Have you ever felt like a certain year passed by in a blur, leaving you wondering if you truly lived in the moments that mattered? If so, why can’t you pinpoint a single precious memory you’d want to treasure forever?
Hello Ladies, I’m Mide, new and excited to be here. This is my entry for LOH 215
A picture of myself taken with my iPhone 7
At the start of this year, I created a vision board. I set realistic goals but attached fairytale expectations to them. Let me explain.
My vision board included goals like graduating from the university, advancing my voiceover career, healing emotionally, exploring more feminine ways of dressing, caring for my skin, hair, and body, and upgrading my phone. But here’s the catch, I didn’t actively work toward achieving most of these goals. Instead, life, with its unpredictable twists and turns, took over and handed me situations that ticked off some of those goals in ways I hadn’t planned or imagined.
For instance, graduating from university was inevitable, so CHECK, but without the dreamy fairytale moment I might have envisioned. Emotional healing? That happened too, but not through the methods I’d expected, like yoga or self-help books. Instead, life put me in situations that forced me to see the truth, let go of a toxic relationship, and walk away for good. It was tough, but it happened. Another CHECK, but again, not the way I imagined. When it came to dressing more femininely, I didn’t go on a shopping spree or draft the perfect wardrobe transformation. Instead, a new job demanded a shift in my self-presentation, and that naturally checked this goal off my list. Yet, part of me longed for a deliberate, self-driven makeover, not one born out of necessity.
In hindsight, I realized that while things on my vision board were being accomplished, the methods felt out of my control, leaving me unsatisfied. I had shut down emotionally so many times this year, not because I wasn’t achieving my goals, but because I had been chasing fairytales in a world that operates realistically.
A photo of my 2024 vision board, designed by me using Canva. The images featured on the board were sourced from Pinterest.
THE LESSON LEARNED...
Looking back, I now understand that life doesn’t always deliver our dreams wrapped in the sparkly packages we expect. Yes, fairytales happen, but they’re rare, and their magic lies in their unpredictability. I missed out on joy because I was too focused on how I wanted things to happen, rather than appreciating the unique paths life created for me.
WHAT I'M PRIORITIZING IN 2025
As I step into 2025, I’m treating the year as a blank canvas, ready to paint with the hues life hands me. My priority will be on flexibility, not just in setting goals but also in managing expectations. This doesn’t mean I won’t make plans. I will. But I’ll approach them with an open mind, embracing life’s surprises, plot twists, and even its quirky sense of humor. I’ll write my goals, make my plans, and listen closely for the universe’s whispers of “yes” and “no.”
Gone are the days of chasing fairytales. Instead, I’ll watch like an amused spectator, allowing life to unveil its unique methods for achieving my dreams.
A PROMISE TO MYSELF
In 2025, I’m choosing to trust that the universe is always happening for me, not to me. By letting go of rigid expectations and embracing the process, I hope to find joy in every step, no matter how unexpected or unconventional it may be.
Here’s to a 2025 of flexibility, growth, and appreciating the journey just as much as the destination.