Kristine Cecile

What a year that 2025 has been! In conversations with friends and family, it seems like 2025 was a heavy year for many. Wild is definitely the adjective of the year. The political and economic climate has changed. And, on top of that, my personal and career trajectories have been re-wired and re-directed. But what is life without plot twists and turns? This tumultuous year is much better for me because I finally slowed down to take in everything that I was, am, and could be. As cliche as it is to say as a second generation Filipina American, I chased an American dream my whole life only to realize that I’ve unrecognizable, especially to myself. 2025 opened my eyes to what I should focus my sights on. Here is an excerpt of my reflections for the year of 2025 below.

Three Things I’m Grateful for:

I traveled to Hawai’i!

Throughout my teens and 20’s, I never thought that traveling would be a constant for me. After traveling a lot of work, I finally got a chance to travel for fun! Over the summer, I enjoyed great food like Tonkatsu Tamafuji, Foodland poke, Zippy’s and beautiful, gorgeous nature in Haleiwa, Kapolei, and Waikiki. It was so fun to learn about Hawaiian history during my stay too.

I got healthier!

At the start of 2025, my blood pressure was on the border of Elevated and Stage 1 Hypertension. This scared me so much because Hypertension is a risk factor of Type II Diabetes! In an effort to curb both chronic diseases as long as I can, I did a lot to manage my health. I started exercising consistently throughout the year and around the second half of the year, I eventually adopted drinking green juice every day. I’m so proud of myself for getting my blood pressure down to being on the border of normal and Elevated. 😀

Marry My Husband Japan

Marry My Husband Japan is my favorite drama of 2025~ I was so impressed with the storytelling in this one. Honestly, the narrative and storytelling blew me away, , especially in how the writing team localized the webtoon and drama to Japanese audiences. The meticulous production from the cinematography, costume design, scriptwriting and cross-cultural team work made this drama a 10/10 for me.

Three Things I Learned:

Asking for help is still hard for me

As a millennial, I’ve been conditioned to be a #girlboss throughout my life. And, I have always been proud of being an independent person. However, my dreams require patience and team work. And, so throughout the year, I’ve attempted to ask help for small things, including support with picking up groceries or walking my dogs. And, I have not been successful at it. I still continue to struggle with it, but I realize it’s because I often find it hard to trust people enough to ask.

Discipline is in the small steps

Somethings I broke down into small steps were consistent exercise, reflection/prayer, and time management. This took a lot of personal reflection and feedback on what’s working and what’s not. It was truly a combination of habit tracking, daily checklists, and finding accountability partners. If it wasn’t for the small steps, I would probably still be stuck in an analysis paralysis.

Slowing down is a necessity for me

I’ve gotten sick so many times last year, so I had no choice but to slow down! Whenever I was sick, I had to say “no” to so many things, including traveling to LA and San Diego, dropping out of classes, and canceling hangouts with friends. They all felt like major bummers in the moment, but I realize that it was for the best. If it wasn’t for a sick day, I wouldn’t have rewatched one of my favorite oldies but a goodie called Hotaru no Hikaru. I also wouldn’t have finished watching The Trunk or started reading Mao, Villains Are Destined to Die, or In Between. If I didn’t slow down, I could not have reconnected to my love of media.

Three Areas to Work on in the New Year:

Risk taking

One of my many goals this year is to become a better storyteller. And, good storytelling requires authenticity and vulnerability. Of course, your girl needs a lot of vulnerability. My independence and lack of trust in others are definitely factors in my procrastination and perfectionism. And yet, there are many experiences that I was scared of saying yes to this year that opened my eyes to more. I gained insight on different original characters’ mindsets and perspectives and even became open to writing an audiobook. I have to take risks in order to challenge myself.

Things I Actually Like

Community always comes first in my mind, especially growing up as a child of immigrants and church kid. Plus, I strongly identify as a responsible person and recovering people pleaser. So, that means there have been countless times where I put others before myself. While building community requires helping others, my help won’t be as fruitful if I’m just like a dog who’s sitting in a burning room. And, to balance my commitment to community, I want to take time for myself to just work on things that I actually like. Yes, there are going to be times where I might have to work on building an organized template for someone. And, it doesn’t mean that I won’t be able to sneak in an episode of I Dol I or make time to write my book.

Daily Writing

Every year, my main goal is to write a book. Much to my dismay, I never accomplish that goal! Since I learned about discipline in the small steps in 2025, I want to write every single day. Because I want this to be a habit, it doesn’t just have to be in the form of fiction. I want to write in my journal, in a blog, or even in a song.

Moving into the New Year and Welcoming 2026

Overall, 2025 taught me how to prioritize joy despite the roller coaster of this season in my life. I can do this by making space and time for what I really love, including dramas like Marry My Husband Japan, writing, and traveling. As I slowly resign from the daily hustle and grind, I’m looking forward to cruising into the new year.

As 2026 comes in full swing, many more experiences will bring in more opportunities to grow into my purpose. I can’t wait for more focused, intentional learning in the new year so that I can become a better version of myself.