Year End Reflections and Some Gifts For You 💝

Hi there, and happy December :)

I have come to love December so much. I actually enjoy the shorter days and the very good excuse to cozy up at home. Candles, fires, hot tea.  I love the lights in the dark. I have come to trust that this part of the year is important and that the longer warmer days will return. We can’t be sunny and blooming all the time. This time of year can serve as a respite from the constant busy-ness of our culture and give us the opportunity to return to a place of rest and regulation if we let it. 

I also love the space to reflect during this time of year. Looking back to where I was last December, I track what has shifted and changed and what has grown or fallen away. I began this year feeling frustrated: why wasn’t I able to come up with any creative projects that felt resonant to me? My end of 2025 answer: because I was tired, because my body was still feeding a child, because I didn’t have the mental or emotional space for something new. What I can see now is that the space I cleared was meant for the biggest project I’ve worked on to date: my new book. The email that landed in my inbox in May inviting me to publish a professional psychology book was not something I could have predicted—and it’s been such a teacher for me so far. I have had to rearrange my schedule and have been invited over and over to stop distracting myself from the task at hand. Most good ideas have to be shelved for now. Other well-intentioned ideas have epically fallen apart. I see the ways that I get in my own way and attempt to self-sabotage my success. They say old habits die hard, and I can confirm, they do indeed. I have learned so much about myself this year.

I set some goals for myself this year too: read more books. Walk and move my body more. It’s early December and I managed to read 42 books so far this year—more than I’ve read since I had my first child in 2020. I have also walked most days of the week this year, with some exceptions of course. Both of these changes have significantly improved my life, how I feel in my body, and my overall well-being. Neither of them were bright, sparkly, dramatic changes and they certainly didn’t make it to social media (hardly anything did, ha!). But they actually moved the needle in terms of my quality of life. 

For this coming year, my goals are simple: continue to create a solid container to write this book. Go on a short writing retreat. Become better at saying no so that I can really be committed to what matters most at this moment. Say yes to projects that are aligned with my goals. Stay in my integrity. Be as present as possible with my children. Take a family vacation to the Pacific Northwest and see it with fresh eyes. Go to the coast this summer and swim in the ocean. Keep walking. Keep reading. Dig deeper into what is already feeling good. Treasure my friendships and family connections. Take care of my neighbors. Take care of myself.

I made a relational reflection for you to take some time to explore how your relationships felt in 2025, and how you might put energy into your connections in 2026. I hope it feels supportive for you. Feel free to print it out or just jot the questions down in your journal. I would love to hear how it goes for you if you’re open to sharing!

I also made a little playlist for you to reflect by :) I will link it here and include the songs below.

I am so grateful for you. I’m glad you’re in the world with me. I hope you are feeling seen and appreciated, and that you continue to grow. It’s what we’re here for.

Sending you so much love,
Elizabeth