If there’s ever an award for “best in shifting goals,” I wouldn’t even have competition. I can’t even lie, I do this a lot. The moment I realize a goal has stretched past its timeline and is still unachieved, I just decide, you know what? Let’s do this again next week, next month, or even next year. I know that isn’t the “ideal” approach, but boy, I love fresh starts. That’s probably why I get this weird, overwhelming excitement whenever something’s about to end. Especially when a year is ending, I’m usually the happiest person alive. It’s a chance to start again, finally tackle the goals and plans that have been quietly gathering dust in my journal for months, even years.
This year honestly went by fast. At first, it felt slow and satisfying because I thought I had enough time. I remember thinking, “Oh, there’s plenty of room to handle everything.” And then, bam!, November is staring me in the face, and the year is almost gone. At least I’ve learned never to assume I have unlimited time. A lot of new resolutions will have to wait until next year. Maybe not all of them, but the ones I was really excited about, yeah, they’re moving over.
Earlier this year, I made a promise to myself to visit more relatives in other parts of the country. It felt like a big deal because I’ve never been much of a visiting person, and I really wanted to change that. I loved the idea of seeing new places, experiencing different environments, and just breaking the usual routine. So it was like, I wanted to kill two birds with one stone. But, as life does, it kept getting busier, schedules got tighter, and every time I tried to commit, I ended up saying, “As soon as this settles.” Only, it never actually settles. One drama ends, another begins. By the time I realize, I haven’t done the thing I was excited about at all.
Despite all that, my 2025 experience in the past 10 months has been pretty good. Unexpected goals were achieved. Unexpectedly good things happened. Even though some days felt like I was doing everything at once and barely moving forward, I still scratched the surface in meaningful ways. Some days I had more energy than I knew what to do with, and other days I barely wanted to get out of bed. But that’s life, right? I’m grateful for the little lessons, and the moments I did things that brought me closer to my dream version of myself.
Now, as the year rounds off, I have a few goals I’m this close to achieving. I know I still have time to finish them before I pack up for 2025. The ones halfway done or even untouched? I’m unapologetically carrying them over into next year. No pressure. Whatever happens, life doesn’t stop, and there’s always another chance. What’s beautiful is learning to manage the things that slowed me down and figuring out how to channel that energy into the next year.
So yes, I shift goals when it's obvious it's the only option I have. I love fresh starts more than I probably should. But I’ve realized there's no point beating myself up about it. Things will not always go as planned. Life is probably going to be tougher the next year, as nobody knows what's coming. But, I'd love to very positive about life subsequently. Hopefully, I will do all the things I've always wanted in the amidst of whatever chaos might come.
Images are mine
