I started 2024 feeling enthusiastic and optimistic, like I do every year. I made a list of spiritual, professional, and personal goals.
My objectives included developing professionally, picking up a new skill, leading a healthy lifestyle, and aiming for debt freedom. I managed to tick a few boxes, if not all.
As for the highlights of the year, I saw my kid flourish in her first year of primary school, and I obtained my learner’s license and a Media Management Certificate. Just staying alive was a highlight too.
I was under a lot of stress at home, with so many bills piling up. It was just too much to bear. One of my weaknesses is bottling everything in.
I remember recording a video on my phone, saying my goodbyes to my family. My husband rushed me to the doctor, who told me I had the symptoms of a mild stroke. I just needed to take it easy.
That meant sitting down with my partner and telling him I felt overwhelmed. This was a turning point for me. I learnt to put myself first and share my burdens.
I am able to sleep peacefully now, without taking medication. As I reflect on the year, one key lesson stands out. It is easy to desire change, but it takes courage and determination to achieve it.
I need to stop, reflect, and see where I went wrong this year. How can I improve in 2025? I do this exercise not to remind myself of my failures, but to take the lessons and run with them.
Let’s begin with managing debt. I failed in this area in 2024, and I know I must learn to live within my means. I’ve been seeing a financial planner and have been paying off my debts.
I need to order less takeouts and buy less Crocs — my weakness! It does a lot of damage to the budget.
This year has also made me realise the importance of taking care of my health. Going to see the doctor was my wake-up call.
I only have one life and need to take care of it. I do not need to carry the load alone, as I have a loving, caring support network.
I am reminded of a passage in the Bible: “Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old.”
To experience the newness that comes with the new year, I don’t need to beat myself up about what has passed. I need only remember the lessons 2024 has taught me and implement them in 2025.
It all starts with me.
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