Where Do You Want to Be This Time Next Year?

I have a confession to make, 2025 is the first time I have felt truly optimistic about the year ahead since New Year’s Eve, December 2019. When the New Year rolled around, battling Long COVID symptoms meant I didn’t feel as excited as usual for the year ahead, or able to make plans that I was confident about sticking to. The past few years have had positives to be sure, but my own energy levels and confidence were not what they were in the past. This year is different. That old feeling is back - and it feels great.    

As the year comes to a close, the holiday season often brings moments to reflect on where we are and where we want to be. Time with family and friends, the cozy glow of festive lights, and time out of the usual routine create a natural pause—a chance to assess and consider what’s next. However, when you are experiencing a post-infection condition, that reflection doesn’t always feel constructive because knowing where you are can be a grim reality and it is hard to make firm plans to do anything to change it. 

For me, this meant New Year’s felt heavy, even overwhelming. When my symptoms were at their worst, I dreaded January. I wasn’t where I wanted to be in life or with my health, and the thought of setting goals felt impossible. My symptoms made planning for the year ahead—or even the next week—feel like an insurmountable task. It was deeply frightening, highlighting both the day-to-day struggles and a sense of loss for the energetic and proactive approach to life that I once had.

Thankfully, my story has shifted, and 2025 feels very different. Professionally, I’m thrilled to have impactful projects to look back on in 2024, and more in the pipeline for the year ahead. Personally, I’m looking forward to fun activities with family and friends over the coming months. As a household, our challenges now feel like those that come with the normal, busy rhythms of family life—not carrying the added weight of everyone navigating a complex condition, as described in an earlier blog article Living With Someone Who Has Long COVID.

If you find yourself less excited about the year ahead because of symptoms that leave you feeling stuck, please know that you’re not alone. That sense of weariness and uncertainty is natural, but it doesn’t have to be your reality forever. You can feel differently this time next year.

People we have worked with know that small, targeted movements and simple changes to your day-to-day routine can have a profound impact. Within just a few weeks, these adjustments can help your body and brain start to feel better—to feel more like you. Sticking with them over a longer period of time can allow you to continue to feel better and better. 

If you’re living with Long COVID, or another post-infection condition, and haven’t found a solution that works yet, don’t let another year slip by. You can make real progress by taking control of what’s within your power. By implementing whole-body, non-pharmaceutical solutions, you can begin to shift the trajectory of your recovery. When medical breakthroughs—like new drug therapies—become available, these approaches will complement them. The best part? You don’t have to wait for a miracle cure to start making progress. Test out a few of our tips here. 

The power to change your path is in your hands. You can benefit from our experience to get achievable, step-by-step guidance that is backed by evidence and lived experience. We’re here to support you with resources that help you use the energy you have to make meaningful, positive changes. Together, we can accelerate your recovery journey. 

As we welcome the New Year, we wish you strength, hope, and resilience. Let’s work together to make 2025 a turning point. By this time next year, you could be looking ahead with excitement and confidence.

Warmly,
Katie