My 2025 INS & OUTS

Honestly, 2024 was one of the worst years for me yet. It can go in the trash. I spent half of the year trying to fight against my body,while it slowly shut down on me due to IIH, and I spent the other half just giving into the illness altogether. Although it was one of the hardest years yet, it was also the most eye-opening and transformative. I don't typically believe in the "new year, new me" bullshit that mainstream media wants us to buy into. I believe people can change, I just don’t believe that “new years resolutions” ever pan out well. However, this year I feel like I hit a reset button after having brain surgery and I finally have hope of getting back to a version of myself I actually recognize.

I love the idea of having “ins and outs” for the new year. Our thoughts and feelings create our realities and what we choose to focus on is what we will attract. I want to spend the next year challenging myself to focus on the INS while letting go of the OUTS.

Outs: Stressing over things I cannot control

-Self-doubt that has been holding me back

-People and things that don’t service me and perpetuate my self-doubt

-Letting negative people affect my energy

-Giving time and energy to people who don’t give it back to me.

-People-pleasing and letting others walk all over me (being “too nice”).

-Making excuses and procrastination

-Drinking/eating junk

Ins:

-Living in the present moment

-Giving myself grace

-Setting better boundaries and saying “no” more often

-Focusing on improving my physical health and working towards remission

-Get involved in more volunteering opportunities and advocacy for civil rights

-Believing I am capable enough

-Spending more time with my siblings

-Putting more time into my hobbies and learning new ones

-Make a new friend from my community

-Making memories with my little family

-Continue growing and learning in my career and grad school