As we enter a new year, 2026, I take time out to look at the year that has passed. From the good times to the struggles, the highs and the lows, the achievements and those moments that I want to dust under the rugs and never look at again.  

Like every year 2025 presented its own challenges, from financial struggles, to health issues Including mental health struggles, as well as completing uni, doing an internship, while supporting My Three Sons, two of which have disabilities. However 2025 also had some moments that were either memorable, fulfilling or had a sense of accomplishment. I had answers that I have been fighting for for years to get, I completed a degree that I never thought that I would, firstly get into and then complete, while also doing things that is right by myself and my sons. So, now, instead of talking in riddles, let me go through 2025 for you, as well as as way for me to remember the year that was.

I had gone into 2025 with the following plans:

• Save $10,000

• Complete my degree

• Clear out the garage and sell most of those items

• Do a huge declutter of the house and sell what I can, and either donate the rest or bin it.

• Become affiliate on Twitch

• Build up my social media presence for the gaming accounts.

• Start my blog and continue.

• Sell on etsy

As you can see, alot of these revolve around improving our financial situation, as finances are tight and I am trying to save to buy a home for myself and my sons. Mainly so that if something happens to me, there is something for them. However, this year did not go to plan, and most of these were started, however, due to feeling overwhelmed in the first semester and then mental health struggles in the second, not all were fully followed through with.

So what how did I go with my 2025 plans:

• I saved $6,000

• I completed my degree

• I became affiliate on Twitch

• I have started slowly building a social media presence, however its slowed off due to not posting anything recently

• I moved my blog to Wix and created it and started, but never continued due to brain blockage at creating the images.

• Created an Etsy account, posted a few items, but never continued and have only made 1 sale.

2025 has had its struggles, however I am also looking after 2 sons with various disabilities. My youngest (13yrs old), just started year 7 this year, he is selective non-verbal, ASD, various sensitivities, including sounds and has a couple of other things. So this year has had its challenges, however we ended to year with a very positive meeting at the Royal Children’s Hospital, all of which I will discuss on another post. Then there is my middle son, who is 18yrs old and was in year 12 this year. This poor kid, diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis when he was about 12, and in the past year, he has been diagnosed with POTS, and Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (hEDS). Due to how his health has been this year, and how many days off he has had, to help him pass year 12 and get him off to uni to, he is able to do year 12 over 2 years. It was through his diagnosis with hEDS, that I was also diagnosed with it, and I left the meeting in tears. Not bad tears, but tears of relief because after so many years of being dismissed by drs, I had an answer. I will talk more about this in a later post, however, it was a huge changing point in my year and gave me so many answers to things. We also had my eldest sons best friend move in with us, after he got kicked out of home, so there has been alot of adjusting to do. 

Apart from watching my eldest get his first real job, watching my youngest create some mini games, and watching my middle son develop and grow his streaming, my biggest accomplishment was completing my degree. I will admit, it was not easy, and there were times I came close to pulling out, however I continue. Then there was the last semester, we had to do a group project, and I teamed up with 4 others. By week 5, one had been withdrawn from the course due to something from the first semester and throughout I had to deal with an older man who believed that women should not be at uni, but at home. So he made my life hell, and bullied me and would make snide comments, then, as we had to create a program which myself and the other two were doing. This man decided to say that if it was not up to his expectations, then he would pay someone to do it for us. Which could have gotten us kicked out of the course. Thankfully this was brought to the teachers attention and was stopped. However, I struggle with my mental health, and this really hit me hard, so much so that there were days that I wished I would die in my sleep. However, I had the support of the other two, and they stuck by me and we got through it and got an A on the subject and I cried when I received the marks. So this was a huge achievement. Then completing my degree and graduating, I was thrilled to achieve and then manage to walk up on the stage to accept my certificate without tripping over.

This year was also about not putting myself into positions where I or my sons were either not wanted, welcomed, or where we just didn't feel comfortable. This also meant that we did not attend or go to a couple of things, like a Christmas lunch, due to how we have felt while being their the past couple of years. This year I put us first. I also stopped going out of my way for people, and noticed and only 2 people reached out to me. I stopped posting on facebook, no one has reached out about that, I have just stopped putting myself in positions where i either getting ignored, or where people just fake their emotions. I have also recently learnt that there is still someone on my facebook friends who is in contact with my ex or his parents. So posting anything, is not going to happen due to safety.

This year was about learning, learning about myself, ways to best support my sons, as that constantly changes, learning to stand up for myself and advocate for my sons, as well as learning that it is ok not to feel ok and not to get everything done. I also feel the biggest thing I have learnt is putting up boundaries. As much as I had wished we could have gone on a holiday, or done more things, I remind myself that we have a roof over our heads, food in the house, bills are paid, no debts, and our health is generally ok.

2025 is a year to be thankful for, a year of growth and a year of learning, while overcoming and working through the struggles.

Wishing all that read this a Happy New Year, and I wish 2026 is a memorable year for you all.