2023 has been an eventful year, to say the least. From geopolitical affairs to evolving trends and more, the world is undergoing so many changes at the same time. Rapid and intense shifts have subsequently left people wondering where they fit in and how they should proceed.

As 2024 gets closer, there are five essential matters that all Americans should be paying attention to...

Remote work

More people (and companies) are changing how and where they work, along with the factors that go into hiring decisions. This year's Freelance Forward survey from Upwork documents an expansion in the number of freelancers, along with freelancers' collective contributions to the labor market.

This comes on the heels of numerous reports indicating that job seekers want more work-life balance and flexibility, both feats made possible by remote work. Further gains come 2024 are all but a shoo-in.

The 2024 presidential election

Given the existing state of US political affairs, next year's presidential race will potentially be one of the most impactful elections. Right now, it remains to be seen if new candidates make it to the general, if President Biden will get a challenger who isn't named Trump, or if 2024 will simply come down to a rehash of 2020.

No matter how it all pans out, the outcome of the race - and the congressional elections on the ballot - will significantly affect what happens next for America.

The war between Israel and Hamas

Since October 7, the world has been taken aback by Hamas' unjustified attack against Israel. America and other Western nations have since affirmed our support of Israel, both orally and via deed.

Next year, Americans should keep an eye on affairs in the Middle East. So far, reports from Israel indicate that more Hamas terrorists are surrendering to the IDF. Although, the war itself remains ongoing.

The war between Ukraine and Russia

Russia's invasion of Ukraine happened on February 24, 2022, thereby setting off an unprecedented chain of events. To this day, Ukraine continues its efforts to ward off Russia.

Here in the United States, some officials are now sounding the alarm about the amount of monetary aid our country is giving to Ukraine. Biden, so far, maintains that US taxpayer dollars will keep funding Ukraine's defense for as long as it takes.

Americans should stay tuned in 2024 to see if/when the war ends, how much more money the US sends over, and how the outcome of the upcoming presidential election influences our geopolitical decisions.

A potential war between Taiwan and China

The dynamics between Taiwan and China are relatively parallel to those of Ukraine and Russia. China thinks Taiwan's land is not truly Taiwanese, but rather an extension of China. However, the communist nation has not yet invaded Taiwan the way Russia breached Ukraine.

Certain speculations assert that China may potentially raid Taiwan in 2024 as America directs more attention to our own presidential election, with presumably less bandwidth to back Taiwan.

That remains to be seen, but at this point, nothing is truly off the table.