Whew....We Made It. Hello, 2026

Whew.

Like....deep breath whew.

We really made it into 2026, and it feels unreal. I swear I was just sitting here last year saying "okay, next year is going to be different and now here we are. Time really said blink and I'll move on without you.

but before we rush forward, I wanted to pause. Just for a minute. because if there's one thing I've learned, it's reflection matters just as much as momentum.

Looking Back at Everthing We built

Last year wasn't just another year. It was a foundation year.

I started a blog.

Then somehow...I started a podcast too (still wild to me)

I shared stories I never thought I'd say out loud.

I talked about healing, faith, gaming, motherhood, trauma, and rebuilding from scratch.

What started as " I just need somewhere to put my thoughts" turned into

readers showing up

listeners turning in

messages saying " I needed this"

a community that felt real and safe.

that alone feels like a win I never want to take lightly.

What I Learned Along the Way

I learned that

• consistency matters more than perfection

• my voice doesn't need to sound like anyone else's

• healing isn't linear (and that's okay)

• cozy can coexist with growth

• and building something slow doesn't mean building something small

I also learned that some days, showing up looks like a full blog post...

and other days, it looks like giving yourself grace and trying again tomorrow.

Both counts.

The Mistakes? Oh, We Made Those Too

Let's rea real it wasn't all smooth.

I overthought things.

I doubted myself.

I waited too long to hit publish sometimes.

I tried to do too much at once.

I underestimated how emotionally draining growth can be.

But here's the thing

Those mistakes didn't derail me. They thought me.

They showed me what doesn't work.

They forced me to slow down.

They helped me build boundaries with platforms, with people and with myself.

Why I'm Proud of Last Year (even With the Mess)

I didn't quit.

That's it. That's the sentence.

Even when it felt heavy.

Even when growth was slow.

Even when doubt was loud.

I kept writing

I kept showing up

I kept building.

And that's what really matters.

Stepping Into 2026 With Intention

This year feels different not because everything is magically perfect, but because I'm grounded. I know what I'm building. I know why I'm building it. And I'm no longer chasing approval or comparison.

2026 isn't about proving anything.

It's about continuing

Writing daily.

Sharing honestly.

Creating intentionally.

Letting this space grow naturally.

If you're reading this thank you for being here. Whether you've been here from the beginning or you just found this blog, I'm grateful you're part of this little corner of the internet.

Here's to a new year.

Here's to growth.

Here's to lessons learned.

And here's to everything still unfolding

Hello, 2026

Let's see what we build together.