It’s been quite some time since I last wrote a real retrospective entry. I hardly even post here. I actually missed blogging. So, now that I'm here, let’s just do this, shall we?
My word for the year 2025 was Authenticity. When I selected that word, it came with this: “May there be room for you to be present to life in a way that allows you to breathe more freely…beyond the confines of who you thought you had to be.”
I honestly didn’t know at that time what the passage meant. The word authenticity just really resonated when I saw it among the other words.
Now, looking back at this year, I think I get it.
At work, I started the year on a high note, receiving a top trainer award for our cluster, then my manager encouraged me to step up by taking a certification course and a mentorship seminar, both of which got pushed back indefinitely.
When it came to the whole work situation, I was encouraged to step up because at that time, I already put in 2 years in the company. For most people, they expect more from you by then. I can be the most blunt person when it comes to work. When people would always ask if I plan to get promoted, I would say a very direct no. A lot of folks always wonder why I never wanted a higher position, but I would always say that promotion and a higher pay is not my definition of success.
That is where I’ve always been authentic. I know for sure that if there is a task or job that is not aligned with my strengths, I wouldn’t enjoy doing or even learning it, even to the point of not wanting to come to work. I know there were some coworkers who get bored teaching the same things week after week, but I feel differently. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not that I just enjoy the mere monotony or enjoy the same routine over and over. What I really do enjoy about it is that the more I do it, the more I get to know myself and my style and how to evolve it. I get to be creative with my facilitation style (within reason).
Authenticity at work is not about settling, but all about being happy at what I do, and still have the luxury of time to enjoy life outside work.
In dance, I was feeling pretty optimistic at the beginning of the year that I could do better in competitions, as our highest ranking the year before was a nice, clean second place. My coach and some of my teammates noticed the progress, and know I can do better. The downside of it all was that my dance partner was missing in action for almost the entire year. He did turn up a couple of times, only to explain vaguely that he had to settle a few personal issues, but other than that, he was a no-show. I then became content with just taking classes, and even taking in a few one-on-one sessions with our coach.
As the months flew by without even practice sessions with my dance partner, I knew I wouldn’t be joining any competitions for the year 2025. There were a few offers to pair up with some of the other gents in our team, and I knew I could have better chances in competition by dancing with them, but I knew that I could fare better if we had practiced earlier in the year, so I just had to decline.
Authenticity with my passions is not about quitting, it’s about knowing my abilities, but also knowing not just limits, but timeframes.
Sometime in May this year, I cracked open a fortune cookie, and the fortune inside mentioned something about welcoming a new relationship. I laughed this off, as I have been single for over a decade, and I was actually feeling content with my single life lately.
Then when the first half of the year was about to end, someone from the past sent me a message, and after a few exchanges, we started reconnecting again. I have to admit, I still have trust issues, especially with the history between us, but I guess this is what second chances are all about, right?
So this second half of the year was spent just getting to know each other again, because it’s been 20 years since we actually last saw each other in person. It was back to square one, still taking it slow. Some of the few select people who are in the know also ask why things are going this slow and low-key, but I don’t mind this setup one bit. I like this kind of pace for our own separate reasons, my own being the fact that I still enjoy my quiet moments alone, still being independent.
Authenticity in terms of relationships is not about having a specific deadline, not conforming to what others feel a relationship should be, but keeping things at your own pace, no matter how long you stay in the status quo.
I have yet to decide on my word for the year 2026. I have narrowed it down to three different words that have all resonated, but I’ll sleep on it, and finally decide before the new year hits.
Just adding another goofy image taken by my brother during our Baguio trip to show my crazy yet authentic self.
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