One Year Ends and a New One Begins

It’s almost the end of 2025, and I can’t help but feel a mix of emotions. On the one hand, I’m excited to bid farewell to this year and welcome 2026. But on the other hand, I can’t wait to see what the future holds. This past year has been a rollercoaster of emotions – I found love, lost love, made new friends who will be with me forever, and created memories that will last a lifetime. Life is all about cherishing every moment as it passes by.So here we are in the last few hours of 2025 – I don’t know about you but it feels odd. On one hand I can’t wait to wave 2025 goodbye and on the other, I can’t help but have a little bit of excitement as I look forward to 2026. This past year was filled with so many different highs and lows – I found love, lost love, made new friends that I know will be in my life forever, and experienced the making of memories that will last me a lifetime. This is what life is – enjoying every moment as time passes by.

This year, I said goodbye to the very definition of “so ugly, she’s cute” little old lady dog. Every day gets a little easier not having her around and every day I miss her. I am thankful that she picked me, picked us, to be her family all those years ago. No one who says “it’s just a dog” will truly understand the meaning of having this little fur-person as a part of your life – but one day they might and that phrase will never be uttered again. My wish is that those people get to experience that kind of faithfulness, that purest of love.

I have never been a big party ‘til you drop on New Year’s Eve kinda girl – in fact, I usually end of with a bad migraine – until I finally learned to stay home on this insane day! So, here I am at home, in my comfy jammies, cat curled up next to me, drinking a big ‘ol glass of water, and reflecting on the year that was 2025.

As I look back on the transition from 2024 to 2025, I notice a significant shift within myself. I see a woman on the brink of discovering her strength—or perhaps it’s more accurate to say she’s beginning to embrace it. Throughout the years, I’ve often been described as a strong woman, having navigated through numerous challenges and experienced moments of joy. I’ve simply lived my life on my own terms.

I’ve made both good and bad choices, but what truly matters is that those choices were mine. Acknowledging that I’m not perfect, I’ve come to realize that my greatest gift to myself is learning from my mistakes and striving not to repeat them. It’s an ongoing journey, and I believe you can indeed teach an old dog new tricks!

So, what am I going into 2026 with? I am going into this new year with an insurmountable belief in myself and excitement for my life as I know it – as I own it. Yes, I own my life as do each and every single one of us. I want and I need to let go of the past – do not forget it – just let go of it. The past made me who I am today and, frankly, I like who I am. I am excited for who I will be at the end of 2026 and who I will be in 2027. I am happy to grow, I am happy to experience this life.

What am I going to do in 2026? Who knows!! Continue experiencing each and every moment with awe and excitement probably – come what may! I’m full of trite little sayings tonight, I think. What are YOU going to do in 2026? Do yourself a favor and don’t make the proverbial NYE resolutions – instead make a promise to yourself to embrace the life you’ve been gifted and go into 2026 with a renewed sense of self-discovery! It’s a journey and one that should never be taken for granted!

Happy New Year, friends, and happy new YOU!!