2025 Year-End Note
Before the calendar flips to 2026, I want to offer you something simple: a moment to breathe, reflect, and recognize what you made it through this year.
For many people I get to meet—especially those in high-stress roles—2025 wasn’t just “busy.” It was heavy. It was responsibility. It was showing up when you were tired. It was caring for others while trying not to run on empty.
So, first things first:
You did more than you think you did
If no one has told you lately—thank you for how you showed up.
You may not feel like you “crushed it.” You may feel like you simply survived. But survival counts. Keeping your character counts. Choosing to come back the next day counts.
And that leads into the one practice that can quietly change the way you enter a new year:
Gratitude isn’t denial—it’s direction
Gratitude doesn’t pretend things were perfect. It just refuses to let the hard parts be the only parts.
Here’s a quick year-end exercise you can do in two minutes:
Write down 3 things from 2025 that were good and true.
A person who stood by you
A moment that reminded you what matters
A win (even a small one) you rarely give yourself credit for
No speeches. No pressure. Just clarity.
The “Norman” idea to carry into 2026
In my book, Find Your Beat: Walk in the Rhythm of Life, there’s a story I call “Be the Norman.” It’s about those people who show up at just the right time—sometimes quietly, sometimes unexpectedly—and help you find your footing again.
As you head into 2026, here are two questions that matter:
1) Who was a “Norman” for you in 2025?
Someone who helped you, encouraged you, believed in you, or steadied you.
2) Who might need you to be “Norman” in 2026?
Not with a grand gesture—just with presence, kindness, and follow-through.
If you want to do something meaningful before the year ends, do this:
Send one message today:
“Hey—I just want you to know I’m grateful for you. You mattered to me this year.”
That’s it. That message has more power than we think.
A cleaner way to step into 2026
If you’re setting goals, here’s a better starting point than “do more”:
Keep
What helped you stay in rhythm this year?
(A habit, a relationship, a routine, a faith practice, a walk, a boundary, a morning coffee in silence—anything.)
Drop
What pulled you off-beat?
(Too much noise, too much scrolling, too many yeses, too little rest—your “static.”)
Choose
What’s one deliberate choice you’ll make early in 2026?
Not a resolution. A decision.
One small challenge (because small is sustainable)
As you enter 2026, try this for one week:
Start each day with one gratitude
End each day with one name (someone you encouraged, checked on, or appreciated)
That’s how rhythm returns—one beat at a time.
