As 2025 draws to a close, I find myself reflecting on a year that felt like a quiet but significant turning point. At the start, I sketched out nine goals—a hopeful roadmap for the months ahead. Now, looking back, I’ve crossed the finish line on five of them. And while “five out of nine” might sound simple on paper, these weren’t just checkmarks; they were chapters of meaningful growth, connection, and creation.
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Stepping Up at Work In the middle of the year, I was promoted to the Staff level—a milestone that brought both pride and a new set of challenges. While I’ve always felt strongest in the technical realm, this new role gently (and sometimes not-so-gently) pushed me out of my comfort zone. It’s been a year of learning that true leadership isn’t just about depth of knowledge, but also about clarity of communication. This journey toward becoming a better communicator is ongoing, but it’s one of the most valuable skills I’ve begun to cultivate.
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& 3. The Language of Travel Two goals intertwined beautifully this year: continuing my Japanese studies and finally taking a proper sabbatical trip to Tokyo. For the first time since starting my career, I used a vacation not just to rest, but to explore. The city was incredible, but what truly made it magical were the people I met along the way. Those unexpected friendships transformed the trip from a sightseeing checklist into a genuinely joyful experience I’ll always cherish.
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Seeing a Legend Live As a longtime admirer of Lionel Messi, watching him play in person at Lumen Field was a surreal, full-circle moment. There’s something profoundly different about witnessing greatness live—the energy of the crowd, the crisp sound of the ball, the sheer speed of play. Even though Inter Miami didn’t win, seeing Messi on the pitch, right there in front of me, left me feeling incredibly inspired and energized.
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Creating Something for the Community Perhaps the most personally meaningful achievement of the year was spending six months developing a mod for Elden Ring. The project involved porting weapons from other Souls-like games, and it became a deep dive into creativity and technical craftsmanship. Knowing I was the first to build something that could bring new joy to a global community of players filled me with a unique sense of pride. (A small disclaimer: passion projects can have physical costs—this one came with a stubborn neck pain that required three months of physical therapy to resolve. A reminder to future me: remember to stretch!)
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As the final hours of 2025 tick away, I’m struck not by the four goals I didn’t reach, but by the richness of the five I did. This year taught me that progress isn’t always about perfect completion—it’s about direction, learning, and the unexpected joys along the way. Here’s to carrying these lessons, these memories, and this sense of quiet accomplishment into 2026.
Thank you for reading, and may your own year-end reflections bring you peace and pride.
What were your meaningful moments of 2025? Feel free to share in the comments.