My Year in Review: 2023

Written By Dave Culligan

Photo by Jack Leahy on John’s balcony in Vancouver
I think this photo captures my 2023 poignantly.
Doing lots of fun stuff, surrounded by fantastic people.
Almost constantly anxious and not always sure why.

I didn’t want to write a 2023 recap. It sort of seemed like a nuisance.

But I do think it’ll be worthwhile to reflect on what happened, what I learned, and what I’d like to do differently this year. It’ll also be nice to be able to look back and remember what this year of my life looked like. I did a big photo dump from the year at the bottom of this post.

Also, if I don’t brag about what I accomplished and let everyone know what I got up to, I will surely die.

Or worse.

Skimming back through my iPhone photos from this year (roughly 17,000 of them), it feels like I lived five different lives. This little IG reel from Oct/Nov captures the blur well, I think.

It was a hard year.

I struggled with a very challenging relationship for the first ~6 months. I was probably on 50ish flights, splitting my life 50/50 between Toronto and Halifax with plenty of other work travel. I did manage to get a lot done and have a lot of fun, but I also feel like my year was scored by an utter lack of focus, and a pervading anxiety, which - uncharacteristically - I tried to curb with all sorts of silly addictions/substances and forms of escapism.

I’m not mad at myself and I don’t plan on kicking myself over any of my mistakes from last year. I just feel ready to tackle 2024 fearlessly and get back to feeling like myself. So far, I have been (it’s the 16th as I’m writing this).

I accept that the tumult of the past year was part of my journey.

I learned a lot, and I plan to apply those learnings judiciously.


So, looking back on 2023…

IN THE BUSINESS:

PERSONAL:

  • I discovered Jack Kornfield and have delved back into Buddhism. I’m particularly interested in the idea of spiritual warriorhood.

  • Realized my interest in coaching, spirituality, and personal development is something I want to give more time and energy to.

  • I made a decision that I was going to just walk up to and talk to anyone I wanted to talk to. At cafés, art galleries, on the street, wherever. I talked to a lot of strangers. It was scary at first (sometimes still is) and it was a lot of fun. Often I’ll just say something like “Hey, I thought you looked cool and wanted to say hi. Hi, I’m Dave”, and then shake their hand. Approaching/talking to strangers is a bit of a lost skill that we can all still work on. I think it’s worth working on.

  • I became friends with my high school ex-girlfriend who had me blocked on FB/IG for about 14 years. Turns out she’s really cool and great and I am happy we’re friends.

  • I set the intention to put more energy into community building and bringing people together and I feel good about my progress/results. One of the highlights was organizing a meeting of 30ish young men on the waterfront for sunrise coffees with the explicit purpose of just meeting new people and cultivating some good energy. I think folks had a lot of fun and I want to do more of this (not just for men).

  • I realized I’ve become much more sensitive. I think this is because I’m feeling my real feelings fully and honestly instead of just getting angry or trying to blame someone/something else.

  • Also becoming sensitive to food, alcohol, caffeine, and basically everything. Getting older…

  • I visited my 93-year-old grandmother (Nanny) a bunch. We made cake and pizza and cookies and played cards. I cried for the first time about my grandfather’s passing when she made reuben sandwiches for dinner (granddad’s fav). I am so glad I spent so much time with them both when I still could.

  • I started going to yoga again for the first time in 4 years. I shed a few tears as soon as I fell into child’s pose. I just knew I was where I needed to be. Shanti Hot Yoga and their community were instrumental in my healing and journey of finding my new sense of self in my early 20’s. It feels really really nice to be back.

  • I finally learned how to properly track my personal budget. I’d tried all sorts of apps and stuff, but nothing ever worked. My friend Josh forced me to manually record every single expense from my bank statements, at the end of each month, in excel. It’s actually working and I’m hitting my budget. It’s important for me to spend the 30 minutes reflecting on where my money actually goes and feeling the pain of poorly spent funds + pride of hitting my target.

  • I’m developing an affinity for watching and feeding birds. I guess this is 31.

  • I tried LSD twice (I had never previously) and had really beautiful and positive experiences both times. Once on a bachelor party (perhaps the funnest day of my entire life) and once at a Rufus Du Sol Concert.

  • I spoke at my old Jr High about my personal/entrepreneurial journey and about tools for resilience and maintaining mental health.

  • My friend Graham moved out of our apartment in Toronto and in with his girlfriend, Kaitlynn. This was the end of an era. He got me through the pandemic and we formed a really beautiful and special friendship. I love you dude. I’m proud of you and so happy for you both.

  • I kept the 2 bedroom in Toronto for our business but, luckily, I was able to rent a little external unit attached to my friend Matt’s house in Halifax. It’s really nice to have my own dedicated space, but also have my front door about 15 feet from one of my best pals’.

  • I had an amazing birthday with all of my friends at a Rich Aucoin show in Halifax.

SOME OF THE MOST INTERESTING PEOPLE I FOUND ON THE INTERNET:

  • Jack Kornfield - buddhism and spirituality

  • David Perrell - writer, writing coach, amazing podcast interviewing people who write

  • Ava Huang (bookbear express) - probably my favourite writer on the internet. She is amazing. Subscribed to her paid substack.

  • Sasha Chapin - writer, writing coach, spirituality, honest and helpful life advice. Subscribed to his paid substack and ordered his course on self-acceptance.

FAV BOOKS OF THE YEAR:

FAV MOVIES:


The year finished with a radically open, honest, and terrifying conversation with my parents that I thought I’d never have in my lifetime.

I won’t share intimate details at this time, but just think about the hardest conversation you could imagine having with your parents/family. It was like that.

I didn’t plan to have this conversation, but my anxiety and unresolved issues were bubbling up to the point that it just came out of me.

I feel proud of the way I approached the conversation. I’m also very proud of my parents. They were extremely brave in the way they listened to me and acknowledged my feelings and needs without any of the defensiveness I would have expected.

Coincidentally, this happened on Dec. 31st (great timing), at the Bluenose II Restaurant, over breakfast.

If you’ve been waffling on a big conversation like this - with anyone in your life - I’d encourage you to make it a priority.

I feel like I had a dump truck lifted off my chest. This is what healing feels like.

Thank you, Mom & Dad. I love you.

Dave

 

Taylor and Zaya share a beer at Propeller Arcade, celebrating Jeremie & Keara’s joint bday

“golf” with nanny. She crushed me.

Studio build progress photo - early in the year.

Running into Kyla and Zaya while on a run <3

Rare couch snuggles with Matt’s dog, Tillie.

Showing Nanny the new Halifax studio

Andrew adds the word “SLOW” to my “GO” tattoo via stick + poke

Jer, Me, Taylor rock ‘canadian tuxedo’ theme for our 10th(?) consecutive summer playing in the Lawn Summer Nights lawn bowling tournament

Little Cuz, Cassidy comes to Toronto for Boy Genius Concert

Drunk friendship walk with John captured by another friend

Eric, me, Louis in St. John’s visiting Eric while living in Newfoundland for his residency. More pics here. Love ya boys.

Very quick walk down Chicago waterfront with Gavin

Barbie movie and a beer at an AMC in Chicago with Gav

Disposable photo from our office launch party with Nico, Jaime, Eyoab, Strove, and Jer

Roomie, Graham puts on a show, slinging pies for Kaitlynn’s bday at our pad in Toronto

Spent a lot of mornings like this on the Halifax waterfront. Very grateful.

Dinner with Matt, Mike, & Debbie at Bar Kismet. Life is good.

Ted, Tori’s dog/office dog yearns to be chased and played with. This guy brought lots of joy this year.

Selfies with Baby Z <3

Cutie Z rocks my fav hat

On set with Gav & Jack at Canada Goose flaship store, Toronto

Zen tries hockey shoulder pads on for the first time before our shoot for Sherwood

Another Rich Aucoin summer Shore Club show in Nova Scotia.

Very very very special.

End of an era: Grahamy moves out of our place in Toronto.
Very sad.
Extremely proud of and grateful for this guy.
Hilarious and weird 3 years through covid pandemic.
Couldn’t have done it without him.

Boiling on a curb with Gav & Jack outside Montreal as we problem solve for a shoot

Jack captures me shirtless and freckly in Montreal

Dinner with John, Jess, and Lou in Vancouver at Novella.
Feel extremely lucky to get to see my friends all over the country!

Early morning coffee with John at Greenhorn in Van.
Since becoming close friends 9 years ago, we’ve never lived in the same city.
Still manage to see each other several times/year. Grateful.

Vancouver looking sexy from John’s balcony

Jack looking like a boss on set at lululemon HQ in Vancouver

Directing our shoot for EY & lululemon in Vancouver

One of probably 50 breakfasts at Ardmore Tea Room in Halifax

Publicly welcoming Zen to our team!

Andrew Schulz with Grahamy at Scotiabank (“where the Raptors play!”)

Jack Kornfield and a Cortado at Cafe 23 back patio in Toronto

Solo sunrise americano in Halifax from Weird Harbour

Muddy Valley Harvest Half Marathon with Tori, Erin, Matt. An awesome day/night!

Walk, chats, hugs, smiles with Brian & Rupert

Took over family turkey duty. I’m the captain now.

Tori & Ted. Can’t count how many times I saw this exact image.

Back to yoga at Shanti for the first time in 4 years. Why did I ever stop?

More Tori and Ted. Probably 7:30am.
Proud of her and the way she showed up so consistently for early morning dog walks, sunrises, yoga, runs, introspection and otherwise.
Very cool to see our team use this space to grow in many different ways.

Early morning sunrise run/hike up high head trail in the Wentworth Valley, while on a shoot with/for my friend Julia Rivard and Shoelace Learning

Our pal, Team Canada Skateboarder, Johnny Purcell surprises our high school co-op student, Colin with a brand new board after his was stolen.
Big thanks to Nick and the team at Pro Skates!

Matt dresses as me for Halloween and honestly nails it

Sally made this beautiful cards (with thoughtful questions handwritten on each) for our reCONNECT event.
Can you tell which one was dropped on the dancefloor?

Staying with John and Alexa in Van - morning greeting from Peter

Cool moment, sponsored my friend Josh’s son Jet (namebar on the Jersey).
Youth hockey photos have gotten a lot cooler over the years.

Fun night speaking at Saint Mary’s University - photo taken by my amazing friend Stefanie.
Got to come down mid talk and gift her some flowers for all the support she’s shown me, from the earliest days.

A fun team trip to Montreal with Dan + Tori.
First stop at “Darling”.

Little Z melts my heart once again

Bro hug moment caught on film with Taylor at our reCONNECT event. Love you dude.

Photo with our super talented artists who participated in our Youth Artist Showcase at the Halifax Chamber of Commerce Dinner.
Why was I more nervous than them?

Chinatown BBQ in Van with John

Beauty day at Bill Freeman with Matt & Tillie

Chicken soup for sick pals. A really nice night.

Another rare Tillie snuggle

Merging several friend groups for a 10-man Christmas dinner by Steph & Brock at Hop Scotch.

“Just dudes loving on each other” as Jer put it, and drinking 2,000 bottles of red.

Another stick + poke from Andrew

Sorry, Mom

Office art by Rachel, made of sticky notes from pals at reCONNECT

Finally seeing Adam’s (left) band, Bologna Colorado at the Seahorse with Naethon. Crushed it.

Zaya joins the boys for breakfast at Cheeky Neighbour

Took me a long time to finally let out a good cry for Granddad’s passing.
Nanny made Reuben’s (his fav sandwich) and it hit me in the face.
Miss him and couldn’t have possibly asked for better grandparents.

Sally and I hugging on each other after making our reCONNECT event happen - 3 years after dreaming of this space and event on her podcast

Directing traffic

Eric, Gav, Logan, Tori and I grooving

Rupert rocks the new threesixfive doggy bandana

Rich Aucoin show for my 31st birthday was special. Love ya dude.

Andy + Bell, the owners of A&B Banh Mi, my new Halifax haunt.
These guys rock.

Canada x China Christmas dinner collab with Zen and Tian Yu

Mashed potatoes with chop sticks. A first for me.

Polar dip with Mitch + Dan in Vancouver

Baking cookies with Nanny <3

We slightly mangled the cookies, but look at that smile! 93!

Zen introduces us to Baiju (50% chinese alcohol) at our team christmas potluck

Jer throws a suprise baby-yoda-themed karaoke birthday party for Keara’s 30th at the studio

 

Life was very good to me in 2023 and life was hard in 2023.

I guess both can be true.

A year of discovery and doing things the hard way, for one reason or another.

Dave Culligan
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