THE WELCOMING OF A NEW YEAR

A New Year, New Hopes, New Plans, New Beginnings…

New Year’s always reminds me of hope. It serves as a strong source of motivation for trying again and restarting things we wished to do but couldn’t accomplish for some reason. In the last weeks of December, I take a moment to reflect on the year I am leaving behind. What were my dreams, plans, and goals? Which ones did I manage to achieve? Which ones were challenging? Which ones remained untouched? How faithful was I to the promises I made to myself? Taking stock of the year helps me see the big picture. I celebrate the things I accomplished, and for those I couldn’t, I analyze the reasons. If needed, I revise my goals to make them more achievable and find ways to remove obstacles. This process allows me to create a more realistic plan for the new year.

This year, I want to return to some routines I have neglected in the busyness of life, establish new routines, visit a new country or city, incorporate more art into my life, continue meeting with you every month through my writings, and write and publish a short story—these are the things I wish to add to my journey this year.

If you haven’t yet created your "2025 Wishes to Bring to Life" list, I encourage you to grab a pen and paper right now and write down your first item. Then, at the end of each month, revisit your list, review your progress, and revise it according to the flow and dynamics of your life.

How about starting your list with a reward that will warm your soul on these cold winter days? Don’t you think the past 365 days—filled with joy and sadness, ease and challenges—deserve a reward?

Always remember to honor the past year and the new version of yourself that was born from it!