*Dr. Rodolfo John Ortiz Teope, PhD, EdD, DM
There comes a quiet moment at the end of every year when we are left alone with ourselves—no applause, no noise, no excuses. Just truth. For me, that moment in 2025 felt like standing beside a garbage bin filled not with waste, but with memories, choices, and people I once tried so hard to keep. One by one, I let them go.
Into that bin went Fake Love—the kind that speaks loudly in public but disappears when silence is needed most. Love that demanded sacrifice yet offered none in return. Love that felt conditional, transactional, and heavy. I realized that love that drains your soul is not love at all—it is survival disguised as affection.
Next, I threw away Bad Relationships. The ones that kept me small so others could feel tall. The ones that thrived on control, manipulation, and emotional exhaustion. Relationships that taught me to doubt myself instead of grow. I learned, painfully but clearly, that not every bond is meant to be preserved—some are meant to be released so healing can begin.
I did not hesitate to discard Fake Friends. Those who clapped only when it benefited them, who vanished when integrity mattered, and who stayed close not out of loyalty but convenience. Friendship should be a refuge, not a battlefield. Anyone who celebrates your fall more than your rise does not deserve a seat at your table.
Into the same bin went Liars—people who mastered the art of truth-twisting, half-stories, and convenient amnesia. Lies corrode trust slowly, silently, until nothing solid remains. I chose honesty over comfort, clarity over illusion.
Finally, I threw away Drama—the unnecessary noise, the manufactured conflicts, the emotional chaos that pretended to be excitement. I grew tired of confusion masquerading as passion and turmoil being sold as normal. Peace, I realized, is not boring. Peace is freedom.
By the end of 2025, the garbage was full—but my heart was finally light.
Now, standing at the doorway of 2026, I open my hands.
I am ready to receive Abundance—not just in wealth, but in purpose, time, wisdom, and grace. I welcome Money not as an idol, but as a tool to build, to help, to create, and to give back with dignity. I embrace Opportunities that align with my values, not ones that demand I betray myself to succeed.
I receive Blessings—seen and unseen, answered and delayed—trusting that what arrives does so in the right season. I choose Happiness that is quiet, deep, and rooted, not loud, performative, or borrowed from others.
Most of all, I open my life to Authentic Love—the kind that stays when it is inconvenient, that grows in truth, that heals instead of harms. And I welcome Real Friends—those who tell me the truth even when it is hard, who stand beside me without needing applause, and who walk with me not for advantage, but for connection.
2026 is not just a new year for me.
It is a new standard.
I no longer beg for what should be given freely.
I no longer chase what costs me my peace.
I no longer tolerate what poisons my spirit.
I have emptied the garbage.
And now, I am ready to receive.
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