2024 Reflections: On Federal, Family, Faith, Films, Fitness, and New Frontiers

By Tony Astro

Continuing an annual tradition, I began over a decade ago when I first embarked on the exciting world of blogging, vlogging, and podcasting, I'm delighted to share my reflections from all 2024. This year's journey has been particularly enriching, filled with new experiences and personal growth. From navigating the complexities of federal service to cherishing precious moments with family, deepening my faith, embracing fitness, and finding inspiration in films, I've embraced life with passion and purpose, and hope to inspire others to do the same. You can even explore my early forays into podcasting with "Building Your Brand to Life" on various platforms.

Answering the Call: A New Mission in Federal Service

This year marked a significant and somewhat unexpected transition in my career. After years of thriving as a civilian, entrepreneur, and private counselor, I embarked on a new path within the federal government, joining the U.S. Navy Fleet and Family Readiness in Norfolk. This shift was a drastic one, requiring me to adapt from the freedom and flexibility of self-employment to the more structured environment of federal service.

While adapting to new processes and procedures has been an ongoing process, I'm driven by the profound sense of purpose I've found in helping service members navigate their own transitions to civilian life. Over the past 10 years, I've encountered many veterans who went through the Transition Assistance Program (TAP) class. Unfortunately, I've observed that a significant number of them only seemed to find success when they became dependent on benefits or secured federal employment. This observation has solidified my mission: to empower veterans to forge their own paths and thrive as independent civilians.

Some of the best time I have even after being a real civilian as a
counselor is when I know I am making an impact to one person at a
time that they can remember. 

Equipping veterans with essential life skills and providing them with strong mentorship and genuine support is crucial for their successful transition. I believe that fostering strong relationships with counselors can make a real difference in their lives, and I'm committed to being that supportive presence for the service members I work with.

With an upcoming deployment to an aircraft carrier on the horizon, I'm eager to bring my "3M Missions" – entertain, educate, and encourage – to the high seas. My hope is that through these efforts, I can help our veterans see their transition not as an ending, but as a new beginning filled with possibilities.

Family and Field Trips: The Anchor of My Life

We have actually cut down our travel since being employed as 
free time drastically went down but we make it a point to spend time 
with family and see the world and fulfill our bucket list (see our past
Travel Vlogs and Adventures on YouTube and Instagram)

Family remains the cornerstone of my life. This year brought both joys and challenges as we celebrated milestones and navigated new transitions. Sam, my son, began his junior year at Virginia Tech, and we marked this new chapter with a car to support his growing independence. Our recent and summer travels to Blacksburg, Puerto Rico, KeyWest, Virgin Islands, Carribean Islands, Tampa created precious memories and strengthened our family bond. Tampa, in particular, holds a special place in our hearts thanks to the warm hospitality of my cousin Iza.

We also faced the difficult but necessary abrupt decision of moving my mom to a nursing home closer to home. This transition, while emotionally challenging, has brought peace of mind knowing she is receiving excellent care and that we can visit her more frequently. It's a blessing to have her nearby, surrounded by love and support.

Faith & Family: A Constant Companion

Family time with Sam and while we travel, we go to local 
churches to commune and find the real sense of the place 
we travel not just for faith, feeding our soul but connecting.

Faith continues to be a guiding force in our lives, even when we're away from our home church, Grace Church, and our beloved Sunday and Thursday groups. Whether we're in Blacksburg, New York City, Tampa, or DC, we make it a point to visit local churches wherever our travels take us. These visits are more than just about enjoying a cup of coffee (though we appreciate that too!). They're about connecting with new communities and experiencing different expressions of faith. We've even been fortunate enough to hear sermons by renowned pastors like Rick Warren and John Hagee. These experiences enrich our faith and remind us that God's presence is with us wherever we go.

Fitness, Zen, and the Pursuit of Well-being

Fitness this year has been about embracing my authentic self and finding joy in everyday movement. My daily walks with Bentley and Blinky offer moments of peace and reflection, while dancing and sharing videos on TikTok and Instagram have become unexpected avenues for inspiring others.

Looking ahead, I'm excited to embrace a more robust fitness regime, taking advantage of the Virginia Beach Recreation Center's full line of group fitness classes. I'm also committed to prioritizing my overall well-being by continuing my intermittent fasting, minimizing technology entertainment, and cultivating a more Zen-like approach to life. This includes adjusting my sleeping habits to ensure I get at least 7 hours of quality sleep each night, a significant shift from my previous 5-hour routine.

Films: Mirrors to Life

As always, films have provided a unique lens for reflection and growth this year. From the cultural immersion of "Shogun" to the powerful themes of resilience and teamwork in "Lioness: Beware the Old Soldier," each story has resonated with the lessons I strive to embody in my work and personal life.

Here are some recent ratings I gave at IMDB 

In keeping with my annual tradition, this year again, I've compiled 24 of the best for 2024 - a comprehensive film review I have watched with Myla - highlighting the most impactful movies we've watched together this year (I can never watch a movie alone - I have to have a conversation during the movie). You can find the complete list here: https://tonyastroblogs.blogspot.com/2024/12/2024-annual-movie-review-what-to-watch.html.

Here are a few standout films that have particularly resonated with me:

• Shogun (My Rating: 10 | IMDb: 8.6): A captivating tale of adaptability and cultural understanding, mirroring the challenges and triumphs of life transitions.
• Lioness: Beware the Old Soldier (My Rating: 9 | IMDb: 8.6): A powerful portrayal of trust, teamwork, and the courage to face adversity.
• Dune: Part Two (My Rating: 7 | IMDb: 8.5): A thought-provoking exploration of balancing personal growth with duty and responsibility.

New Frontiers and Future Aspirations

Some of my Public Branded Social platforms since
2010 with total stagnant followers of 35K

As I look forward to 2025, I'm filled with anticipation for new adventures and opportunities. I'm eager to travel more, explore new horizons, and leverage my recent credentials as a counselor and public speaker to make a greater impact. I envision creating more substantive content in the cloud, sharing my insights and experiences with a wider audience.

One exciting new frontier is transforming my previous enterprise into a community relations avenue to serve veterans during my free time. I plan to utilize my existing platforms – Commercewise, Fusionmeet, Tonyastro.com, and all my social media channels, including my Navy Counselor Page built in 2010 at Facebook @tonyastro – to connect with and support veterans in their transition to civilian life. This will allow me to extend my mission beyond my official duties and make a difference in the lives of even more veterans.

Because this plan involves repurposing existing resources and leveraging my free time, it will actually allow me to be more efficient and focused during my work hours at FFSC. This shift will drastically cut down our nightly movie watching, freeing up time and mental energy to dedicate to my work. I believe this will not only prevent any negative impact on my workload but, in fact, enhance my job performance and strengthen my work relationships.

One of the assessments my company
Commercewise  created I wanted to share
is the CQ Assessment that may or may not
impacts how people think based
on their culture, gender, generation, religion
and not just their aptitude.  More effective
than DEI programs in institutions.

I'm also excited to share my expertise as a Global Career Development Facilitator, a Dale Carnegie Presenter graduate coach, and a Cultural Intelligence consultant. I believe these skills and perspectives can be valuable resources for veterans navigating the complexities of the civilian workforce. I plan to offer workshops, webinars, and individual consultations through my online platforms, empowering veterans to build fulfilling and successful careers.

And finally, I'm looking forward to embracing my true self more fully in the year ahead. After spending the past 12 months focused on adapting to a new environment and trying to fit in, I'm ready to step into my authenticity and let my true colors shine. This means expressing myself more freely, pursuing my passions with renewed vigor, and connecting with others on a deeper level.

My focus remains on serving others – whether through my federal career, cherishing moments with family, pursuing fitness, deepening my faith, or simply spreading joy through platforms like @tontiktalk and @astrofamilytube.

To everyone who has journeyed with me this year – thank you. Your encouragement and presence mean the world to me. Here's to another year of growth, connection, and embracing life with passion and purpose.

Until next time - have a great run of 2025!

Tony Astro