2025 really said ‘Character Development’
Hope is such an underrated kind of strength.
The year ends in exactly three weeks, and I can’t help but look back at how it all went. The past four years have honestly been some of the most chaotic and emotionally exhausting years of my life. I had to face truths I’d been too blind to see, make decisions I didn’t feel ready for, and accept changes that shook me to my core.
I spent those years crying, begging, asking, learning, unlearning, and trying to understand why my life suddenly took a direction I never planned for. And because I kept fighting reality instead of facing it, I didn’t grow. I was stuck in a loop - going round and round while everything crumbled over and over again. I wasn’t moving like my peers. I couldn’t understand why these things were happening to me, or what I’d done to deserve them.
Instead of healing, moving on, and becoming a better version of myself, I gave my life to someone else. And it took 2025 to slap me into the realization that I had lost so much time… and that it was finally time to give myself everything I deserved.
But 2025 wasn’t exactly ready to hand me those things on a silver platter. Not the way I wanted. Nothing came easy. I had to get back on my feet and work… harder than others to recover the years I’d lost.
And in doing that, here are the things this year taught me:
Gratitude Before Complaints- Or better still, gratitude before asking. For years, all I ever did was ask and ask and beg God for things, mostly material things. This year, I found myself thanking Him more. Randomly. Quietly and consistently. Sometimes I may not have what I want, and it somehow blinds me from seeing that I’m already living in so many of my answered prayers. I’ve come to understand that God works in His own time… even when it’s not my preferred time. And somehow, that has calmed me a bit.
Life is for the living, and in all things we give thanks. Even when life is beating our ass. Even for the things we’re still hoping for. Even when I mourned the death of my father and wished for time to rewind back a little so we could spend more time together. I still thanked him for the little time (which is a lot of time) he lets us spend with him, and for the good memories we had with him. So instead of complaining, I give gratitude. Because it really does change everything. It makes me feel better that everything really is in God’s hands.
Doomscrolling is the death of Productivity- Oh brother… the number of productive hours I’ve wasted doomscrolling this year? Embarrassing.
It has become an habit. I do it all the time. I doomscroll when I’m writing. While watching a movie. While eating. Even while learning a course or watching a vlog, I doomscroll.
And in doing that, I shattered my productive hours. How can I create anything worthwhile if I’m constantly distracted by my phone, dissecting other people’s lives? Realizing this pushed me to start detaching from my phone. A tough decision, but effective nonetheless.
You’d be surprised the number of jobs you will get done if you just drop that phone for a minute. Besides, I am of the belief that doomscrolling is rotting our brain.
I love the concept of HOPE- One thing I held onto tightly this year is hope. I love the idea that no matter how messy life gets, there’s always room for a better tomorrow. Hope is such an underrated kind of strength. It’s quiet and soft. Doesn’t scream too much. But it keeps you going when everything else feels stuck.
This year, hope was the one thing that made me get out of bed on days when nothing made sense. It reminded me that my story wasn’t ending in the middle of chaos. It reminded me that I could always try again, always rebuild, always expect something different.
I learned that holding onto hope is choosing faith over fear. It’s choosing to believe that life still has good things prepared for you, even if you can’t see them yet. Hope doesn’t guarantee that tomorrow will be perfect, but it guarantees that tomorrow can be better.
And that’s enough to keep moving. Enough to keep believing. Enough to keep showing up even when you’re exhausted.
Romanticize your life. Always!- I mean all the timeeee.
Life becomes softer when you allow yourself to see romance in the smallest, simplest things, and even in the hard moments. Let your life feel like a movie. I learned the phrase this year and applied it to my life, and it genuinely changed how I move.
I stopped acting like I was dragging myself through survival mode. I started loving the tiny pieces of my life. Paying attention to small moments that make me feel special. Choosing routines that feel good. Seeing beauty in things I used to rush through.
Things will always get Better- lmao I always say life is very dramatic. It will throw you to the bottom and, just when you think you’re done, it will lift you right back up… then knock you down again just for the feels of it. Or for character development, maybe.
But weirdly, that cycle has somehow made me stronger. I didn’t see the need to break down anymore when I had a falling because I knew I’d always rise again. Things get better. They always do. Sometimes the worst trials are the bridge to our blessings, even if the exchange doesn’t feel fair.
This year beat me up and built me up in ways I hope I never experience again… but I’m grateful all the same.
You’re one financial indiscipline away from being broke again- It would be honestly embarrassing to explain how recklessly I spent money this year and even more embarrassing to talk about the level of financial handicap I fell into afterwards. It was so bad I had to start watching YouTube videos on financial discipline😭✋🏽. I’m not sure I learned much, but I do know one thing: Spend wisely… or see red.
Consistency works (lol)- Consistency is one thing I’ve always struggled with, lol. I’ts wild how fast I give up when something isn’t working the way I want it to. But at the beginning of the year, I promised myself to be consistent, no matter the lack of results. I just needed to show up. And I did. And yes, I actually saw results.
But I also learned that consistency alone isn’t magic. You have to be good at what you’re doing. You have to keep learning so what you put out stands out from the rest and draws people in.
Consistency goes hand in hand with perfectionism. (If that makes sense)
You can always LOCK IN- You don’t need the perfect time, the perfect day, or week, or month, or even the new year to lock in for your goals. You can decide to lock in right this minute… or in the middle of a meal, at night, on a walk. Nothing or no one is going to stop you.
There’s no perfect time to start working on your goals. You don’t need a January 1st reset. You can begin at any point and your life will shift slowly, piece by piece. I don’t know how many times I locked in this year, and every time I did. I got the deserved result.
I had to learn the art of PATIENCE- I am a very impatient person. Painfully impatient. And this year forced me to sit down and accept the uncomfortable truth that success requires patience… real, grown-up patience. The type that makes you want to scream because things aren’t moving fast enough. I had to learn to chill and let things unfold. To stop expecting immediate results just because I put in effort for two-three hours. Life doesn’t work like that, and neither does growth. I realized that rushing the process only leads to frustration. I start comparing. Doubting myself. I start thinking I’m failing when I’m probably just early.
Most importantly, patience taught me that results do come… they just don’t come on my own personal schedule. They come when the work is consistent and the foundation is solid. And also, when the timing is right.
There’s an Influx of… stupid people in the world- Unfortunately, there’s a shocking number of people moving through life without a brain or an ounce of self-awareness, common sense, or basic emotional intelligence. And interacting with them will test your sanity in ways you didn’t sign up for. I obviously cannot control people’s thoughts and actions, but I can control my reaction. It’s always important to understand that not everyone is operating on your level of reasoning, and expecting them to suddenly evolve will leave you permanently annoyed.
So instead of letting a lot of “human” thoughts and actions drain me, I’ve learned to: lower my expectations, protect my peace, and choose who to surround myself with.
Some things are simply not worth my energy. Not everyone deserves an argument, a correction, or even an explanation. Sometimes the healthiest response is silence and distance.
If there’s anything this year has taught me, it’s that life is one long, unpredictable classroom, and you don’t get a choice about whether you attend. You either learn, or you repeat the lesson until it humbles you properly. 2025 didn’t always feel kind. It stripped me, stretched me, burnt me, rebuilt me, and gave me clarity I didn’t even know I needed.
I’m leaving this year with softer habits, stronger boundaries, sharper instincts, and a version of myself I actually respect.
If 2025 did anything right, it reminded me that growth doesn’t look glamorous. It looks messy and slow until suddenly, it doesn’t. Until one day you look up and realize you’re not who you used to be. And that alone makes every hard moment worth it.
I’m so grateful for this year. So so grateful.
PS: Hehe hi guys. Trust that we’re doing great?!
If you suddenly start seeing movie reviews, music breakdowns, and recommendations from me - don’t panic lol. I’m just going back to my roots. I created a new publication specifically for movie, music, and book reviews/recommendations. If you’ve been here long enough, you already know this has always been my thing: sharing the media I love, the gems I find, and occasionally obsessing over a scene I can’t stop thinking about.
It won’t take over my main content… it’s more of a once-a-week or every-two-weeks kind of thing.
So yes, expect new content.
I'm proud of you my boo❤️
I didn’t want it to finish, a good read. ❤️