To round up this year I want to say that 2024 treated me really well. It was amazing and loaded with changes – good and bad ones, sad, painful, inspiring, loving, stressing and relaxing. My son and I are healthy which is the most important thing! I stopped drinking alcohol almost two years ago and am the best version of myself. Quit drinking booze was one of the best decisions of my life. If you know your body, you know when enough is enough and at this point, you must act accordingly. Without doubt and regret but with your health in focus, you keep moving forward one day at a time. This doesn’t apply to alcohol only, obviously.
It was definitely a year of transformation, even a bit life-changing. Events that physically and emotionally pushed me to new limits. It was a growing year for sure and sometimes, with growth comes pain. And one thing that will never change is this oh-so-familiar bittersweet sadness when my parents left my place after Christmas to head back to Germany. Sad. Ever. Single. Time. But it means that I love them so much and am glad to live closer to them now than when I was in New York or Canada.
Whenever there is sunshine, rain or rough times are usually around the corner. This is life. It challenges us, makes us fall and stand back up to do it all over again. I stumbled, I made mistakes, and I learned by figuring everything else out along the way. I parted ways with some people and made many new friends. People come and go.
Today we will take a long traditional New Year’s walk in the cold to realize that 2024 flew by in a heartbeat and I am so, so grateful. I want to thank the universe for all the hard stuff I had to deal with. Whatever bad happened, I was always able to find myself again, even though the roads were very dark or lonely sometimes. Why? Because I am a fighter who finds a way no matter what. I could go on with this list but what I really want to do is to look to the future instead of pondering about the past. The past is the past, after all. We cannot change it. It is gone forever.
So what is next? What have I planned for 2025?
I don’t ask for much. I want to be present in the moment, be healthy, focus on my family, house and garden and be fully here to do everything in the best way possible. One step at a time, little pieces, nothing huge. 2025 will also be a year of travel. Japan, the U.K., and Italy to explore this world. I was fortunate to travel quite a bit in 2024 with New York as a highlight. Another goal is to simplify my life more and remove stress. I will reevaluate more on things I thought I needed that turned out to be so useless.
So, leaving the old year behind and starting something new, nice and fresh is awesome. Here are some reminders and final thoughts for 2025:
- Think
- Focus on ‘Now’
- Don’t burden yourself or drag yourself down
- Pare down your belongings to lighten body and mind
- Just be, as you are. Don’t be fake.
- Be gracious
- Recognise limitations
- Don’t rush, don’t panic
- Cherish the morning. Be happy you have been given another day to play this game called life
- Live by your own standards. Don’t be swayed by other people’s standards
- Don’t go against your feelings
- Make your evenings calm
- Keep at it, slow and steady
- Use the right words
- Either accept your circumstances or change them, but stop whining
- Spend time in nature
- Think before you speak
- Admit errors. Nobody is perfect and everybody makes mistakes
- Don’t hesitate to ask for help
- Be a good listener
I am thankful for my family, for my parents and siblings, grandparents in heaven, uncle, aunt cousins, nephews, friends and this growing community of Sometimes Raw readers. I wish all of you a Happy New Year and hope 2025 brings everything you want and hope for.
