My Homelab empire
A reflection on a passive year
Finding time and enthusiasm to continue with a hobby is not a sprint, but a marathon. This is why along the course of it, it will have its ups and downs. In this post, I’ll reflect on my experience as a self-taught IT infrastructure engineer, sharing insights into the challenges, lessons, and growth I’ve encountered along the way.
Reflect and Learn
As I looked back on 2024, I realized that my biggest challenge in not dedicating enough time to my homelab wasn’t a lack of interest or motivation — it was simply life itself. Life has a way of shifting our priorities, and for me, becoming a first-time car owner was one of those major transitions. It wasn’t just about owning a car — it was about pouring energy into learning ownership, maintenance, and the responsibilities that came with it.
For some, being a first-time car owner might not feel like a huge change, but for me, it was a significant shift. Looking back, I didn’t anticipate how much focus this new chapter would require. However, through this experience, I learned two valuable lessons:
It’s important to give myself the space to understand that the time spent on other priorities wasn’t wasted. It was simply a different kind of growth.
Instead of focusing solely on long-term goals, I’ve learned the value of taking a step back each month to evaluate what I’ve accomplished and what I can tackle next.
Celebrate the Small Wins
Even during a passive year, there are always victories to celebrate, no matter how small they seem. It’s easy to get caught up in the pursuit of big achievements, but the quiet wins — those behind-the-scenes victories — often hold the most value.
No progress is too small to recognize when the only person you should compare yourself to is your past self. Progress isn’t measured by how much further you’ve gone compared to others, but by how much further you’ve come compared to where you were a year or two ago. Any improvement, no matter how small, is a win because it shows growth and personal development.
For me, the highlight of this year wasn’t about deploying new projects or tackling complex challenges. It was about maintaining the stability of my homelab, which consisted of just three VMs, including my Twingate VPN connector. Despite having limited time to dedicate to it, I kept everything running smoothly. This was a reminder that even the simple act of sustaining something is worth celebrating.
Make bite sized plans
The start of a new year is not the only perfect time to reflect on the past and plan for the future. The moment a person gets that frustration of not having accomplished enough, it can be the trigger to begin with that process. If channeled correctly, this frustration can be a powerful catalyst for making real change.
Which is why I’ve learned not to be fixated on long-term goals. I now understand the value of stepping back each month to reflect, invoke that frustration on what I’ve not accomplished in the last month and channel it in planning what I can tackle next. This practice can help me stay focused and make steady, bite sized plans without feeling overwhelmed by the bigger picture.
Takeaway
My homelab empire, as both a helpdesk and virtualization engineer, is a place of experimentation and growth. It’s not just about pushing my Raspberry Pis to their limits with limited resources — it’s about growth in both technical and personal areas. While my technical growth didn’t shine through my homelab as much this year as i had imagined, I’ve come to accept that even in passive periods, valuable lessons are learned.
Hope the coming 2025 will be one where I’ve applied what I’ve learned and make it one of innovation, continuous learning, and steady progress.
Happy new year, everyone!
