Mindful Moments: Six hard truths (and unexpected gifts) from the first six months of 2025

At the beginning of January, the life I had become so used to was pulled out from under me. I was left feeling alone, confused, and honestly a little terrified about what 2025 had in store. What I couldn’t have predicted was just how much this year would teach me and how much better off I’d feel because of it. Truthfully, I have learned more about myself in the past six months than I have in the past three years. So, now that I am finally reflecting on the first half of the year, I wanted to share a few lessons that carried me through.

The first, and possibly most important, lesson I have learned is the importance of female friendships. Previously, as close as I was to my female friends, I did not lean on them for comfort or seek happiness from them. However, this year I have realised just how beautiful and uplifting these friendships can be. These friendships don’t make you feel guilty when you are having a rough time – instead they become the shoulder you never realised you needed. They let you talk through your feelings as many times as you need, and cheer you on with pride when you finally start feeling yourself again. My female friends have become my biggest cheerleaders, as I am theirs, and I have never been so content to have them in my life.

Don’t just dream about becoming the person you want to be – take small actions to become that person

Lesson number two isn’t discussed as much as it should be in 2025: healing is not all sunshine and matcha. With the rise of social media and documenting our day to day lives, it is easy to fall into a trap of not thinking you are healing ‘properly’. However, that early morning pilates session or green juice is simply romanticising the healing process. In reality, this is barely scratching the surface of true, emotional healing. It is the tough conversations, speaking to family, journaling your thoughts, and having those much needed cries that truly speak volumes. Of course, sunshine walks and matchas can be a part of this process, but do not feel guilty or behind if your heart takes longer to heal than social media telling you to bounce back straight away.

A lesson I have really worked on in the past few months is manifesting through direct action. This does not mean simply journaling phrases over and over again or talking to yourself in the mirror; it means building habits and acting in a way that aligns with the version of yourself you want to become. For example, if you want to be a morning person, start romanticising your mornings and build small habits (such as a morning coffee or walk) that make you become that morning person. Don’t just dream about becoming the person you want to be – take small actions to become that person.

You know that if they are not giving you what you can already give yourself, you are in a position to walk away from what does not serve you

Potentially the most crucial lesson I have learned about healing from emotional distress is a phrase I picked up from my childhood book The Bear Hunt: ‘we can’t go over it, we can’t go under it, so we have to go through it.’ When you go through something emotionally traumatic, it is natural for people to want to push down these emotions and not deal with the discomfort and pain. However, it is so important to truly go through what you are feeling and let yourself feel the emotions. By suppressing, you are only causing an emotional build up that will eventually come to the surface; but by truly processing and going through the pain, you can become more in tune with yourself and fully heal.

Solo dating has been an important part of me truly becoming content in myself. By buying myself flowers, taking myself for coffee dates, and going on solo walks, I have been able to show myself the love that I would want from a partner. This will help not only with being content in the present, but also with having standards and boundaries for future relationships. This way, you know that if they are not giving you what you can already give yourself, you are in a position to walk away from what does not serve you.

Healing is not linear, and there are still ups and down to the present day

This leads me to my final lesson: sometimes letting go is the only way to leave room for what is meant for you. Holding onto the outcome you really want can feel like the right decision in the moment; however, clinging onto a situation or person shows that it is not meant for you. What is meant to be in your life, you will not need to cling on to or beg for. By letting go of forcing outcomes, you are making room for what is meant to walk into your life naturally. This has been essential in how I have become content and at peace with how my life is unfolding; as whatever happens to me, I know it’s for the better.

These six life lessons have really developed me into the person I am halfway through 2025. Healing is not linear, and there are still ups and down to the present day, yet I now have these lessons in my emotional toolkit that help me deal with waves of sadness or confusion in present and future situations. I hope some of these lessons have been insightful for you, and I suggest truly reflecting yourself on what you have learned so far this year as well.