Breakfast Casserole & Resolutions: A New Year’s Reflection

We just celebrated New Year last night, and this morning, I found myself in a taxi on the way to brunch with a good friend. (Apparently, this is what life after 35 looks like—skip the NYE chaos, go straight to breakfast casserole. Priorities, right?)

As we passed through the city, I couldn’t help but notice how, for many, January 1st isn’t a “new year” at all—it’s just another day.

There was the Parks Department worker sweeping leaves from the roadside, as if fireworks hadn’t lit up the sky hours ago. A Gojek driver waited under the shade, scrolling through their phone. The coffee sellers pedaled their carts, ready to caffeinate the city. And the tukang tambal ban (tire repair guy) was prepping his tools for the first flat tire of the year.

It made me pause. The ability to pause, to reflect, to celebrate a “new year”—it’s a privilege, isn’t it? For so many, life simply continues. No resolutions, no champagne, no big “fresh start.” Just work, just life.

And it’s not just time that’s relative—resolutions are, too. For some, resolutions come with a 12-month shelf life and options for extension. For others, a resolution lasts 24 hours—enough to get through the day and keep going. Both are valid, but it makes you realize how much we take for granted when we expect a clean slate every January 1st.

It reminded me of something Marcus Aurelius said: strength comes from focusing on what we can control. Watching these workers, I realized they’re already embodying this truth—meeting the day as it comes, one small act at a time.

Meanwhile, I’m over here contemplating resolutions I’ll probably revisit in February (or March). It’s easy to get caught up in the big picture—the milestones, the goals, the fresh starts. But maybe the real lesson is in the quiet, steady effort. Like showing up every day, no matter what, and doing the work.

So here’s to starting the year with gratitude—for the people who keep the world moving while the rest of us hit snooze. And here’s to embracing the small moments, the ones that remind us life isn’t about perfection, but presence. Breakfast casserole over perfection, every single time. Who knew breakfast casserole could hold such wisdom?