As the calendar turns into a fresh year, it’s natural to reflect on the months gone by. For many, the past year might not have unfolded as expected. Plans may have faltered, dreams may have been delayed, and challenges may have cast their shadow. Yet, even amidst the uncertainties and disappointments, there is a profound benefit in choosing gratitude; a choice that shifts our perspective and prepares us to embrace the new year with hope and resilience.

Psychological studies have shown that gratitude enhances mental health; it reduces stress, increases happiness, and strengthens relationships. It encourages a positive outlook and promotes empathy and social bonding. Expressing gratitude can be as simple as saying thank you, or reflecting on daily blessings.

Gratitude is not about pretending that everything went perfectly, but, about acknowledging the beauty and the excitement that came from the moments that did work. As well as the lessons learned in times of difficulty and the growth that comes with them.

Perhaps your career didn’t advance as you had hoped, but you forged meaningful connections and built new professional network. Maybe a personal goal wasn’t achieved, but the effort brought you closer to discovering your strengths. Life’s detours, though unplanned, often lead us to vistas we might never have explored otherwise.

One of my goals for the year 2024 was to travel more and visit new places for the fun of it. However, that goal seems to have entered a leaky basket, as the only travel I made in the year was work-related 😅. But thankfully, it was to a country I had not visited before. I visited “the land of a thousand hills”, Rwanda 😊. So, my travel goal didn’t entirely disappear into the thin air. It came in a manner different from my projection. I travelled to a new country, worked and had fun at the same time. I made new friends and unexpectedly ran into an old friend 😀. This trip interestingly coincides with the 30^th anniversary of the Genocide memorial, so I visited the Kigali Genocide memorial and it was a mixed feeling for me. I am thankful I was able to convince my new Rwandese friend and colleague to make the trip to the memorial with me. She had never summoned the courage to be there, and she almost bailed out at the last minute. Thankfully, she didn’t, and the trip was remarkable for her. She was able to face her demons and had closure to the trauma from the war.

When we pause to reflect and to give thanks, we honour not just the grand milestones but the seemingly ordinary blessings that sustain us, such as the kindness of a friend, the comfort of a safe home, and the ability to rise each day and try again. Gratitude reminds us that even in imperfection, there is abundance. It teaches us to focus not on what was lost or delayed but on the gifts we have received, sometimes in unexpected forms.

As this new year begins, let us all embrace gratitude as our guiding light. Let us allow it to illuminate the path ahead, instilling in us the courage to dream again and the grace to accept whatever comes our way. Let us be thankful for the strength we discovered in those difficult moments, the love we felt in shared moments, and the opportunities that lie before us, waiting to unfold.

In every sunrise, there is a new beginning.

In every breath, a reason to be thankful.

Let this year 2025 start not with regret for what didn’t work but with gratitude for what did.

For in gratitude, we align with a mindset of abundance rather than scarcity, creating a ripple effect of positivity that benefits both ourselves and those around us.

In gratitude, we find peace, contentment, purpose, growth, and the unshakable hope that the best is yet to come.

Cheers 🥂 to an amazing and blessed year 2025 as it gradually unfolds with tons of remarkable feats 😊

 

Mary A.  Adepoju