This year was a life-changing year. Life-Changing-Year! When I went back and looked at everything that did happen, yes indeed, I was blessed, but there were some valley experiences for sure. When I look back on the previous years, this was a slower year, but definitely impactful. Let’s start with the Good.
2025: The Good
Started my 2025 in Ghana (& my Birthday 1/2) – It was the best way to start my year, and I will never forget my experience. On my actual birthday, I was able to visit the slave river and place my hands in the water of the river where our enslaved ancestors took their last bath before they were sent to the slave dungeons.
I published my 5th book. My Vision Board. It’s available on Amazon. If you know me personally or have followed me for any length of time, I’m big on following your dreams, working towards your goals, and manifesting your desire. Last year, I had some friends over to goal plan for 2025 (1st pic below), I bought them a book, and we ended up creating a book instead of working on our boards …. and when they left, my idea for a Vision Board book was sparked. So, I created it (2nd pic).
Influencer coins – I was able to be an influencer/affiliate for
- Black Girl Vitamins – use code Bernetta for 20% off
- Ryze Mushroom Tea/Coffee – 15% off
- School of Content Marketing
- Amazon Influencer Program
- Wayfair Influencer Program
More good things:
- My oldest was allowed to be a moderator and interview the famous influencer, Keith Lee. We also got to meet him at a meet and greet.
- Chris Brown concert – AMAZING!!
- Brandy & Monica concert – Just as amazing!!
- Attended the Florida Classic for the first time
- Attended the Tampa Bucs vs. Atlanta Falcons game
- 3 speaking engagements
- Tracked my ancestry back 8 generations through my mother’s father’s mother’s line.
- Also, I took the Ancestry DNA test to find out all the countries where I’m from. ( I will do a post about it soon)
- Had two posts go viral (Chris Brown post) and (Suitcase post tiktok)
- Gave away suitcases for The Knighten Group and raised thousands for teens aging out of fostercare.
2025 The Bad & Life-Changing Event
In August, my family went on a cruise to Key West and Cozumel. It was something we were all excited and ready for. It was a good but busy Summer for my children, and this was the last BIG thing they were looking forward to before starting school the following Monday.
In the picture above, we were in Key West, FL. This was day 2 of our cruise and our first stop. I loved Key West. It was a quick visit, but we toured the city, ate at a few places, and vowed to return to spend the weekend. When we got back on the boat, I told my husband to call his dad because the next day we would be at sea and wouldn’t be able to talk to anyone for 3 days. At first, he didn’t want to do it, but I said, “Just call and say Hi, and we will talk to him in a few days.” He called him, and I called my mom. When he called his dad, he was out to eat with his mom and his best friend. They had a good, quick convo and said his famous, “Have a good time and I will see you when you get back, SONNY BOY!”
The next morning, while we were at sea, my father-in-law had died in his sleep. It was 5 days from his 74th birthday.
My husband happened to turn on his phone that afternoon to send a business email and found out he had so many messages to call him! He then learned about his father. We still had 3 days to go on that cruise. We could not get off. You could imagine what those 3 days and 2 nights were like. We told our children and made the best of it.
Once we got back home, of course, funeral arrangements started, and the reality of who was going to take care of his mother, who had been showing early signs of dementia for almost 2 years. She started living with us. The entire experience has been life-changing. My husband lost his father who he was very close to, and to a degree, lost his mother because she is not the same, in addition to taking care of her.
It’s been a real adjustment in our house in many different ways. We are still working through things, including our living situation, because our current home is not big enough for all of us. My youngest has literally lost his room and has to now share his room with his big brother. So if you pray, please pray for us.
So life from August to now has been a shift. When we returned from the cruise, school was starting, my daughter is in her senior year (you already know how that can be), my youngest started a new school, and my oldest was now back home living with us as he started his Jr. year of college. It’s been an adjustment as well as a mental adjustment for me. I felt, although I was still moving through life because I had to keep moving … I wasn’t moving at the pace I was, or planned to, or definitely wanted to.
Thanks to my brother and sister-in-law, we will get some relief in 2026 by sharing the responsibility of caring for my mother-in-law.
In conclusion 2025 had some great highs and the lowest of lows. There are a few more things that happen both good and not-so-good but the good definitely out wieghed the bad. Right now, we are getting adjusted to this new normal and looking forward to what 2026 has instore for us. God bless you and may God bless us!
