Hey Reader,
Gah, this year flew by... you too?
Taking a breath this week to look back, I’m reminded of the exact moment I realized how much this year has changed me.
It was late June. I was staring at the blinking cursor of my nearly-finished book–the one I started at the end of 2022–with a mix of blissful hope and pure terror. I’d carried that thing through doubt, life shifts, and two full seasons of nearly quitting. Okay, and 6 full months where I was paralyzed to take it any further.
And yet there I was, teetering on “finally, finally done” yet completely terrified to hit send to my editor.
Because in that moment the truth snuck on in... finishing my book wasn’t really about the book... it was about me finally growing into the courage to show up vulnerably in the world. Fully. Unafraid to share my messy self.
That moment came after months (okay, years) of deep internal work that I write vulnerably about. Of releasing relationships I had so idealized I couldn’t see the truth. Of watching people walk away, not because I was wrong... but because I was finally doing something honest. Something different. Something true to who I am. I was no longer willing to shrink when people got uncomfortable.
I launched this very newsletter in May with a tiny spark of intention I wasn’t sure I could sustain. But here we are, and I feel like a completely different person than the one who hit send on that first issue. I dearly hope I've helped you shine brighter too, my friend. ❤️
The Messy → Magical Shift
This year didn’t transform me overnight. It changed me inch by inch, through discomfort, persistence, heartbreak, reclamation, inner listening, and slow, daily acts of courage.
My growth wasn't liner. True to form it was messy. Full of detours and little surrenders that added up like spiritual compound interest.
Magic didn’t happen when I finished the book. It showed up in the moment I chose integrity over perfection. In the moment I stopped explaining myself to people who never asked. Trusted that being fully seen was safer than hiding
It happened when I finally said yes to coaching others as my soul’s purpose–so I could help other entrepreneurs get out of the corporate grind the same way I has so desperately needed to years ago–after 18 years in marketing and branding for companies that never quite matched the beat of my heart.
2025 wasn’t about doing more. It was about becoming more me. Again. And hint: the becoming never stops. :)
✨ 3 Ways This Year Shifted Me + How It Can Shift You
- From Seeking Approval → To Trusting Myself First
I used to tailor myself to be likeable. This year, I finally learned to tailor myself to what my soul thrives on. When I lead with integrity, aligned people show up–and those who don’t, walk away with grace. It's the cycle of life, nothing personal. It's taken me quite awhile for my recovering codependent self to realize this.
- From Fearing Rejection → To Embracing Truthful Presence
I stopped softening my voice just to keep the peace. Rejection isn’t proof of unworthiness, it’s a divine filter for alignment. And yes, I’ve revisited this lesson... moooooore than once. Healing is cyclical. Each time we revisit a pattern, we gain deeper awareness of our healing until the pattern no longer holds power. Be patient with your process.
- From Trying to Be “Good Enough” → To Being Fully Myself
There’s a massive difference between improving and erasing yourself. This year, I learned to expand into my gifts without shrinking into someone more palatable. Without mimicking others. That’s where real impact lives. Shining as the one and only you can truly shine.
A Spark of Inspiration:
What if the person you’re becoming now is the gift you’ve been preparing for your whole life? Not perfect. Not finished. But wise, brave, and unafraid to show up — even when the world doesn’t yet understand the fullness of your journey.
As you reflect on your own year, my friend, I hope you see growth isn’t about adding more strength, it’s about recognizing and unlearning what never served you.
It’s not about polishing who you already are, it’s about peeling back who you aren’t anymore. The most powerful version of you doesn’t come from becoming unrecognizable... it comes from becoming unmistakably you.
💬 Your Turn (CTA)
Looking back on this year–what truth did you finally stop denying? What shift changed everything, even if it happened quietly?
Hit reply, I’d love to witness and celebrate your becoming!!
And while you're here, how can I serve you even better next year?
More business? Less? More spiritual musings? Do you like the blend?
Something in me is toying with moving this to Substack… but would love your thoughts on the content mix on what you find most valuable :)
Happy Holidays!! Here’s to 2026 – and all the messy, magical growth ahead!
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Grateful for you.
Thank you for being here!
I want you to know I'm proud of you for continuing to learn, and I believe you have what it takes to make your entrepreneurial dreams a reality.
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