Taking and leaving…

As we close out another year, it can be natural to think about what we want to leave behind. From year to year we set goals for our next/new year and often they come from what we didn’t like in the current/old year. “This year will be my year.” “I’m so thankful that the year is over and I can start anew.” I hope you haven’t had what you think of as a terrible year. We can fall into a hole, think of only the negative and forget that there were lots of great moments, too. We see it all around us, the retreat into negativity. There are too many times I look at social media and all I see are complaints, put downs or comments meant to incite hatred. It makes me wonder what we expect if this is our “go to response”. My mother told me her answer to, “have a good day” has become “I’ll make it one”.

So if we want to leave behind the bad of 2025, how can we do it? As with most things, I look inward first.

Do you throw up your hands if something goes wrong and say, well, of course? I know people like that. They look at their lives and think that nothing goes right, so why bother. “If it’s going to fall apart, it will to me.” I think those people are missing out. We all have bad moments. It’s what we do after that matters. If we approach it with “I’ll make something good out of it” then we have a chance for the positive.

Recently I was having a problem with a tire. By the time I got to my emergency car appointment, it was really low. I had tried filling it a couple of times and it was quick to lose the air I put in. As I sat at the dealership praying I didn’t need to buy new tires, I found out that all of my tires were having issues. It was not a cheap appointment but there was a silver lining. They were able to fix all four tires and I didn’t need to buy new. Yes, it cost me some money that was unexpected and right before Christmas. I know new tires are probably in my future for next winter but for now my tires are good. There are a couple of parts to this - one, I take care of my car and it goes in regularly for oil changes and checks; two, as soon as I realized this was an actual issue, not a one-time deal, I booked an appointment and got it checked. I do my best to be proactive and it worked. So, a negative event that nevertheless had a positive outcome.

My mom came down with a nasty virus a week before Christmas. She usually comes to my place for Christmas and she did again this year but was in terrible shape with a debilitating cough. Two emergency department visits ensued - one before and one after the big day. She was miserable and I felt so bad for her. But it wasn’t pneumonia and the doctor pointed out how much worse it could have been if she hadn’t got her vaccination. It might not seem like much of a positive but for this daughter, I am supremely grateful. We had good treatment from health care professionals. We live in a country where those visits didn’t cost money out of pocket. Even though there wasn’t much that could be done there was a reassurance by seeing a professional and having symptoms discussed and options for management suggested. As horrible as it was it could have been so much worse and I’m grateful. And I was able to care for my mom after all that she does for me.

As I look back on 2025, I see many times when it wasn’t easy. I worked long hours, often logging in and taking care of work over the weekends. I was emotionally and physically exhausted. I felt undervalued and under appreciated at times, not just at work but in my family as well. As I was coming to the end of my career, it was difficult to find the positives. I had a hard time making it look good. However, my 2025 was not all bad. There were so many bright moments and when I take the time to look back with all of me, not just the tired and frustrated parts, it’s simple to identify them. I had a couple of great trips, lots of wonderful time with my work team, some frustrations with my pool that ended with fantastic swimming conditions, and time with family and friends that I treasure.

I can’t look back on 2025 without recognizing the state of our world. Wars, economic struggles, climate change, an American president who would rather be a dictator and so on. Our world is in a scary place right now. Wouldn’t it be great if we could leave that behind? Some people want to bury their heads in the sand and hope that when they pull them out, all is good again. That’s not going to work. On the other hand in 2025 our country came together. We stood up and spoke out. Elbows up became a slogan and taking time to examine where our products and food come from has become a wake up call to support locally and nationally.

As I think about 2026 and what I want to leave behind from 2025, it occurs to me that I should also think about what I want to take with me. It’s not just about walking away from the bad - sometimes we can’t. Sometimes the bad situation doesn’t go away with the change of calendar. So how can we take the good from 2025 and take it with us into 2026?

I’m taking my resilience into the new year. I made it through 2025. I have not lost my faith in people - I believe that most are good, they may have just lost sight of their path. I believe in me. Exhaustion might have taken me over this month but I allowed my body to slow down and recharge. I intend for 2026 to be an exciting adventure. So, I’m taking the belief in myself into the new year. I’m taking my work ethic with me as I start a new routine with deadlines and hard work. I’ve already proven I’m capable, now I’m going to put that toward new goals.

I take my firm belief that one person’s impact can change the world. All it takes is one person to inspire one other who then inspires another and so on. We are blessed with incredible people in this world. People who speak out against injustice, who stand up to bullies, who fight for others’ rights to live. I may not have a megaphone but I can live a life that shares those values and be an example.

I’ll leave behind the excuses. My primary excuse is why I don’t eat healthy. Well, I have the opportunity to make my own life and leave behind the stress. Since stress was my the biggest reason for overeating or eating the wrong stuff, I’ll leave behind the excuse and take full accountability. I’ll be engaged in healthy living for 2026 and become the person I want to be.

There is always good if we choose to look for it. There is always a lesson we can learn when something goes wrong, if we are willing to learn. It’s all about choice. It’s up to us what we bring to the world and what we take from it. I’ll leave behind the bad - I’m done with it now but I’ll take so much forward that 2026 will be another year with great opportunities.

My few words of wisdom:

STOP - blaming others for your situation. Take control and make something out of it. The generations before operated with less knowledge and did the best they could. It wasn’t perfect and you’re probably feeling those impacts but you are making the future. The younger generations aren’t awful - they are living the lives we’ve given them. Be open to sharing your wisdom and learning from them. All perspectives are valuable.

START - bringing gratitude to your life. Be appreciative of the people around you who have so much to share. Pay it forward and you’ll find it comes back around to you.

CONTINUE - working hard, trying, stepping out of your comfort zone and smiling!

This cushion will be my mantra for 2026.

A gift from my mom this Christmas. It is so beautiful I had to share.