Before the Clock Strikes 12: What I’m Taking Into the New Year (and Leaving Behind)
Before the Clock Strikes 12: What I’m Taking Into the New Year (and Leaving Behind)
A New Year’s Eve reflection on health, money, parenting, and self-talk
🎇 The Noise Outside, The Silence Inside
Tonight, the world counts down.
Fireworks, parties, resolutions shouted into the air.
But inside, I’ve learned that New Year’s Eve isn’t about louder promises.
It’s about quieter choices.
Not “New Year, New Me.”
But “New Year, Kinder Me.”
💡 What I’m Choosing to Carry Forward
From Healthcare: Annual checkups, not annual scares. Prevention over panic.
From Parenting: Presence over perfection. My kids don’t need a flawless parent, just a human one.
From Finance: Clarity over comparison. Money as a tool, not a trophy.
From Self-Talk: Compassion over criticism. No more negotiating with my inner critic.
From Social Impact: Service without selfies. Work that lives in lives, not just on walls.
🧠 What I’m Choosing to Leave Behind
The guilt of resting.
The pressure to please everyone.
The fear of missing out.
The idea that my worth = my work.
Because the clock striking 12 won’t change me.
But choosing to let go—that will.
🌱 A Simple Ritual for Tonight
Instead of a long list of resolutions, I’m writing down just one sentence:
👉 “This year, I choose to be present, not perfect.”
That sentence sits on my desk. That’s my anchor for 2026.
❤️ The Real Countdown
As midnight approaches, I’ll hug my family a little tighter.
I’ll whisper gratitude for the year that tested and taught me.
And I’ll step into the new year not chasing a “new me,” but honoring the person I already am—still growing, still learning, still human.
✅ What Next?
Before the clock strikes 12, take a moment.
Ask yourself: What will I carry forward? What will I leave behind?
That choice—not fireworks—will shape your year.
💬 What’s one thing you’re leaving behind in 2025? And one thing you’re carrying into 2026?
Drop it in the comments—it might inspire someone else’s midnight choice.
💡 Enjoyed this post? You might also like:
👉 The Gift of Presence: Why Being There Matters More Than What You Bring
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Hii,
ReplyDeleteRutwik here,
When I look back at 2025,
- I see my parents recovering from excruciating pain of accident and me getting a chance to serve them.
- I see fat me unable to run a single km running my first half marathon.
- I see me struggling from migrain but no issues for last 9 months.
- I see 2025 as the year of choosing me against externally imposed priorities.
- 2026 is doubling down on the journey I started.
- Finishing 33 audiobooks.
When I look back to 2025, I still feel I wasted a lot of my time.
And thats what I am going to do.
I am stronger and ready to take on the challenge.
I now understand that I dont want my god to move the mountains for me. I want my god to be my side when I build my strength to conquer those mountains.