Keep going, the theme of 25
We didn’t think we’d make it, past 25, let alone to 2025.

Keep going.

A Goal is nothing without a plan.
2024 was spent planning,
2023 was spent learning,
2025 is filled with goals

Goal 25,
Be around more people.
Goal 24,
Advocate for me more.
Goal 23,
Make more memories.
Goal 22,
Learn freedom without a car.
Goal 21,
Finish my book.
Goal 20,
Make amends.

Keep going.
Goal Post 25.

But remember,
Life is the journey, not the destination.
Allow the goalpost to change and give yourself grace in the face of it all.

Goal Post 25

I don’t have to be anyone but myself.
This year, I am reassessing my goals and balancing ambition with rest.
I will look into the mirror, meet my own eyes with grace, and declare, “I am enough.”
In 2025, I will walk boldly, my hands open to possibility, spreading seeds of love wherever I’m planted.
Friendships will bloom like wildflowers, beautiful and unexpected.
I will chase justice with steady feet.
Though I am among many, I will be a beacon, a lighthouse in a storm, lighting the way for others to feel seen, to feel safe.
I will live fearlessly, propelling forward with purpose, even when the ground shifts beneath me, even when I am unsure of my next step.
I will change my mindset, shifting from fear to freedom.
I will choose myself as an act of healing, a soft rebellion against the urge to shrink.
This year, I will be safe and comfortable in my own company, without judgment, without apology.
At the end of every day, I will ask only, “Do I approve of me?”
2025 will not be perfect, but it will be rooted, honest, abundant.
This year, I am becoming my favorite self—whole, fearless, healed—a life in bloom, rooted in acceptance.

Make reservations for a weeknight,
at the new restaurant in the next town over,
where they serve drinks in silly plastic bath tubs
with rubber ducks floating on curaçao-blue bath water
and the smoke from searing cuts of steak
perfumes the couples in corner booths:
L’eau de garlic.

Call in sick when the sun rises,
and I’ve not gone to bed,
kept awake through the witching hours by
the tale of a land where there are still dragons
and a knight who falls for the lady
with a skilled sword hand and
a sharp tongue.

Turn off my cell phone and
spend twenty unmoving minutes
in front a pond that Monet painted
until my eye lose focus
and the light tricks them into seeing
ripples move around the waterlilies.

Lay on the rocks that line the water’s edge
where the sound of the waves rises and falls
like breathing,
while the sun warms my back
as if I were a lounging lizard,
rather than a woman
with responsibilities.

Why does every new year
come with the pressure
to reinvent myself
through resolutions?

What if my only goal this year
is to be authentically me?
Or what if it is to laugh
until my sides hurt?
Or to stop and notice
the little things that bring joy?

What if I don’t become
someone else this year
and just enjoy the beauty
of all that I already am?
What if I don’t give in
to the pressure?

Adulting
Last year was here to support me,
This year is here to let me go.
Last year came with unimaginable pain,
This year approaches me with surprises and rewards.
Between I want to stay, but I know I better leave.
‘You’re a quarter, 25!’ they say, but forgotten by twenty-six.
‘As this year goes by its going to be exciting!’ but nothing is ever going to be the same.
Nobody said mourning the past was going to feel so weird, but
eager for what’s to come this year.
100% done on the original goal I’ve had for years.
Graduating in May,
Becoming an aunty by August,
Having the honor to say, ‘I got accepted to universities!’ and wondering which one I’ll choose.
Slowly maturing and leaving the nest.
Adulting before my very own eyes.
Perhaps a bottle of Wine & Moscato instead of Tequila this year.

In the dawn of a new year’s light,
I set my sights, my heart takes flight.
With resolutions bright and bold,
Three goals unfold, like stories told.

First, to shed the weight I bear,
To dance with ease, to breathe fresh air.
A journey paved with low-cal meals,
And every step, the joy reveals.

Next, a book where laughter flows,
A collection of columns, where humor grows.
Each word a spark, each line a cheer,
Sharing my wit, bringing joy near.

Last, a moment for prayer each day,
In quietude, I’ll find my way.
To nurture the soul, in peace I’ll dwell,
In gratitude, my heart will swell.

So here’s to goals, both big and small,
To rise with purpose, to heed the call.
With laughter, health, and faith in view,
This new year’s promise, I’ll see it through.

This year, I solemnly swear
I will be up to no good
I will not hold a strong resolve
Only in a week, to watch it dissolve
I will not aim to be better
That’s merely a dream that will shatter
I will not promise
To dole out advice that sounds oh-so-wise
I will not always be put-together
Pieces of me will break and scatter

And since resolutions are meant to be broken
I will break all of the above ‘nots’
That will crumble the graham cracker wall that stands tall
Holding layers of soft cream within
Wait, sorry for the interruption, but what is that low rumble I hear?
Hmm, maybe that’s a sign..

This year I resolve
That I shall most definitely solve
That problem of knots
That enigma of ‘nots’
To discard all that I am not
So I may recognize all that I am.

And to begin, I need to contemplate
On softened, creamy, layered, graham cracker crust

And with this noble goal in mind,
This year, I resolve
That I most definitely shall meditate
Over a whole lot of cheesecake.

In the year of 25
I want to live, I want to thrive
I want to do things I have never done
Live my life and have some fun
Swim in an ocean, climb a mountain that’s high
Jump from an airplane, make friends with the sky
Learn how to draw, get involved in the arts
A cooking class in France learning how to make tarts
Take a road trip with no plan of where
Play a few board games
Cut off my hair
Maybe fly an airplane in the big open sky
Watch a sad movie and try not to cry
Go to New York City where anything goes
Hide a dark secret that nobody knows
Continue being kind and continue having grace
Maybe go to the moon, maybe live in space
Perhaps write that book Ive always wanted to write
Maybe drive a train maybe fly a kite
Wish on a shooting star as it tumbles through the sky
Travel to the desert and watch the world go by
If my list seems impractical well, actually that’s true
Maybe paint a rainbow with just the color blue
All these things I thought of I created in my head
I think the rainbow would look better just painted all in red
So in the year of 25 I’m going to live and not just survive
I’m going to grow and I’m going to change
I may do things that are a little strange
But I’m going to be me and I’m going to smile
Because being yourself is always in style
Anything is possible when the year is new
The only thing in your way is ultimately you

‘Tis the Year of Dreams
Dreams that we thought we cannot reach
From far beyond
We shall flee to Hawaii
Where carefree is not a fee
‘Tis the year of Dreams
We shall conjure and Conquer
Architecture in a Degree
‘Tis the year of dreams
Where we shall as seekers and dreamers
Spread the dreams of thee
On reams
‘Tis the year of the Dreamers

I have seven goals for 2025. 

First, I aim to graduate soon and earn my creative writing degree. Second, I want to finish my book titled “The End Begins Now” and self-publish it. My third goal, which might seem a bit crazy but is also exciting, is to obtain my motorcycle (M1) license and get myself a Harley-Davidson, since I’m really passionate about motorcycles. 

For my fourth goal, I hope to move in with my partner. I envision our place being as spacious as possible, filled with sunlight, and having a balcony where I can plant my favorite flowers and enjoy nature’s beauty. 

My fifth goal for the year is to secure a well-paying job that provides enough stability for me to achieve everything I want and need. Sixth, I watoain healthy relationships with my partner and friends, as I’ve experienced the challenges of dishonesty and a lack of loyalty in past relationships, especially with friends I once considered like sisters.

Finally, my last goal is to maintain my peace and showcase the best version of myself—not just a version that others expect. I believe that in this world, it’s crucial to present your true, authentic self in order to succeed and make a name for yourself. I want to achieve this through my writing, helping others who are afraid to express their true selves. I aspire to be someone others can relate to, where they won’t feel judged. 

These are my goals for 2025, and I hope to succeed in achieving them.

Back in October of 2024, I attended a fundraiser for the safehouse that helped me through my time of great need in healing.
I was a nervous wreck, and had managed to talk myself into going after weeks of back and forth, pros and cons.
Would I fit in there?
Would I belong there?
Was I good enough to sit with the donors that had at one time changed my life for the better?
I didn’t know anyone at all. My mind raced with so many thoughts. Thanks to my daughter, I was able to go.
I had no idea, that walking through those doors, held a life changing surprise for my future.
I walked to the front and asked where my seat was. They couldn’t find my reservation and once again, I started to feel as if I was not where I belonged. They came back to the table and pointed to table 18. He handed me my information and I walked off to the table that would soon be the beginning of my dream come true. I’m not sure they want their names out there, but they are my heros. Angels in human form.
I will never forget the kindness shown to me that evening, as we sat through the horror stories and memories of a beautiful woman’s murder. She was a sister, a daughter, a mother. A wife. Taken away from this world far too early by the hands of a violent man.
The speaker was Denise Brown. Most of you may, or may not, remember her beautiful sister as Nicole Simpson- Brown. She was brutally murdered many years ago. This story, was very tragic.
I tried so hard to stay strong, to not let myself disassociate through the triggering words as they pierced my heart, and took my breath away.
They sat beside me, and just gently touched my shoulder asking if I was doing okay. I had to take a few breaks, I got up from the table and went into the bathroom to clean my face up just a bit. To breathe, and ground myself.
When the speaker was over, we all discussed a bit of my story.
At the end of the evening, I walked out with two numbers on my flyer and a possibility of a college scholarship. At first, I didn’t know if I would be hearing anything back, but the next day, I received a call from them. They decided to move forward with my scholarship!
I have never been so happy in my entire life, yet so scared at the same time. You see, second chances like this, an opportunity such as this, they don’t just happen every day.
In 2025, I have been given the gift of a college scholarship. I’m going back to school.
I’m going to start slow, and ease my way into things as I am very nervous. The paperwork was finalized this week. I’m picking out my classes on the 13th of January.
I’m not sure that I will ever be able to thank this beautiful couple for the gift that they have given to me, but I do know, that I am going to give it my everything, and keep pushing through. Nothing, and I mean NOTHING can stop me now. I am going back to school, and in the process, returning to the me that I have always known. I am smart, I am motivated, and I am going to crush this! Here’s to never giving up! Here’s to finding my way back to the me that I have always been capable of, but had been hidden. Next stop, Associates Degree. In 2025, I am celebrating second chances, and I am celebrating ME! COLLEGE HERE I COME!

He said!!! She said!

He said my will be done!
She said New Edition of a Magazine.
He said my will be done!

He said my will be done.
She said Relaunch podcast!
He said my will be done.

He said my will be done!
She said Release my Memoir.
He said my will be done!

He said my will be done.
She said go on Empowerment Tours!
He said my will be done.

He said my will be done!
She said record my audio books.
He said my will be done!

She said I want to do my best!!!
She said I will be Obedient!!!
She said I will walk in my Purpose!!!

He said my will be done, 2025!!!
He said my will be done, Charmaine!!!
He said my will be done Forever!!!

January 2023:
I committed myself
to writing
one poem
every day.

I shared them with others,
competed in slams,
won cash prizes,
got published,
and foolishly felt
my dreams of becoming
a Poet
had been realized.

January 2024:
I only half-recommitted
to trying again—
because
creativity is hard
when drowning in
the uninspiration
of happiness,
of love,
of peace of mind;
because
is it even possible
to create art
without my addictions,
without my anxieties,
without the Sisyphean effort
of figuring out:
Who Am I?

Days…

Weeks…

Months…

Nothingness,
resulting in
a new bout
of paranoia.

Seeking out
talk therapy,
and cognitive behavioral therapy,
and pharmaceutical therapy,
I had forsaken my greatest remedy.

January 2025:
I now stand steady
in a new resolve
to practice preaching
what I teach.

So I resolve myself
to the adventure of
creation without conformation,
without validation,
without enterprise
or end result.

I resolve myself
to myself,
to the pen,
to the poetry,
to fulfill the need
that bubbles up inside
to spew forth the words
that form from the fountain
of my inner-most foundations
as a salve,
as salvation
for my very soul.

This time, for 2025,
I’m bold enough to dream
and water the seeds
I’ve been planting for 27 years.

I’ll make a faultless plan,
calibrate the stars to align again and again
like I’ve been hoping for.

I’ll make that meal plan, hit the gym, and drink less
because everyone told me I can, until I regress
and think of her again.

I’ll write that novel that I’ve sworn I’d finish,
half sprouted and waiting on ideas to flourish
out of my overworked and overwhelmed heart.

This time, for 2025,
I’ll keep my house clean
for all of the people that I hope can see
a sign of life thriving.

I’ll keep a budget
and stop saying “screw it”
when I need a fix just to calm down for a moment.

I’ll make that record full of screaming and singing
over an acoustic guitar, dreaming
of what love I’ve gained and lost so suddenly.

This time, for 2025,
2024 has kissed us goodbye,
the hurt and the triumph coincide
as a juxtaposition for growth.

forty-five pounds of me has already fallen off
but I still want more, as if I have not
given myself permission to acknowledge my own victories.

I will no longer live life in cliche and trope
that everyone cyclically promises and fails on a new year; in 2025 I can see that hope
is the recognition of seeds planted, no matter how long it takes the trees to grow.

This time, for 2025,
I’m bold enough to hope,
bold enough to dream
and water the seeds
I’ve been planting for 27 years.

Dear 2025,
I need to survive!
I need to thrive!
I need to live!
I need to forgive!
I need give!

Little am I privy to what the future holds.
My dreams and plans are fairytales until the tales are told.

I hope for adventure, I hope for growth.
That I heal my growing pains with both.

When I’m ready to love again,
I’ll be as myself as I’ve ever been.

I know the future will come with hurts,
That healing hearts bring out the worst.

If the aches are just too much to bear,
I’ll have my people standing there.

I’ll learn my burdens can be set down,
I’ll grow my strength and wear my crown.

And when this year is finally done,
That I’ll be ready for another one.

The dawn of a year, so bold, so bright,
A canvas of dreams bathed in new light
No mountain too high, no storm too wild,
This is my year – focused, and inspired.

I’ll rise each day with purpose clear, casting away every doubt, every fear.
For goals are seeds, and I will sow with girt and grace, I’ll watch them grow.
Strength in my body, sharpness in my mind, Moments of joy, the peace I’ll find. Connection deeper, bridges I’ll build, a life fulfilled, my spirit thrilled.

With every step and try, I’ll aim for stars and reach for the sky.
This is my year, my time to thrive, In 2025, I will come ALIVE.