A Peaceful New Year: Choosing Sobriety, Stillness, and Self-Promises

Choosing Intention Over Tradition

I was very intentional about how I wanted to spend my New Year’s this year because this was my first New Year sober. In the past, I’ve had some very tumultuous New Year’s experiences. Why? Because I was often caught up in things that didn’t matter, involving people and situations that didn’t truly serve me.

Typically, New Year’s meant trying to find a club to go to, getting extremely intoxicated and high just to “fit in,” socialize, and feel included. In my mind, I believed the only way to bring in the New Year the “right” way was to not be sober. I used New Year’s as an escape and would tell myself, I’ll do better next year.

This year, I didn’t want to repeat that cycle. I didn’t want to wait until the year started to do better—I wanted to do better before the year ended. I set that standard for myself, and I stuck to it.

A Quiet Night That Changed Everything

This was the most peaceful New Year’s Eve I have ever had at home. I made myself a pizza, sipped my non-alcoholic wine, read, took a bath, and found some good shows to watch. Hunting Wives on Netflix caught my attention. I initially turned it on as background noise, but the drama pulled me in. If you like drama and murder (and don’t mind nudity), you might enjoy it. If not, I wouldn’t recommend it—I was really there for the drama.

More than anything, this was the first New Year’s where I didn’t have to pretend to be someone I wasn’t. And that felt good. It felt right. It gave me peace and clarity.

One thing stayed consistent, though—I can never make it to midnight to watch the ball drop. I didn’t this year either. I came very close, but I still set an alarm for 12:00 a.m. just in case, so I wouldn’t sleep through it like I’ve done in the past.

The Power of Writing Promises to Myself

One thing I did that was very different this New Year’s was writing myself a letter. In it, I made promises to myself about how I plan to evolve spiritually, professionally, mentally, emotionally, and physically.

I didn’t spend much time dwelling on 2025—though I did some reflection. My focus was on how I will grow and improve in 2026. I wanted to honor the lessons I learned and be intentional about applying them moving forward. I made these promises because accountability matters to me, and I intend to hold myself to them.

The Bible speaks about the importance of making vows and keeping them, and that deeply resonated with me. Breaking promises—especially promises to myself—has always been something I’ve struggled with. One of my goals this year is to change that and truly honor the commitments I make to myself.

Reflection: Peace Is Not Boring—It’s Honest

What this New Year taught me is that peace can feel unfamiliar when chaos has been your norm. Quiet can feel uncomfortable when you’re used to noise. Stillness can feel strange when you’ve been running from yourself for so long.

But peace is not boring. Peace is honest.
Peace doesn’t require you to perform, escape, or numb yourself to be accepted.
Peace allows you to hear yourself clearly.

Choosing peace meant choosing myself—and that choice felt more powerful than any countdown, party, or temporary high ever could.

Advice: Start the Year by Keeping One Promise

If I could offer one piece of advice, it would be this: write yourself a letter. Not a list of resolutions, not vague goals—but real promises. Promises you are willing to keep even when it gets uncomfortable.

Start small.
Keep one promise.
Then keep another.

Discipline grows when you learn to trust yourself again. And trust is built when your actions begin to match your words.

I hope you had a wonderful New Year’s Eve and an amazing New Year’s Day. If you haven’t already, take some time to write a letter to yourself with a series of promises you plan to keep this year. Hold yourself accountable—with grace.

My Prayer For:

God,

Thank You for bringing me into this new year with clarity, peace, and purpose.

Help me to honor the promises I make to myself and to You.

Give me the strength to choose discipline over distraction, peace over chaos,

and faith over fear.

Guide my steps, guard my heart, and help me grow into the woman You are calling me to be.

Amen.

Take care, sis.
See you next time. 💛