New Year Reflections: Goals, Gratitude, and the Work Behind the “Luck”

I love the New Year. For me, it’s a time to sit quietly and review all the goals I set for the past year. I love celebrating the ones I made come true—and I’ve learned to be at peace with the ones I didn’t accomplish. That’s okay too. Growth doesn’t always look perfect. Every year, I also keep a jar filled with good, unexpected moments—small blessings, happy surprises, things that made me smile. When the year ends, I look back and thank God and the universe for every single one of those moments. I’ll be honest: when I accomplish a goal, it’s not because it magically happens. I’m not Be Witch who can twitch her nose and make things fall into place—unfortunately, that’s not my reality. I put my energy into my goals. I show up. I walk the walk, not just talk the talk. I have friends who say, “You’re so lucky—everything always works out for you.” What they don’t see is the work happening behind the scenes. I am grateful for the opportunities that have helped shape where I am today, but I also know I earned them. And I am deeply thankful to have a supportive partner—my husband—who stands by me and helps me along the way. That support alone is a huge blessing. I set goals for every part of my life: my personal growth, my hobbies, and yes—even my work. I truly believe you are never too old to learn. When I write my goals, I also understand that life sometimes has its own plans. Things happen that we never wrote down. When I reach a crossroads, I’ll make my decision then. For now, I choose to focus on what I want to create. I recently asked a friend if she sets goals for the year. She said no—and she was surprised that I do. I’ve been setting goals since I was 18 years old. I’ve always been a dreamer. To me, goals are a path I create so I can walk calmly, while letting the universe do its part. This year, one of my goals was to become a blogger. The idea came from a movie, and at first, I had no idea where to begin. I watched countless YouTube videos, tried asking my sisters, nieces, and family—but no one around me blogs. So I researched, learned, and kept going. Now, here I am—walking into something new, without a clear picture yet, but trusting that if I continue writing, I will eventually see the fruits of my effort. The New Year is also exciting because I don’t know what life will bring. I plan, yes—but life always has its own rhythm. Still, I remain hopeful. I hope the universe will open doors to new opportunities, so I can keep creating meaningful stories. Because life itself is a story—one we write through our decisions and choices. I hope this year brings you many good things. Thank you for stopping by and being part of my journey.