A Great Life

You keep telling yourself, “This is the year.” Every. Single. New Year. You set the same goals—losing 20 pounds, affording a house, acing your courses. These are all things we want to achieve, but by March, they’re forgotten, left on the back burner, slowly growing cold or even burning out completely. I know I’ve been there too.

However, this is also the time to reflect on the past year. At first, I thought I hadn’t accomplished much, but as I scrolled through my photos, I realized I had an amazing year. I went on road trips, went camping, took day trips to the mountains, got a puppy, received a promotion, returned to my old job, spent the summer at the beach, traveled to Japan, met my husband’s cousins, and got a raise. At work, I’ve cried with cancer patients, laughed with them, helped oncologists with their work, and supported my coworkers by taking on more tasks.

Life isn’t all that bad. Could it be better? Sure. But what I have in front of me is more important than what I could have. My older sister reminded me of that. Yes, I've had tough days, but there’s a song that reminds me that bad days make for great stories. So, it’s not the worst thing.

For 2025, I’m setting a more realistic goal—something I can’t easily give up. This year, my goal is simply to be healthy and happy. I want to live a fulfilling life, one where I don’t get sick as often. I’m not sure if it’s due to living in a basement suite, the aftermath of my vaccinations, or the fact that I’ve had Covid-19 five times, but my immune system hasn’t fully recovered. I’m not setting unrealistic goals this year. Sure, I could lose a few pounds, especially after the holidays, but that’s something I’ll always keep in mind. My long-term goals are to stay happy and healthy. I need to focus on what feels good for me and stop worrying so much about what others think. Easier said than done, though.

Recently, I learned something new about myself. I took an anxiety test to measure my anxiety levels, and unfortunately, I scored as having severe anxiety. I’ve started taking ashwagandha to help manage it, and it’s already making a noticeable difference. It not only helps with anxiety, but it also clears brain fog and reduces fatigue. You can purchase it on Amazon through this affiliate link, where I earn a small commission:

It’s even on sale, and it’s much cheaper than in stores. Plus, it has a delicious, sour-sugar flavor.

The app also indicated that I have moderate ADHD, which surprised me since I thought I only had mild symptoms. After reading the description a few times (because, you know, ADHD), it made sense. I had to read it several times because I kept getting distracted and thinking about something else. Yup, ADHD. It mostly means that I struggle to complete tasks, have difficulty maintaining friendships, and experience forgetfulness. That’s why my husband and I share a calendar, so we can keep track of all our events (because, like me, he’s also very forgetful).

In 2024, I’ve learned a lot about myself and what I can do to improve my overall health and wellbeing. I understand myself better than I ever thought I would. With this knowledge, I’m ready to become the best version of myself in 2025.