Each year I like to take time to reflect on the past year and think about the upcoming new year. I pick a word of the year to help me stay focused on one goal. This past year my word was self. Starting to teach again while having a family was hard. I found there wasn't enough time for everything I needed or wanted to do. Some of my past words include transform, positivity, connect, inspire, and flourish. This year I am struggling to pick one.
Self was perfect for 2024. I needed to focus on prioritizing myself and my health. Although it was hard with a teenage daughter, I was able to truly get what I needed. I focused on going to bed earlier, eating healthier and finding some me time. 2024 brought all sorts of changes. Hazel decided to switch high schools. We struggled with figuring out how to pay for her new specialized theater school. She made the decision after the appropriate time for me to look for a new teaching job where I could make more money. Then there was the election. Back in 2022 we saw the hard work of the women before us overturned. We continue to hear about women dying because they cannot get the healthcare, they need due to the abortion bans in some states as well as doctors having legal issues for performing the necessary procedures to save the mother's life.
The election scared me. I was hopeful but worried. Personally, I have never liked Trump as a person and cannot understand after January 6th, anyone wanting him back in the White House. I don't understand why any woman would vote for a man who has been accused many times of sexual assault or who talks about women the way he has publicly. I teach many transgender and LGBTQ+ kids and the tone at school, besides the small group of young men who love Trump, is very somber. Everyone is worried about what will happen with equal rights.
I also teach a consumer math class and have been following the economic predictions. People voted for Trump for the deportation of immigrants when most of our families are immigrants to this land. We had open borders until the 1920s so many of our families did not go through what people do today to come to America. I will admit I have mixed feelings about illegal immigrants and feel like I truly do not know enough. I know the strain that is going on the taxpayers and do not feel like that is right either. However, many of the jobs taken by the illegal immigrants are ones that legal citizens do not want. People also voted for Trump because he promised to lower the prices of things, yet he is talking about tariffs. If you do some research on tariffs, you will see that they are generally considered a horrible idea because they ruin economies for both sides. They also increase the prices and do not lower them. Most expert economists have predicted the economy being much worse under Trump than it would have been under Harris. We will see.
So as I consider what my word for 2025 will be I think of all these things. I have thought of words like hope and tranquility to try to keep my year positive. Then there are words like fight and strength and resilience since I feel like I might need these things. Then there are words like curious and observe since I feel like these are words that keep popping into my head over what I will do as Trump takes office. In fact I went over to The Goal Chaser's site and checked out the 300+ words of the year with their meanings. Here are a few of the words that hit a chord with me.
The one that keeps popping in my head however is hope. I want to have hope for this year to come. I hope it will not be as horrible as I feel as it may. I hope we will not ruin our economy more than it already is. I hope women will regain their rights to healthcare. (If it was about the babies, there would be more support for foster care and other programs.) I never would want an abortion but also know women who had one due to complications where the baby was not viable, and the woman's life was on the line. Let's face it when a woman has carried the baby for seven or more months they are committed. They are not choosing to end the baby's life. It is a devastating time for the woman and her family and now some state governments are involved in making a private decision that should be between the woman, her doctor, and her family. It certainly should not involve the politicians or for that matter her neighbors who vote whether to allow much needed medical procedures. I hope there will not be more needless deaths due to Roe vs. Wade being overturned. I hope there will be no more school shootings. I hope the government won't do crazy things since it will be under the control of one party (all three branches so there are not checks and balances). I hope President Trump does not begin World War III. (I worried about this during his last presidency so hopefully it doesn't happen this time either.) I hope I can continue my life peacefully, but I also know I am ready to fight for my rights, my daughter's rights and the women who need others to stand up for them.
Once I decide on a word I make or buy some visuals of it. I did a few on Canva. I also love checking out Inspirivity. She does beautiful artwork featuring some single words (often people's choices for words of the year).
What are you hopeful for in 2025?
What brings you hope?
What is your word for 2025? Happy New Year!!
