I'm off for a few days and in between packing up Christmas and naps with my dog, I've been reading, reflecting, and of course, scrolling. I've seen some beautiful posts with insightful resolutions and meaningful intentions for 2025. I'm not surprised to see rivers of fear, worry, and exasperation. There are plenty of people eschewing resolutions all together, too. A friend said to me yesterday, "Why would I wait until January 1st to begin a life-improving goal that I should have started working on the moment it came to me?" I'm not drawn to resolution-making but I don't want to enter an important year like 2025 with an ill-defined outlook either.
2024 was a weird one, though I know I'm lucky. My family had a year of personal growth, connection, and wonder. My husband and I watched our adult children's lives expand, we experienced life-changing travel as a family, we improved our health. We complete 2024 profoundly grateful. Like many Americans in 2024, my husband and I both experienced significant upheavals at work. It was a "by the skin of my teeth" experience with his profession, which made national news. It worked out well but not without several months of intense stress for him and those he loves working with. Professionally, I learned so much about resiliency, boundaries, about what kind of leader I want to be. Then, there was the news: the wars, the storms, the election. Tragic events in the first few hours of 2025 have me reexamining my hopes for the year already. You probably feel the same.
I am not sure I'll ever be a resolutions person, but 2025 is calling me to live out my principles, express my ideas, and act on my dreams. I'm looking at my lifestyle, organizing around upcoming family milestones, seeking new solutions to problems - my own and the problems of others, and laying the groundwork for the personal and professional goals I want to see come to fruition over the next 24 months. Things will deviate as they always do. At 57, I know to instill plenty of grace and prayer as part of any plan. There might be messes. There will be unknowns.
"What you give will be returned to you three fold." - Alice Hoffman
Clearly defined and deeply expressed principles are gifts of aging. One of the cornerstones of my personal principles places others ahead of myself. This comes from who I am at my core and how I was raised. Unfortunately, it can sometimes be my trauma response. I'm done apologizing for putting others first, but I will be auditing myself in 2025 so that my actions are always rooted in authenticity. The world needs healthy helpers. The world needs humble energy. The world needs servant leadership. Energy comes back to us. I will never stop being a helper, but I vow to myself to have that desire flow from the proper source.
"Your playing small does not serve the world."
- Marianne Williamson
I'm a solution-driven person and ideas come naturally to me. However, I have not always embodied the courage to claim or proclaim my ideas. I give my ideas away, often with the hope they are helpful, but sometimes because I don't want to take credit. Often it's because I get embarrassed the same way I get embarrassed when someone gives me an extravagant gift. I don't always like the spotlight. Rarely but more than I'd like, it's because I'm afraid the idea will be ridiculed. I'm going to lean into courage on this in 2025. Some ideas will be good, others will fall flat. So what? Most if not all great ideas involve a lot of tweaking and plenty of collaboration. My thinking cap is on and I'm not keeping my ideas - or the ideas I'm blessed to craft with others - tucked up in my bonnet this year.
"When it comes to fighting for your dreams, be a dragon. Breathe fire.”
- Richelle E. Goodrich
This one will be my biggest challenge. I'm very good at putting my dreams at the end of the list. I'm not apologizing for this either. However, life is short and with aging comes different energy levels. Even though my family has significant life events planned this year, I hope to keep the dream flow active by embracing wellness, increasing connections, learning all I can, prioritizing writing time, and mostly, by being thankful. Gratitude is key. Gratitude for the opportunities - good and bad - that have brought me this far. And gratitude for the love and support of those in my circle of influence, and especially that of my family and friends.
My Mimo (and the Bible??) said, "The road to hell is paved with good intentions and heaven overflows with good actions." I ask God to join me in knowable ways - that He will show Himself - as I hope to live out the principles, ideas, and dreams I hold for the new year. May they be in alignment with His will. And no matter your faith or creed, I hope the same support and peace for you. Very best wishes as you enter 2025. May this be a wondrous, healthy, soulful year for you and yours, resolutions or not!
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