the mistakes. Being able to look back at where we started is what makes the eventual expertise so satisfying.
I've had the privilege of seeing how much she's grown in just the last year - skills she struggled with as a baby that she now does with ease. It's an honor to have this perspective, and it's one we don't grant ourselves enough as adults.
So don't let the 2025 recaps or the 2026 resolution posts discourage you. (I usually use Lunar New Year as my "real" start. I’m always confounded - and amazed - by how people summarize an entire year immediately before or after it ends! I need time to process. Again: arbitrary!)
Take stock when you can. But do take stock.
You've accomplished more than you give yourself credit for.
START WHERE YOUR FEET ARE
If you're just starting to get into AI and automation, you're absolutely not late. You aren't "leaving money on the table," and you won't be replaced by a robot tomorrow because you don't know the difference between Claude Cowork, Code, Projects, or Skills yet. (Hint: Those of us using it daily are still piecing it together, too.)
If you're a solo operator or small business owner, you'll find that most tutorials and prompt libraries just output generic responses. They miss your "why."
I know AI can be pretty overwhelming. To help find a calm starting point, I built something for you.
I call it The Nutshell.
It’s a custom AI tool (a "Gem" 💎 = Google Gemini’s version of a CustomGPT) designed to interview you for 10 minutes. It extracts your story, your unique positioning, and your voice - distilling it all into a single source of truth profile.