New Year, New Feelings: Embracing the Emotional Tide
As we step into 2025, I want to take a moment to reflect on the range of emotions that come with leaving one year behind and entering another. Not everyone welcomes this transition. For some, the passage of time feels heavy, especially when you're grieving. It’s that strange phenomenon where you resist time moving forward because every new season cements the reality that your loved one is no longer here. Each change feels like a painful reminder of what’s been lost.
Then there’s the other side—a desperate wish to leave a tough year behind. When the days have felt impossibly long and challenging, a new year can offer a clean slate, a chance to start again. Interestingly, I often experience this feeling in September, perhaps a carryover from school days when the academic year began.
These emotions ebb and flow, shifting with life’s circumstances. I’ve had my share of both—moments when I wanted time to stand still and others when I couldn’t wait to move forward.
For me, 2024 felt like a turning point—a year of self-development, where I started to truly listen to myself. Maybe you’ve had a year like that too, where you began to realise your own strengths or faced moments that taught you how to set boundaries. It’s not always easy, but every step counts.
As I approach a milestone birthday, I’m finding this passage of time oddly liberating. Reflecting on where I’ve been and where I am now, I see a major shift. In the past, I was a hardened people-pleaser, often prioritising others’ needs at the expense of my own. But 2024 taught me something valuable: I don’t have time to indulge in situations that drain me or distract me from the path I want to follow.
Whether you’re grieving, navigating big changes, or simply feeling reflective, the new year brings a unique blend of emotions. And that’s okay. There’s no ‘right’ way to feel about this time of year—it’s as individual as each of us.
This year has also brought the launch of The Flying Fish Company, a project that’s pushed me far out of my comfort zone. Recording podcasts, delivering workplace grief courses, and stepping into the spotlight on social media have been challenging but deeply rewarding. After such a tough few decades, it finally feels like the tide is turning.
Looking ahead, I’m filled with anticipation for 2025 and all it promises—my "big birthday" included. As I reflect on my growth, I encourage you to think about the moments that shaped your year—both the challenges and the victories. What have you learned about yourself?
Whatever this year may bring, I’m ready to embrace it. I hope you are too and if you’re not that’s OK too, sometimes just surviving seems enough.
