2025: The Final Countdown

Go ahead. Hum that song if you want to.

Greetings, Vocal readers. 2026 will be here before you know it. For now, we're eager to finish 2025 on a high note. It has been a long year, especially for me as a writer on Vocal. Us writers have been busy writing and publishing our stories to reach our audiences. As I approach 400 stories on Vocal, I look back and am proud of how far I've come since joining this platform in 2018. The bigger question is this: Will I be able to reach the special milestone of 500 stories written and published around this time next year? It's a huge longshot, but it's not impossible either. In the almost eight years that I've been a writer on Vocal, I have yet to win a challenge. However, these writing challenges motivate me to use them as an incentive to strive even harder. That's one of the goals that I'm trying to pursue in 2026. I've received a few honors in the past, which is always very appreciative.

To me fellow Vocal writers: I want to take a few moments to offer some words of encouragement to you. No one can take your talent away from you, because you have the potential to elevate to bigger heights. It may be difficult, but eventually, you'll get to where you want to be. Sometimes, we're our own biggest critic, but leave behind any self-doubt you have. Also, don't let anyone compare you to anyone else, because as the saying goes: "Comparison is the thief of joy." People may not agree with you on the things you write about but always stand firm to your beliefs. 2025 has been filled with fun-filled highs and emotional lows. 2026 will be the year that excellence and achievements will become your superpowers. Learn as much as possible about the things you've been curious about. Finally, give yourself some credit for the progress you've made as a person. It's not bragging but acknowledging the fact that you deserve to give yourself a pat on the back. Some may not notice the progress you've made, but I do. I've read many of your stories and commented on them. A simple word of encouragement goes a long way. It's a way for me to show appreciation towards you. There's so much negativity going on in this world, but I hope that my words will encourage and motivate you to be the better version of yourself each day. We all need to encourage and motivate one another, because we're all a work in progress.

What would 2026 bring for you? I can't answer that question for you, but it'll depend on how you would want the new year to turn out for yourself. As writers on Vocal, we have the ability to reach out to different groups of people to build our audiences. Let 2026 be the year that you strive for excellence and not settling for less. Finally, support your fellow writers on Vocal, because any kind of encouragement and support would be much appreciated.

To my fellow Vocal writers: What are your personal goals that you want to achieve on this platform? If you enjoyed this story, please give it a like. Make sure you follow me on my socials. Finally, please leave a generous one-off tip. It'll be found at the end of this story. Big or small, your tips will support creators like me so we can keep publishing new stories and share them with everyone.

Keep up the great work, you are appreciated, and happy writing!