This post was originally written on December 28th of 2025.
Three days left in 2025.
At this time of the year, like many people, I begin to reflect on the past year and plan for the next. For me, this period lasts from just before the modern New Year until the beginning of the Heian New Year. And my birthday is in the dead center of that 35-40ish days. Birthdays being another time for reflection.
Before the modern New Year I set my words for the coming year. These are up to three words that I want to focus on. This time I have three, and I believe they all support one another.
Balance – I seek balance in all things. This is my forever word. Every year for the past at least 6 I have had this as my word. I’m sure it’s been much longer than that. This is mostly for mental balance, everything else is secondary. My meds are going to need to be altered soon as one is blowing up my cholesterol. Maintaining balance through that process is going to be difficult. Outside of my mental health, time is the thing that is at the heart of where I need to find balance. Whether it’s my production calendar, work/life balance, volunteering or just time management in general, I have room for improvement.
Improvement – This word I pulled from a conversation with my partner in art, Jan. There are so many things I want to work to improve this year. I want to improve my physical health, martial arts training, volunteer work, and poetry as well as being a better partner. It will require proper balance and great time management to make these happen. But none of it will happen if I’m not compassionate with myself.
Compassion – I care deeply for others and in the past have sacrificed more of myself than is healthy in the pursuit of helping someone else. I need to show the same care for myself as I do for my friends and family. This is especially important when I make a mistake or outright fail at something.
Reading back through my bullet journal I stopped for a while on my affirmations page. One stuck out a little more than the rest: sometimes you win, sometimes you learn. (It’s the title of a leadership and self help book written by John C. Maxwell.) I’m going to hold on to that as tightly as I can this coming year, and I’m going to seriously consider picking up a copy of that book.
I allow myself the month between New Year days to refine and adjust. Around my birthday I set my priorities for the year. This coming year, most of that is covered in the 3 words. Things that will take my attention are self improvement, my partner, my job, the Genji Project, my family, and my Seneschal/SCA volunteer work.
