In the stillness of dawn, I rose with the weight of unshed tears pressing against my spirit. There is a battle within me. A choice between surrender and survival. And though the fight is heavy, I choose to stand, to press forward with fortitude.

In the space between thought and action lies a steadfast resolve. The willingness to release. To trust that preparation is enough and to step into the unknown. It is in surrender, not control, where freedom and growth are born.

Sometimes, the bravest thing we can do is take a chance - and the wisest thing we can do is walk away. A year long journey in a job that wasn’t the right fit taught me invaluable lessons about perseverance, self-awareness, and the dignity of leaving without burning bridges.

True joy is weightless, unplanned, effortless. But what happens when happiness is a choice, yet the smile does not come? A reflection on reclaiming the freedom of genuine joy.

Like wildflowers, we must allow ourselves to grow in the places no one thought we could. This reflective piece explores the quiet resilience of blooming in unexpected spaces, embracing personal growth, and thriving against the odds.

Happiness is not a distant reward, it's a choice we make despite the weight of things. If we wait for life to be easy, we may wait forever. But joy, even in fragments, is still joy. And I refuse to wait to claim it.

Change isn’t meant to be easy - it’s meant to reshape, to break and rebuild, to demand something deeper. The hardest changes are the ones that matter most, the ones that ask for tears, for patience, for the courage to let go of what no longer fits. This new year isn’t about simple resolutions - it’s about stepping into the discomfort of transformation and choosing to grow anyway.