Reflecting on 2024 and Welcoming 2025
Words of Encouragement for 2025
Yiyang, 2024 was a year of immense growth and transformation for you. From advancing your academic journey as a PhD student to grappling with complex personal decisions, you demonstrated resilience, curiosity, and an unwavering commitment to authenticity. Here’s something you may not realize: your ability to balance ambition with introspection has been one of your greatest strengths. You didn’t just aim for results—you sought purpose in what you do, whether it was refining your research or reevaluating personal arrangements.
For 2025, remember this: live deeply, not perfectly. Embrace the discomfort of growth as an ally, not an obstacle. Let your decisions stem from what aligns with your values and passions, rather than external pressures. Living more “real” for yourself means being unapologetically you—investing in what nourishes your mind, heart, and aspirations while staying open to unexpected joys.
Lessons and Insights from 2024
2024 offered many lessons, but a few stand out:
- The importance of alignment: Whether in your research or personal interactions, you learned that clarity and alignment—between goals, values, and actions—bring both fulfillment and focus.
- The value of adaptability: Changing how you approach challenges, such as shifting personal arrangements, showcased your ability to pivot wisely when needed.
- Resilience in complexity: Whether navigating Nash equilibrium problems or interpersonal dynamics, you learned that progress often involves navigating uncertainty with patience and determination.
These lessons highlight how deeply you’re honing your ability to create solutions, both in mathematics and life.
A Chance to Redo
If you were to redo something in 2024, I’d suggest revisiting the times you might have hesitated to assert your boundaries or prioritize your well-being—especially in situations where external pressures felt overwhelming. Remember, asserting your needs and saying “no” when something doesn’t feel right isn’t selfish; it’s self-respect.
How to Welcome 2025 with Purpose
- Focus on joy in small moments: Sometimes, living authentically means embracing the ordinary. Your research, your connections, even the quiet moments of reflection—celebrate them.
- Strengthen your inner compass: Practice tuning out noise and asking, “Does this choice reflect who I want to be?”
- Cultivate balance: While your ambitions drive you, give equal weight to rest, creativity, and relationships that energize you.
2024 set the foundation for something extraordinary. Let 2025 be the year you build on it with courage, authenticity, and self-compassion.