2025: a reflection
If last year was about the “soaring highs,” this year was about the grit it takes to stay up there.
Looking back at my 2024 reflection, I remember calling it a “whirlwind” and a “rollercoaster.” I thought I knew what those words meant back then, while I was sipping champagne in France or celebrating my engagement in the Chicago summer heat. But 2025? This year didn’t just ride the rollercoaster—it rebuilt the tracks while I was mid-loop, upside down, wondering if I’d strapped myself in tight enough.
The career high and finding my voice
Last year, I talked about the burnout that was starting to shadow how I felt about my success. I’m happy to report that 2025 became the year of the recovery—and then some. Instead of just running on the treadmill of a demanding job, I actually started building my own path. My career hasn’t just “stayed on track”; it’s officially taken off by standing firm on principles and letting go of the things that don’t matter. It’s been hard work to find that balance.
My creative highlight? Launching the podcast. There is something incredibly terrifying and yet so fulfilling about putting your point of view out into the world. I’ve found my voice this year, and even if it’s just for my small, dedicated circle of subscribers, sharing my perspective has been the creative outlet I didn’t know I was craving—not to mention the steep learning curve! I now consider myself an amateur (very amateur…) “podcast producer.” But please—any experts out there, I’d happily take some guidance!
And then there’s GreenBays Golf. After helping to launch this new business with my partner in 2024 and expanding in 2025, it’s been another “labour of love” (the first of many this year, it turns out!). However, it now comes with a settling comfort that no longer keeps me up at night. This experience already has me looking at how to bring similar ventures to fruition in Australia... if only there were more hours in the day!
The personal rollercoaster: loss and gain
While my professional life felt like a steady climb, my personal life was the true rollercoaster. I’ve spent the better part of this year on a journey I wasn’t fully prepared for. We navigated the heart-wrenching lows of pregnancy loss, followed by the cautious, breath-holding hope of pregnancy gain.
I spent so many months hyper-focused on the goal: get pregnant. Then, once that happened, the focus shifted to a daily mantra: stay pregnant (something other prospective parents may resonate with, especially those who’ve experienced loss). I realized recently that I was so consumed by the “getting there” that I almost forgot to look at the destination. I’m having a baby. Like, a real human being who will be here, in my house, very soon…
Winging it in a world with no blueprint
As I look toward 2026, the “nervous excitement” I mentioned last year has transformed into a full-blown “I have no idea what I’m doing.” Next year brings uncertainty—a new baby in a world where I literally have no idea what I’m doing. No sisters to copy, no nephews or nieces in close proximity to practice on... I’m getting used to the idea of entering the “winging it” phase of my life.
Will I thrive? Will I sink? To be honest, I’m not sure. I’m looking at the concept of being a “mum” and then later a “working mum,” and I am yet to really comprehend what that looks like. It feels like a blank canvas—which is both beautiful and deeply intimidating.
Taking a leaf out of his book
Thankfully, I’m not doing this alone. My partner, in all his “let’s just take it day by day” glory, has been my anchor. While I’m over here trying to project-manage 2026 with a newborn before they’ve even arrived, he’s reminding me to chill with the constant question: “Do we have to decide now?” The answer is almost always no…
I’m trying to take a leaf out of his book. I’m learning to be confident that we will figure it out on the fly. Maybe the “balance” I was searching for in 2024 isn’t a static state I reach, but rather the ability to wobble and not fall over.
So, here’s to 2025—the year that gave me a step up in my career, my voice, my business curiosity, and my biggest challenge yet. And here’s to 2026, the great unknown.
Wish me luck. I have a feeling I’m going to need it.