How have you started 2025? With excitement, hesitation, or somewhere in between?
Just before Christmas, I did something I’ve never done at this time of year: I wrote myself a love note. I usually save this for Valentine’s Day, but something about the end of 2024 made me want to reflect and appreciate myself earlier.
What began as a regular morning journaling session turned into a moment of reflection on the past year – a year I had seen as tough and emotionally challenging, where I’d played small and lived more from fear than courage. But as I wrote, I found myself thanking myself for weathering the storms, for feeling into my emotions, and began to acknowledge how far I’d come.
Something about those words felt important, so I grabbed a card to capture them in a love note and sent it to myself.
“There’s something special about sending a card or a letter in the post to yourself. By the time it arrives, you’ve almost forgotten what you wrote. When you open it, it’s like a little reminder – a message you didn’t realise you needed.”
2024: A Year of Challenge and Courage
In 2024, I said goodbye to a dear friend who had struggled with his mental health and two others who lost their lives to cancer. I navigated the end of a long-term relationship and held my breath through several family health scares. On top of that, I faced an unexpected diagnosis of a genetic health condition. Fear often felt like a constant companion, urging me to play it safe, live small, and doubt myself.
But as the words flowed, I began to see those experiences in a new light. I realised that while fear had been present, it hadn’t been holding me back; it had been pointing me toward growth.
Small Acts of Courage
From this new perspective, I could see that I had been courageous in many ways:
- Walking away from situations that were no longer meant for me.
- Feeling and allowing myself to experience the fullness of my emotions.
- Acknowledging that my emotional resilience had been tested and letting go of unrealistic expectations.
- Taking charge of my diagnosis.
- Supporting my parents through their health issues and showing up for my grieving friends while also allowing myself the space to grieve.
I had also focused on giving myself what I needed – walks in nature, time with friends, cooking meals I loved, exercising, and treating myself to the solar wake-up lamp I’d been eyeing for months.
These seemingly small acts of courage and self-care had started to rebuild my foundation – a sense of strength, resilience, and trust in myself. They weren’t just routines or indulgences; they were declarations to myself that I was ready to live fully again.
New Year, New Rituals
To celebrate, I invited friends to spend New Year in Devon, exploring coastal paths and braving a sea dip on New Year’s Day. And while I was on a roll, I booked a ski and yoga holiday for March – both plans felt exciting, adventurous, and just what I needed!
Looking Ahead: Carrying This Energy Into 2025
As I look ahead to 2025, I want to carry this energy with me: embracing courage, leaning into fear, and moving toward what lights me up.
And I want to invite you to do the same.
Take a moment to reflect on the past year.
- What challenges did you overcome?
- What strength did you discover within yourself?
- What lessons did you learn?
Write yourself a love note. See what comes up when you put pen to paper. What might this reflection inspire you to do in 2025? Maybe a word, a theme, or a feeling that can guide you through the year ahead.
“Everything you’ve ever wanted is sitting on the other side of fear.” – George Addair, Philosopher
Fear will always be there, but so will courage. And often, the magic is waiting just on the other side.
Here’s to a year of bravery, love, adventure, and stepping into everything you’re capable of.
