2025: Happy New Year!
It is wild to think it’s already 2025. 2025!?!? We were worried about Y2K just yesterday.
I’m looking at the date and time and my mind refuses to process January 1st. But that’s the thing about time, right? It keeps flowing whether you are prepared or want it to.
2024 was a really hard year for me. I struggled with my mental and physical health, and that reflected in all aspects of my life from my day job to my writing and my relationships. I was prepared to be ready to see the back of 2024, but the year had one last nasty surprise for me. My dog, Zlatan, died the day after Christmas. I found myself preparing to enter a New Year without him after nearly eight years.
Suddenly, seeing the back of 2024 was unappealing because it was the last year I got to spend being loved on, frustrated by and loving my sweet boy.
It felt weird to think about goals and new routines when I knew things would never be the same. Let me tell you something… I wasn’t prepared for the grief of losing my dog.
I couldn’t resist adding a gallery so I can share his sweet, sassy face.
His death left me ruminating on how quickly things can change. I remember sneaking him Christmas ham just before I went to bed on Christmas feeling grateful and happy after an enjoyable day. He followed me into our room and rested in his crate and in three hours I was awakened by him being sick. In less than twelve hours he was gone.
Life comes at you fast. But, more importantly, the experience reinforced how we live life with the fallacy that there will always be more time. That there will always be a new year, a new month, a new week… a new day.
The loss of my dog (with whom I thought I had many years left) has brought home for me, painfully so, that each day is a blessing and not guaranteed. We always say tomorrow is not promised but do we really live like that? I know that I don’t. I didn’t in 2024, and I don’t think I have in any of the years before that. So, as corny as it sounds, my aim is to live 2025 fearlessly, passionately and chasing all my dreams. I hope to be brave, honest about the things I want and to find gratitude even on the days life is hard.
Now, as for you… I hope this year brings you everything you want. I hope it is fulfilling in all aspects of your life. I hope you say yes to things even if they scare you. I hope you say no to things that you might want but you know will not serve you. I hope you fall deeply in love with yourself because you are your most important relationship. I hope you find your voice to speak up about things that bother you. I hope your friendships and relationships bloom. I hope you stop to smell the roses. I hope you find joy in the little things in life. I hope you are surrounded by love and comfort when the days are hard. I hope you find the strength and resilience to persist through any adversity. I hope you find success, in whatever way that might look to you. I hope you never put off for tomorrow something that you can do today, say today or experience today.
And, most importantly, I hope at the end of 2025 when you tally your wins and your losses, your wins far outweigh the losses.
I hope joy outweighs any sorrow.
Here’s to 2025!
Happiest new year to you.
Peace. Love. Light.
Rilzy