The New Year is a time for reflection—a chance to look back on the lessons of the past year and use them to step into the new one as an upgraded version of ourselves.
Looking back, 2024 was a year to remember: full of travels, growth, challenges, and changes. I am deeply grateful for all of it.
It was a year of major milestones. We got married and bought a beautiful house! I finally began developing my long-awaited online classes—a project that had been on hold for years. Though the process wasn’t without its challenges (our new website got hacked shortly after launch, leading to a whirlwind of fixes and a new domain), I am thrilled to see this dream taking shape.
It was also a year of adventures. We swam with sharks and witnessed the remaining beauty of the coral reefs in the Maldives. We sipped the best lemon slush on the Amalfi Coast, climbed Mount Vesuvius, and felt humbled by history while visiting Pompeii. We hiked mountain peaks in the Cottian Alps of Italy and the stunning mountains of Slovenia.
And it was a year of new knowledge. I started learning Italian on Duolingo—a journey that has brought me so much joy—236 days of joy, to be exact! Not only can I now hold basic conversations with my Italian friends, but the process of learning a new skill has been an incredible source of insight.
One of the key lessons I’ve learned is finding the right balance between regular practice and intentional rest—both within practice sessions and by taking a few days off to step back from a particular skill or lesson. I applied freshly mastered principles while training Tiger and was amazed by how small, subtle adjustments could dramatically accelerate learning.
In terms of agility, the year might seem quieter than previous ones, as we didn’t compete as much. However, there were still many highlights. Pan and Veni earned spots on the EO team, and Pan, at the age of 10, qualified for the AWC! However, I decided not to attend any and officially retire Pan and redirect my energy toward training young Tiger .
Even without major competitions, the year was busy. I gave around 1,000 agility lessons! Each session was a privilege, offering valuable insights and teaching me something new. Besides the thousand agility lessons and Duolingo lessons, my growth as a trainer was enriched by attending dance lessons with my husband before our wedding. The lessons were more than just fun—they offered powerful takeaways that greatly improved my approach to dog training.
One of the most meaningful experiences of the year was serving as the team leader for the Slovenian Senior and Junior teams at the World Agility Open. It was unforgettable in the best possible way. Supporting our team reminded me of a crucial but often overlooked truth: agility belongs to all of us. I’ve held fundraising lessons to support the Slovenian junior team in the past, and I plan to continue this effort in the future.
Looking ahead, one of my goals for the New Year is to help young people in agility as much as possible. The sport we love has become increasingly expensive, but the future belongs to the younger generation. If we want to see agility thrive, we must support them.
Another resolution is to be kinder to myself. Recently, I realized that I struggle with perfectionism. While I admire the idea of perfection, it can make life unnecessarily hard when only “perfect” feels good enough. Often, what seems like a mistake can lead to something even better. In 2025, I hope to embrace imperfection and find joy in it.
And I would really love to – travel even more, exercise even more, read even more, and laugh even more! And this year, I’m determined to get back to competing—I’ve missed it deeply, and I’m so excited to return.
I wish you all a very healthy New Year filled with happy moments and wonderful surprises!
