The turn of the New Year is a time for predictions.
Here is a prediction for 2025.
In 2025, I will discover more character defects.
My ability to create character defects seems to be infinite: There is no apparent end to them. And effortless: they appear with no conscious effort.
Every year, I discover more of them, and I confidently predict this year will be no different.
Some will be defects I have identified before, but new variants. For example, my dependency on what others think of me. That defect manifested as “Imposter syndrome” one year; the next year, it was “Fear of rejection and desire to please;” followed by “Anger when I don’t look perfect.” After several years, I realized these were all rooted in obsessive, self-possessed thinking.
So, this year’s defect might be a variation on an old theme or something completely new.
I also predict moments of happiness, joy, and freedom. Oddly, those moments will come, in part, because of the manifestation of my defects of character: when I note a defect of character and ask God for help, I once again experience joy, freedom, and a true sense of happiness. I experience conscious and salient contact with my Higher Power.
I take no credit for turning to God. This habit was acquired after many painful repetitions of first trying to solve the problems on my own. It does not seem right to take credit for lessons learned this way; it feels like taking credit for being obstinate and foolish enough to hang onto defects till they hurt too much. If I asked for help immediately, then some credit might be due. But asking for help after experiencing pain, not so much.
In summary, I predict (or hope) another year of spiritual awakenings overcoming character defects. And pain will be the touchstone of spiritual growth, hopefully, less than before.
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