The 5 Things I Am Grateful for in 2025
- G Lee
- Dec 28, 2025
- 4 min read
Updated: Dec 30, 2025
As 2025 winds down, it feels like the perfect moment to pause and reflect on the blessings of the year—both the big and the small. Out of countless reasons to be grateful, I’ve picked my top five favorites to share with you. Let’s just say this glimpse into my year might get a little heartfelt… with an insight into my new year plans.
This year marks my 10th anniversary teaching at community centers. I am deeply thankful to all my students for their continued support and friendship. Their dedication to showing up for class inspires me to improve every day. It has been a privilege to guide them on this “ageless active journey.” While growing old is inevitable if we are fortunate to live long, we can greatly influence how we age through mindful care. How we nurture ourselves now shapes the quality of our later years. I hope to continue teaching for another decade or more. Let’s make it a personal quest to grow old gracefully together. Who knows—maybe we’ll all be doing Pilates 240 (core crunches x 240 times) together at 90!
CNY celebration with my beloved students at Siglap South CC I am grateful for my mental and physical health that enables me to pursue the things I love—ballet, skiing, swimming, traveling, and teaching. Even though a broken toe forced me to skip my grade 6 ballet exam this year, it did not dampen my passion for dance. I appreciate the learning moments shared with my dance partner, Dawn, and the patience and encouragement from my teachers, Sandra and Jenna. In fact, after three months off, I feel even stronger. My toe? Fully recovered and ready for their revenge on the next exam! I’m also delighted that my bone density in my thighs and spine has improved—a success I credit to regular ballet practice and weight bearing exercises. With God’s will, I aim to continue enhancing my healthspan to stay active and independent as I age.
Food isn’t a big part of my life, and I’m not fond of cooking. My fridge usually holds only salads and fruits—besides my dog’s food. Yet, I’m incredibly grateful that so many people love to feed me! This includes many of my students and especially my goddaughter from Thailand, Joyce, who lives with me in Singapore and practically acts as my food service manager. She is fanatic about fitness herself. It is fun discussing with her about nutrition values and protein content every meal.
My god-daughter, Joyce, took me out for a yummy meal at the luxurious restaurant Fiamma at Capella Hotel Sentosa, Singapore I am thankful for my families and friends who enrich my life profoundly. I feel truly blessed that my 94-year-old dad is doing well, thanks in large part to my caring 82-year-old aunt and my twin brother. Though my immediate family is small, I have built a wonderful extended family of friends who have become like family to me over the years. Their love and care remind me daily that my life is well lived. In 2025, I had the opportunity of traveling with my extended families to Japan and France for skiing and to Phuket and Bali for leisure. It was also a joy to spend time with all my godchildren in Singapore this year, especially my 12-year-old twins, Addie and Cam, from the States, who came to Singapore for the first time and fell in love with the country. Singapore’s got two new superfans—and I’m the lucky god-mother with the best tour guide gig. Addie secretly swears that she will take over from Joyce as soon as Joyce moves out so that she can stay in Singapore with me.
Lastly but not the least, I’m thankful for my fur baby, Chanel. She is a true darling. Despite a difficult start as an abused puppy and her timid nature, her trust in people is slowly being restored with love and kindness. Chanel loves soft stuffed toys. She has accumulated a great collection of soft toys which are placed all over her big bed (a.k.a. my bed). Playing with her toy of the day when she first gets up is a must-do routine every morning. Seeing how playful and happy she is upon waking melts my heart. Her wagging tail is basically my personal sunrise alarm—zero snooze button needed. Chanel is very kind and has a very gentle temperament. Now that she is more trusting, she interacts more with other 2-legged friends. Whenever my students come for Personal Training, Chanel would show off her toys to my clients one by one starting with the latest addition. By the time we are done, the whole room would be peppered with her toys. Though caring for a pet is a lot of work, they bring so much joy and sunshine into your life that all is worth it. Must love dogs!
So there are the top 5 picks among my long list of things that I am grateful for. What are yours? As we step into the new year, I wish you an exciting year ahead, filled with new adventures and little challenges that help you grow. Make a few new year’s resolutions, stay active, be kind to yourself, and be happy.
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