Looking back on 2024
Today's the last day of 2024, and like so many others on the internet today, I'm looking back over the last 365 days.
December 31st is a day for navel-gazing behavior, I guess. Ha.
This has honestly felt like one of the shortest years of my life, and I think that's because it has largely been taken up by nursing school (which as you know, has been pretty all-consuming for me).
It's been a good kind of all-consuming, though!
When I think back to where I was a year ago, I am amazed at how much I have learned about nursing this year.
Last year at this time, I'd had only a handful of clinical days, and no PCT shifts; now I've had dozens of clinical days and perhaps even more importantly, lots of PCT shifts.
(PCT: patient care tech, aka my job at the hospital.)
I am a million times more confident and experienced than I was a year ago, and that makes me happy. I have a lot more head knowledge, yes, but I also am significantly more competent with my clinical skills.
My other most significant event was the finalization of my divorce. And the most significant 2024 impact of that was financial for me.
I'd already felt fairly free practically-speaking, because I'd been separated for two years by the time the divorce was finalized.
But financial freedom was brand new to me in 2024. Not only did I stop having to pay legal bills, I also got my payout from the equity in the marital home.
So, I stopped being almost-broke!
PLUS: for the first time in my adult life, I got to experience truly having complete financial autonomy.
(I got engaged at 18 and married at 19. I do not recommend this, but it is what I did.)
It's so wild to be totally in control of my finances. And it's very nice. 🙂 All of my money and assets are just mine. Woohoo!
Divorce was expensive, yes. And I did technically lose 50% of my material wealth. But oddly way, I actually feel richer than I did before.
And I feel full of hope for my financial future! I should be able to make really good progress toward my financial goals in the next few years because I am free to make all of my own choices.
I have options like I never have before, and I am delighted about that.
Next year
Everyone is busy making resolutions for the coming year, and honestly, I cannot get into a resolution-making mindset.
Mainly that's because the main things I'm gonna be doing this year are:
- finish nursing school
- pass the NCLEX
- start a nursing job
- start my BSN program
Really, though, once I finished my nursing program and pass the NCLEX, I feel like a lot of mental fog will clear.
And then maybe I can think about what other things I want to accomplish.
But for now, I'm just gonna put my head down and get through fourth semester. Other ambitions can get put on the side temporarily; this is not the time for big new aspirations.
(Though of course I will keep slowly learning Spanish, and I will keep walking and going to the gym! Those are well-engrained habits I know I can maintain.)
Some people pick a word for the year, and I don't know, maybe mine is "maintain". For now, I just wanna keep on doing what I'm already doing!
@Kristen, I think that you should add to your list of 2024 accomplishments that you managed to maintain such a safe, warm and welcoming space in this crazy, upside-down world. I, for one, am very grateful to you for that.
2024 has been a horrendous year for obvious reasons. I've lost friends and colleagues in this ongoing war, spent hours and hours in the bomb shelter, and lost my ability to sleep a full night.
We've developed pretty awful black humor here in Israel since October 7, 2023, so I will use it to state my one-word wish for 2025: to survive (which isn't a tall-order when you've spent the last week ducking missiles sent from the Houthis in Yemen every.single.night! - did I mention sleep-deprived?). I have two more wishes for 2025 - one, for the safe return of the 100 men, women, children and, yes, babies who are still being held hostage in the hells of Gaza, and two, for peace to return to our region, and to the world over. Enough is really enough.
@Talia, Joining you in wishing (and praying) for those things in 2025.
@Talia, may your wishes be granted in 2025.
@Talia, I also continue to pray for peace. To you, I send wishes of love, strength, and healing now and in the New Year.
@Talia, this is an horrible situation, I can't even imagine.... My heart goes out to all of you
Pax!
@Talia,
Peace, safety and good sleep for you!
@Talia, Praying for the peace of Israel. And praying you.
@Talia,
Thank you so much for checking in. I wish I could give you a huge hug.
Over 1,000 people prayed for the safe return of the hostages at a Hannukah festival in Charleston, South Carolina (United States) last night. We pray nonstop for Israel.
@Talia, No matter what our politicians do, please know there are innumerable Americans standing with you.
@Talia, I hope you, and everyone else, experience peace and safety in 2025.
@Talia, Thank you, this reminder of war (in various places) is concerning. Thinking of you and others in that hideous position today, and sending you good thoughts.
Also thinking of you and all the people living through such horrors that many of us can only imagine.
@Talia, peace for your region can not come fast enough. May you continue to be safe & protected until then.
@Talia, it's so good to hear from you. . . been wondering how you are, continuing to pray for Israel.
@Talia, I'm so glad you started this off as it puts so much in perspective. Although I don't do resolutions, the word I'm choosing for 2025 is "peace." Peace for everyone in every way.
@MB in MN, @Talia, and everyone else, I endorse "peace for everyone in every way." Peace on earth may be an ideal we'll never achieve, but that doesn't mean we should ever stop trying.
@Talia, oh I am so glad you commented. I was just thinking about you last week and hoping you were safe.
Hopefully 2025 will bring an end to this war and you can experience peace again. Please know people in the US are praying for you and your country.
@Talia, kol hakavod. Amen to your wish.
@Anita Isaac, Perfect way to put it: Amen to your wish.
@Talia, I stand with Israel!
@Kathy L., thank you! That is so heartwarming to hear.
@Talia, thanks everyone. I can't find the heart emoji on my keyboard, but I'm sending you a million back
I'm doing a combination of "mantras" and "fun ideas" for 2025. No set goals. I've had good "success" with those in the past, but I have also found them stressful at times. And for what purpose?! Life is more important than crossing things off a list. Right?
So last year (my "Year of Shmita") and this year - and maybe every year going forward - I'm just going to be more gentle on myself.
Lokking back on 2024, I am mostly satisfied with it. Except from hard times with one of my daughter (15 yo with mental health issues that can get quite abusive towards us), I will say that the rest was pretty smooth sailing for me.
As for 2025, I have all the classic resolutions, which are :
- lose another 40 pounds, to bring me to 100.
- Eat better, drink more water
- Go to be earlier
- Do less screen time
- Read 80 books
- Spend more quality time with GH and DD
- Be more firm with my oldest DD and not engage so much in her drama
- Go to therapy regularly
That's about it, I think.
Happy New Year to all of you!
@Isa,
Congratulations for losing 60 lbs! That takes a lot of discipline. I hope the last 40 come off smoothly! May your other resolutions be fulfilled as well.
@mbmom11, thanks 🙂
Maintain is an excellent choice! In the past I've had mindfulness, dare, accept, and mend (the year of my divorce - and financial independence). This year I'm going for delight. 'Joy' seems to carry too many expectations, but delight - that I can find.
I have no goals but survival. I wish I could set goals, but I'm not good about focusing on them and letting life get in the way.
I did do a random word of the year generator, and got "untangled". There's an abundance of choice in my life where this word applies, so I'll run with it. ( Word of the Year Generator by Jen Fulwiler)
@mbmom11, untangle is a great word! When I used the generator, the word given me was construct which could have many applications.
@Bee, I got "flexibility" -- gonna have to think about that for a while....
@mbmom11, Untangle is a great word of the year. I got Explore and since I had already picked as a mantra “Do the hard things” it can fit in nicely.
@Bee, I got 'rebirth' but I'm not sure how I should interpret that
@mbmom11, I got “kindness”. Based on my goals, it could easily translate to kindness towards myself. Of course, the world can always use more kindness in general.
@mbmom11,
My word was "sparkle" - I'll take it!
@mbmom11, untangle is very doable. Just think of it as one piece at a time to figure it out.
The word I was given by generator was Lavish. Not even sure what to do with that.
@mbmom11, I got "transform" - LOVE this!!! Absolutely perfect for my life goals for 2025! Thanks for sharing 🙂
@Tina, Ooh ooh ooh! I'll trade you "flexibility" for "sparkle"!
@Tina, Ooh ooh ooh ... I'll trade you "flexibility" for "sparkle"!
@mbmom11, I got Divine. I can work with that!
I had already chosen Lightening. My physical weight, the emotional weight I put on myself, my belongings, and crap in general that weighs me down. I want to feel better about my job and recognise the good things.
@mbmom11,
My word was preach as a therapist I’m not sure how I feel about this, hmmmm I’ll make it work.
@mbmom11, I received the word "sow" from the generator. My first thought was "oh, how rude." I am obsessed with the weight I need to lose, as I eat another Christmas cookie, but nooo, it was "sow," rhymes with "sew." Not "sow" as rhymes with "cow." Facepalm.
"Sow" is actually a very good word for me. I just have to unsee what I first saw. Sigh...
All kidding aside, @Talia, praying for you and Israel.
@Kristen, thank you for brightening the internet.
Happy New Year, all.
@mbmom11,
Thanks for the suggested site. I had "completion" picked as my word of the year, but I used the generator and got "TUNE".... I've been thinking about it all day ...
@mbmom11, “Patience” is what I got— which is something I practice a lot at work (teacher) already!
@mbmom11, I have had both joy and delight in different years and agree, delight is way easier to do. I still love the after-effects of my year of delight 🙂
@mbmom11, my word is dance. And since I love to do that, I’m going to do even more of it! Anytime, anywhere the urge comes to me.
@mbmom11, I had never heard of this generator! I had already chosen “prayer”, and it gave me “witness”! Wow. I didn’t do a quiz or anything, just a totally random word.
My word(s) fore the year: buoy(ancy).
I have no resolutions, other than to keep my good habits. 80/20 is often considered a good ratio and for some habits, that will be it. For others the ratio is more like 90/10 or even (eating my fruit 'n veg) 95/05.
Kristen, you have really made progress this year towards having the life that you want. Well done you!!!
The last four years have been difficult for me. Although there have been glimmers of happiness, there have been struggles not only for me but also my husband, children, and friends. I am looking forward to 2025 and hope the tide will turn and the clouds will lift.
My word for the coming year is transformation. There is no time like the present to make changes that can yield big results. My focus areas are time management, fitness, and finances. I will do some goal setting later today.
In the meantime, I wish all of you a Happy 2025. May this be the year that all your dreams come true.
I have the usual goals that everyone makes every year. However, as of January, I will have 14 months left of work before retirement and I hope to reach that point in my life that I can enjoy it. So changes have to be made now to last thru the year and get to that 2026 retirement. People seem to think I'm resilient, so I'll keep that word so I can bounce back and proceed full steam ahead.
Thank you, Kristen and everyone else that reads this blog, for being the calm in the storm. We all come here everyday to rejuvenate and think outside the box for the day ahead. (At least I do!) It is so nice to have such nice people over the internet that don't make you feel bad and help lift you up.
@Maureen, remember that you don’t need to do everything full steam ahead. Resilience needs to be built and maintained and is not about putting up with all the crap the world throws at you. Rest is needed.
@Maureen, You phrased why we all come here so regularly perfectly.
I don't tend to make concrete resolutions because I don't usually accomplish them, plus I don't care very much about goals in general. But I do have a goal this year to finish a first draft of a novel I'm working on.
@Sophie in Denmark, Good luck on finishing your novel. That sounds very exciting!
@JenR, Thank you!
i like that word 'maintain. ' I also walk almost everyday, go to the gym and swim so I want to keep doing that but try and up my swimming to one extra a week. This is an effort as the pool I go to is 25 minutes away. There is no indoor pool around except that one. I don't do a word for the year but do write wome goals and this year is to just get through it with my husbands potential Hipec surgery at Stanford. Be as healthy as I can to do what needs to be done.
@christina,
A dear friend of mine recently had hipec surgery (she has at least stage 3 cancer of an unknown primary, possibly ovarian, possibly peritoneal) - anyway, she had a total hysterectomy in addition to hipec. She has done remarkably well post op (her surgery was Dec 6th). Wishing a similar outcome for your DH, if/when he has it (obviously, no need for a hysterectomy for him :-)).
@christina, I wish the best for you on the long journey ahead.
2024 was quite a year, wasn't it? Here's to a better 2025.
I always have goals, instead of resolutions, not that it makes much difference in my keeping them.
1. Continue in my efforts to get to bed at a decent hour. Last year, that didn't work out so well, but it's a lifelong goal, so it's still on. I'm such a night owl, I still hate to go to bed even when I'm tired, just like a toddler.
2. Get the last of my debt paid off before retirement the end of February, 2026. Hopefully, I won't be paying for things like car engine replacements, hurricane deductibles, appliance repair and fence replacements this year!
3. Lose some weight. It's not much, but on a shorty like me, a few pounds makes my clothes fit uncomfortably. I was diagnosed with thyroid disease a few years ago, which doesn't help.
4. Get a generator set up for power outages, an undertaking which may or may not be compatible with debt payoff this year. I was going to do it in 2024, but... see #2.
@JD, sometimes I don't go to bed on time because I am too tired to take out my contacts. That's definitely in the category of Stupid-Tired. Been training myself out of night owl mode for decades, making progress with an occasional detour, like when Husband goes to bed at 8 (STOP IT!)
I'm cheering you on in the weight loss. Maybe you could pick one thing to not do or not eat, or one extra move-it thing to do and figure it will be a long slow road to more comfortable clothes. Took me about 6 months of this approach to feel better in my clothes. S L O W.
Look for a used generator, get an extension cord with several plug in spots, and just use it for your fridge for a few hours a day. Keep a few frozen milk cartons in your freezer to move to the fridge as soon as the power quits. Look up Nebo bulbs for light. That's what we do, but our outages usually last about 9 hours max.
First, I join others in congratulating Kristen on her year of accomplishments. Way to go in 2024, Kristen, and best wishes to you and to us all for 2025!
I was considering borrowing @Selena's "Resist, survive, thrive" as my mantra for 2025, and it's a good one. But in memory of the late, great columnist Molly Ivins, I think I'll use what she wrote in the copy of Nothin' But Good Times Ahead she autographed for me: "Raise more hell! And keep laughin' too."
As a rule, I don't make self-improvement resolutions for New Year's, because what I observe is that the more resolutions people make, the less likely they are to keep any of them. But I would like to continue the gradual weight loss I began in 2024 (down 7 pounds between my April and October PCP appointments, mainly as a result of eating only two meals a day most of the time); continue decluttering not so gradually; and, most importantly, have more fun--in the garden, with my beloved birds, and with JASNA. (Jane Austen's 250th birthday is coming up this year, folks! Get ready to party like it's 1775!)
@A. Marie, If the Republic survives, in 2026 we can all celebrate a 250th anniversary and party like it's 1776.
@A. Marie,
My daughter gifted me with that bird feeder that has a camera that ties to one's phone. Once I get it set up, I'll have to let you know how it works.
@JD, Great gift! My dear friend, who sadly moved too far away, received one last Christmas and loves it.
@A. Marie, I too was an avid fan of Molly Ivins. Gone too soon. Could use her wit nowadays.
@JD,
One of my sisters and a friend both have one of those bird feeders! So cool!
@JDinNM, if we all make it to 2026, I propose a group watch of the musical movie 1776. "Yours, Yours, Yours"--the duet across time and space between John and Abigail Adams--is my favorite love song for grownups burdened with responsibilities.
@JDinNM,
Yes. It's a big IF.
Reading everyone's comments gives me a lot of perspective on life, so thank you all for sharing. My word this year is trust. Trust in the Lord. Trust in my own ability to make good choices. Trust that I will get through whatever happens.
@Cindi, I like this a lot. "Trust" seems stronger and more positive than just "hope".
@JDinNM,
I agree! Hope strikes me as passive, where trust implies a deliberate choice.
"Despair is a free man-hope is a slave." LM Montgomery
@mbmom11, and @JDinNM -- Thanks. I never thought of it that way.
@mbmom11, hmmm, I will have to give that some thought. If you have time, will you expand on that LM Montgomery quote for me?
@Central Calif. Artist Jana,
It's from "The Blue Castle." I think it means that if you just sit around hoping, waiting for something to happen, you are trapped by that hope. If you are in despair, you are free to make decisions to get out of it, because you're not beholden to any exterior hope. You rely on yourself.
It's been a long time since I read the book, but the quote has stayed with me.
@mbmom11,
I just read it for the first time, and loved it...
I don't usually do resolutions, just continue with the same things: exercise more regularly, floss every day, improve my diet, work in the "capital" to-do's such as organizing/sorting thru old papers.
I guess that means my theme is Keep Chugging Along.
I appreciate being able to come to this peaceful place, too. And to see a fine nurse coming along. I'm hopeful, Kristen, that you will influence many others to follow this career path.
My word is: Mindful. I want to be more mindful of other's needs. Specific people/specific needs. I need to be more mindful of my niece's financial needs. (The daughter of my sister who died from ALS a few years ago.) Her job pays pittance and while she keeps her eyes open for other jobs in her field, nothing seems available. Mindful to pray for Talia daily. What a challenge for her to live in Israel! Mindful to continue praying for the people of West Tennessee and West North Carolina. It will be a long time before many of their lives have some sense of home and regularity. Those are the examples I can think of at the moment.
Happy New Year, Commentariat! and Kristen!
The word for this year is ME.
Not in a selfish way. I need to focus on me. And my health. I need to put myself in the top five areas of my life. For the last 30 years, I have been somewhere around 12! Husband. Kids. Job. Home. Parents. Etc.
My health is the worst it has ever been. Small changes will go far.
Happy New Year!
@Stephanie, Go you!!! Feel better. Get stronger.
@Stephanie, I’m also working on making myself a priority. It’s surprising hard, especially when you are used to taking care of everyone else.
@Stephanie, you tock with the "me" priority. If nothing else, if you don't take care of yourself you can't help others, at least not as well.
If I may offer a suggestion: explicitly put yourself on your schedule. It could be putting a self care item on your to-do list, or blocking out time in your schedule, or whatever.
@Stephanie, yeppers, gotta put on your own oxygen mask before you are capable of helping others. Keep up those small changes until they are habits!
We had a difficult 2024, in many ways. War affecting our families, a frightening rise in antisemitism locally and worldwide; on the home front, a stressful year at work, a rough early pregnancy, and then miscarriage. There were good things--we finally held our wedding reception in July after a covid-elopement in 2020, we made new friends, our daughter continues to be everything to us--but I am happy to leave this year behind.
My goal this year is to enjoy the life I have as much as I can. Some of that is leaving behind what I might wish my life to be in favour of loving it as it is, right now. Some of that is deliberately carving out beautiful moments in the margins of the time I have.
Best wishes for 2025 to us all.
@Meira (meirathebear.wordpress.com), these are very wise words. As an older person, my life is certainly not how I envisioned it when I was 25. However, that doesn’t mean it hasn’t been a wonderful gift. Sometimes life takes you places you don’t expect.
@Meira (meirathebear.wordpress.com), you are remarkably resilient and positive in the face of seemingly endless hardships. Lots of admiration for you coming from Central California!
@Meira (meirathebear.wordpress.com), So very impressive, how you find the good in your life among the outsize difficulties you are facing. Inspiring.
No resolutions here, no hindsight report, but I am choosing a word this year: Resilience! I think we'll all need it.
2025 is the get out of debt year, we don't have much, but with uncertainty about the next 4 years, will feel good to not have that on our shoulders, although worried about the hit our credit score will take with a payoff because we still want to move out of state, but are waiting to see how things shake out as our current house is paid off, and we aren't looking for a huge mortgage or interest rate! Other goals are using what we have, not wasting food, and buying what we need on sale.
@Jen, paying off a debt doesn't affect your credit score. The biggest factors are what percentage of your available credit do you use (I hear 1/3 is a good amount but who knows really?) and how well you keep up with payments. And bankruptcy, of course, if you have one.
For getting out of debt and nitty gritty of saving even if you don't have much, I highly recommend Michelle Singletary of the Washington Post ... if you're looking for suggestions. It only is it her work, it is also her ministry in her church.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/people/michelle-singletary/
Good luck with your goal!
@WilliamB, Thanks! We just have one vehicle loan around 18k and a small amount we "borrowed" from the kids' savings in order to pay off our house a few years ago, so we are paying them a higher interest rate than they would be getting otherwise while paying a lower interest rate ourselves. They are a lot of years from needing the $, so it worked out well to get them more while helping ourselves out, too. I have it mapped out, so should be done by Nov of 2025 unless something big comes along like finding the perfect house!
I've never heard of/seen the word of the year generator. Mine was draw which I hope doesn't mean a firearm.
@A. Marie - I liked Molly Ivins - we lost her much too soon.
I will continue to work on challenging my anxiety and agoraphobia, and making myself, including my physical and mental health, a priority.
This summer, I’d like to finally get on a plane again. I’d really love to be able to travel again without the overwhelming panic.
@JenR, I'm with you on your first message; I'd also like to get some sort of relief on my anxiety; and my somewhat agoraphobia though I am able to leave the house for local errands in my neighbourhood. I would like to get back into looking after my physical health; I am in not great shape; I haven't worked out in a long while. My goal is to get back into exercising (gym) and going for walks. We all know that after exercising, one feels really good, those endorphins kick in. Here's to a great physical 2025!
AI says…
Historically, the New Year was celebrated on different dates across various cultures and time periods, with the most significant shift occurring when many Christian countries moved the New Year from January 1st (as established by the Roman Julian calendar) to either March 25th (the Feast of the Annunciation) or December 25th (Christmas) after the fall of the Roman Empire; however, Pope Gregory XIII officially restored January 1st as New Year's Day in 1582 with the introduction of the Gregorian calendar, which was later adopted by most European countries, including England in 1752.
lol, I would change resolutions like history changes time
Grateful & Proud 😉
This is teen Senior year & I was able to still very much be there for teen as have all life & school years & enjoyed our time together. Teen will have 1 full year & some college classes completed when graduate high school in 2025, which has always been the plan. So I will continue to get teen over the finish line & move towards education/career goal, which has changed from when in middle school.
It's kind of weird because this is my youngest & yet I worry more about teen than did other (older/adult) kids. Yet, teen has been the easiest & done great but I still have Mama Bear thoughts. But it goes without saying how extremely proud I am of teen.
Granted I will not be empty nester yet, as teen continues on in college yet it still feels different than other kids. I am so grateful & proud of being able to raise my kids & that they have done good for themselves, teen included.
My goal is to keep moving forward, one step at a time.
Happy New Year everyone.
@Regina, added levels of concern for anyone with a daughter or whose child(ren) are targets that is all too often under the guise of christianity. I read an article about Jimmy Carter whose remembered a snippet of a sermon he heard "if you were arrested for being a christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?"
Mama Bear thoughts never go away FYI. My kids are pushing 40.
To all here who who need a internet hug..
(((HUG)))
I see you and wish you a good 2026. May you find joy in the simple things as well as the big things.
My word is: Clarity.
My mantra is: It's ok to speak and live by MY truth.
It's ok to fight for me.
All my love to those struggling. May 2026 bring you peace.
@April,
2025!!!! Not 2026!
Man, I need some sleep! Lol.
@April, Maybe you were subconsciously thinking about sleeping through 2025...
No resolutions but a good look at activities I enjoy and don’t enjoy and I have devised a weekly schedule that makes me happy.I am retired and my husband sitll worksk aprt time.I need more socialization than he does, and I like having a coupoe of days a week out of the house.
Sooo..I have re commited to one day a week ,Tthursdays, at the COZY CRAFT studio, for a minimal monthly fee I get to bring all my scrapbooks,collage work,cards,whatever I want to work on, and have company of other women working on all kinds of things like quilting,sewing and papeer crafts.We bring lunch, there is a “break room” int he studio and refrig.Unlimited coffee and bottled water ar eincluded in monthyl studio fee.
Tuesdays are for Card playing with my neighbors.LOVE my hand and foot games..we take turns hosting and put out a nice lunch so 3 weeks I GET a gorgeous lunch and one week I make one! I like to cook. (AND eat..)
Writing one day a week at least: I have a “book of my heart’ I want to get down on paper (or into a computer file..) and I will meet with the Writing group that meets at a llocal coffee shop one evening a week to write together. Only cost is puchase of a cup of tea, and I MAY buy a cookie here and there!!!!!
So, a few regular activities, and then all my housework and cooking, which I enjoy.
My husband I decided to spend a little more on some travel this year, we are getting a bit older and its now or never.
I will continue with other good habits: Following the DASH/MEDITERRANEAN diet for my health, mild hiking, meditation and prayer.
HAPPY NEW YEAR! You have accomplished so very much and the BEST IS YET TO COME!!!!!!!!!!!
2024 was a whirlwind: we got married, we moved, I finished my yoga teacher training, lots of travel, several parents had health crises. I’m hoping for a peaceful and productive 2025.
Two of my goals/resolutions I’m keeping to myself, private from everyone but my husband & therapist. But the third is to make a big dent in paying off our mortgage! Frugal habits will be key.
I don't use January 1 as a place to set new goals because I have ongoing lists and goals throughout the year. However, in the spirit of today's post, I choose PERSIST. I will NOT become diabetic, I WILL get out of that stupid pre-diabetic category.
Maybe. . . been doing all I can and the stupid A1C went from 5.7 in July to 6.1 in December. . . ARRRGGHHH. . . moan and groan. . . BUT I WILL PERSIST!!
Gawl. Chill, Chicky-babe. Close the laptop and take a walk.
@Central Calif. Artist Jana, don't beat yourself up over it. my docs are happy for me to be under 7.
@Central Calif. Artist Jana, and some may just be genetic. My husband eats a far healthier diet than I do but my A1C and glucose level is way lower than his. AND.. he rescheduled his annual checkup until well after the holidays. Perhaps try some Ceylon Cinnamon capsules - we both take them plus husband watches his carbs (pasta and bread - what he was raised on). Can't hurt and it is OTC and not all that expensive.
@Central Calif. Artist Jana, I’m right there with you. This year I scored an all time high A1C of 6.3. For me, I think the hormones of perimenopause and stress drove the number up. It sometimes feels futile but I’m going to keep hacking away at it. I hope you will too. I’m rooting for you!
I have nothing but gratitude for 2024. In AA, we have a set of promises that come true "sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly" if I work for them. As I retired from a 35 year teaching career; celebrated 37 years of sobriety, a 23 year marriage, a son's graduation from college, and turned 60, I feel some many of those promises coming to fruition:
* I do not regret the past nor wish to shut the door on it.
* I comprehend the word serenity and know peace.
* I see that my painful experiences of the past including suicidal behavior, mental health issues including blackout rages, and PTSD from a chaotic childhood can now benefit others as I share my experience strength and hope.
* My feeling of uselessness and self-pity has most often disappeared.
* I think less of interest in selfish things and gain interest in those around me.
* Fear of people and of economic insecurity has almost entirely left me.
* On a daily basis, I intuitively know how to handle situations which used to baffle me
* Many moments in a day I realize that God is doing for me what I could not do for myself.
( paraphrased and personalized from pg 83 - 84 in Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous)
I continue with gratitude for this 4th quarter of my life and choose the word "grace" in 2025. The definition being: a short prayer of "thanks." I want every act of challenge, joy, service, betterment, and perseverance to be a short prayer of thanks for living a life I never thought possible back in a psych ward at 23 years of age.
Grace for all this year.
@Mary Ann,
Thank you for sharing your struggles. It is inspiring!
@Mary Ann, thank you for the quote "God is doing for me what I cannot do for myself. "
I will remember this quote.
@karen, Congratulations on your sobriety. My father was a member of AA for 55 years before his death. He was old school and didn't suffer fools gladly.
@auntiali,
Wow, 55 years is an amazing accomplishment.
I've heard people say having a goal of maintaining is bad. They push growth, growth, growth. But I disagree. I think maintaining is strengthening, stabilizing. Maintaining is not a bad goal at all.
Mine? A word? I don't know. I have so many folks' lives to balance. I guess I can go for something like compassion? kindness? think? I don't know.
I feel like I am already doing a lot, so to be able to just maintain that through the end of school feels like challenge enough!
@Kristen, And what good is doing/accomplishing something in the first place if you fail to maintain it?
@Jody S., I've heard it said that "growth for the sake of growth is the ideology of the cancer cell". So, maintaining is fine. It's the way we combat that second law of thermodynamics.
2024 - We drove to Ohio to see the total Eclipse. Traffic was thicker n pea soup but well worth the once in a lifetime event.
I stayed up all night for the second round of Northern Lights. Well worth it. It always amazes me what beautiful things Mother Nature has up her sleeve.
Kristen, I think you have simply *rocked* it this year! And I’m bookmarking this post to encourage someone I know who contemplates divorce but finds the prospect just too daunting. Despite your wishes that it could have turned out differently, you have thrown yourself into the circumstances you were dealt, and you have shown us that it is possible not just to survive, but to come through it thriving and stronger. May 2025 see you reach your present goals and get a start on the next ones!
When it comes to goals, mine for next year are simpler than ever before. While I get it that a “real” goal needs to be explicit and measurable, my attempts at that over recent years haven’t worked out all that well. Instead of a long list of things that I am absolutely going to do (!) in the next year, I have listed 4 areas of my life where I would like to change how I spend my time (Health, Head, Heart, and Home). My “goals” for the years are simply to move in each of those areas toward MORE of the things that I know would be good and LESS of the things that I know are not so good. Then, for each month of the year, I’ll have more specific objectives in those areas. We’ll see how it goes… At this point in my life I tend to think about things in terms of “when I get to the end of my life, will I wish I had done more of (——)?” More time on the internet?? I think not…
Aww, thank you! And I will be delighted if my story helps your friend.
My husband and I talked about our words recently, and we decided on a short phrase for our family: “small things often.”
This applies in terms of exercise (even a short walk daily is better than nothing), cleaning (bringing items that need to go to different floors every time we go up and down stairs instead of waiting until there is a cleaning time or a lot to bring), and even vacations (we are planning on doing one long weekend trip or day trips each month instead of big vacations).
Faith.
No resolutions. I think my word would be 'growth' mental physical and spiritual
Happy New Year, Hon!
You go, girl! So proud of you! In 365 more days, your 2025 post will be even MORE amazing when you look at how far you've come! Keep on keepin' on!
This coming year, I will fix up my house. So that I will not have any bad maintenance problems in the house as I age in place. Fix remaining damage caused by (former) Roommate from Hell and spruce up front yard.
I will look into getting a new roof --wish I could get a metal roof (but it may be too costly) and generator that would automatically switch on in case of power failure (ditto) and solar panels (ditto again). On the power failure generator, I'd just need something to run the fridge, freezer and air conditioning. I can do without lights and TV if necessary.
I already installed a natural gas space heater for one room, so that'd take care of sheltering in place during a bad winter storm. What I need is to figure out how to do AC even for one room, so that if the power grid fails in summer, I can shelter in place during a Texas heat wave (we're talking approx. 100 degrees F.)
Will increase my car payments and hopefully get that sucker paid off early -- in another 14 months.
@Fru-gal Lisa, you can purchase an electric start generator (we're going to switch from pull to electric) as well as have a separate "service" box installed. It is not enough to run the A/C which is no big deal. If it is that humid, we can go into the basement. But we cannot do without water - we have a well. So we have enough "juice" to run some lights, TV, frig, freezer, furnace (though we have a wood stove), my office. Our power does not go out enough (read: long enough) to really justify the whole house generator BUT once it is just me, I'll likely go that route. Close relatives of mine in the area have a whole house generator. Longest they'd have to run it is 18 hours.
Running an A/C unit for one room might be doable off a generator. Your challenge is finding an electrician who is honest. I suspect a honking powerful fan is doable off a generator however.
congratulations you made it through to the other side. and you manage to have time for us. and we are grateful for you and proud of you.
I am amazed at all you have accomplished! Go Kristen!
Thrive in 2025! That’s my goal. I intend to nurture relationships with positive people. The friends I currently spend time with are fairly negative, always looking on the dark side of things. I care about them but find being with them very draining. I love the quote,” The key is to only spend time with those who uplift you; whose presence calls forth your best”. That will certainly help me thrive!
I just looked up my word on a word generator, and it was "glide". Hmmm. Not sure about that.
2024 had lots of good and some bad....the good including 1) a summer weekend where my BFF visited, and we went to see Earth, Wind & Fire on Friday night, then went to my small towns first Pride Festival on Saturday, where I was a volunteer photographer - a perfect weekend, to be sure, full of music, love, and laughter; 2) my son's marching band - long story, but they came from behind to have an incredibly successful season, and he has found his people; 3) spending a girls weekend with same BFF at her house in Michigan. 4) a wonderful family vacation in Boston. The bad: DH needing shoulder surgery (he's doing well); a close friend of mine finding out she has cancer (chemo and surgery are behind her, but more chemo ahead of her), work changes that managed to make things worse - I didn't think it was possible, and just yesterday, finding out a close work friend's mom has stage 4 cancer. I won't even mention the US election, 'nuff said.
I don't make resolutions, but someone on a Facebook page I follow made a "bucket list" for her year, and for each month. I'm going to try it - including things like "get outside with my camera at least once a week" to photograph - hopefully - the birds I love; stop in at stores and businesses I've never ventured in to (there's a new Hispanic (Latin? Latino? Not sure of the correct description) grocery that opened near me about 6 months ago, for example); you get the idea. More like little "prompts" for each month.
Happy New Year to you, Kristen, and to the Commentariat!
@Liz B., check out the lyrics to The Kings Switchin' to Glide song (circa 1980, yes I am old).
Energy can be directed
I'm turning it up, I'm turning it down
Even love can be affected
Harmony's the sweetest sound
...
Everybody gets the no-no
Hear it ringing in they ears
Lots of ways that you can go, go
Look around no disappears
I can think of worse words.
I have two words. Live Life. I've been in remission from breast cancer for a little over a year now. It's been difficult putting my life back together. I've spent way too much time in doctor's offices, my apartment and my recliner. And, scrolling on FB! I'm healthy now. I can breathe again and move. It's time to LIVE LIFE!
My original word for 2025 was going to be "completion", as in completing all the 90% finished projects around the house. However, after using the word generator, I got the word "TUNE". I've been thinking about it all day. Tune in, be attune to who, what, where I am, and how I'm feeling ! Bring in tune with others and realizing when others are not in tune with who I am. I always pick a song to act as my Mantra for the year. As I was driving home for work today, not having picked a song yet, I heard "Day by Day", by Doug and the Slugs (1984). I really listened to the lyrics, and thought, that's my song! I don't make resolutions, just guidelines for my year. I'm still working on those. 🙂 May you, Kristen and dear readers have a safe, and healthy 2025.
My word is declutter.
Declutter my home, my head, my body and anything that I have no control over.
And girls just wanna have fun. Try to have as much fun as I can and travel with both my husband and on my own.
My word is Notice. I want to really notice and pay attention to people, my surroundings, and events around me.
Lol. I went to the word site generator and the word that I got was 'regenerate', but I read it as 'degenerate' and I thought "What the heck?!" I am still laughing.
2024 was okay, it had its ups and downs but no more than manageable. I have been following Kristen since the girls were tiny and even though I am not by any means a frequent commenter I feel like I know people who comment frequently. I like to come read all the comments and see the various perspectives on different aspects of life and how people handle things. It's a good way to see if an alternative solution might fit my life.
I am wishing all of the commentariat a happy, healthy and prosperous 2025.
The year after my twins were born, my word was consolidate. Boring but necessary, so I say MAINTAIN is a good word for this season of your life!
Happy New Year!
Peace. Amen.
About a word for a year: just reading your post about your 2024, seems like freedom/hope are a recurring themes on several different fronts for you in 2024.
I set goals in my birth month. I love lists.
A couple are health related and I am keeping to myself. Read 25 books ( not practical books.) 7/25
Reduce my personal wardrobe by 25%.
Save and go on 2 vacations this year. 1 is planned and partially booked and
List 25 things on Ebay.
Improve Emergency fund by 2 months pay.
Save for 500 Christmas 2025.
Maintain is a great word for your year! It speaks to the fact that you have continued to build a beautiful life for yourself (and bring us along for the ride 😉 ). So while it might seem a little ho-hum at first glance, it's truly not!
I think I'll pick the word resilient for my new year, and continue to remind myself that the obstacle is the way. Happy New Year, everyone!
I have lived by default for many years. So my 2025 word is curated! I even like the way it sounds.
Wow, you are in the home stretch of nursing school! You probably alternate between a little bit of senioritis and excitement because you are so close to being done. I'm thrilled you are going to pursue a BSN, and perhaps you will feel motivated to go beyond that, too. I predict you might proceed to nurse practitioner. You would be awesome in that role (but don't think about it too hard right now!).
Happy New Year!
I have a phrase for 2025: "Clean it up, clear it out". Gonna work to apply that to all aspects of my life. It will be a challenge, that's for sure!
Hi Kristen, what is the different between a BSN and a nursing programme? I'm not from the USA so this always confuses me!
Sounds like a great word and very worthy goals! Maybe consistency goes along side that too. Happy new year!
Happy New Year! And congratulations on your new financial freedom. That's got to be huge! So happy for you and for your future.