100 Things that Made My Year in 2025

Happy New Year! If 2025 taught me anything, it’s that a year well-lived isn’t measured in grand gestures but in honeycrisp apples paired with walnuts, watching the sunrise from a pier at the beach, and the satisfaction of building a sauna in the freezing cold with someone you love. As we welcome 2026, here’s my love letter to all the moments—mundane and magnificent—that made last year mine.

1. Ringing in the new year in downtown Raleigh with Ravit. It was my first acorn drop. We also had fun watching some younger folks tearing it up on the dance floor while we waited for the traffic to clear up.
2. Playing with AI as an assist for writing a book (more to come on this front).
3. Ice skating at the rink in Raleigh with Olivia. It’s all fun and games until someone falls down. 🙁
4. Brunch at Tupelo Honey with Purva followed by a vision board party at Ana’s.
5. Snuggling in bed on a cold winter morning.
6. Crazy road trip to Florida with Olivia to escape the cold. Driving through a historic snowstorm (what should have taken 10 hours took closer to 24 hours) and lying by the pool in the warm sun by the end of the week.
7. Walking on the beach in Vero Beach.
8. A relaxing weekend with nowhere to go and nothing to do.
9. Random dude on the street saying to me as I walk to my car after yoga, “you’re beautiful! You’re so beautiful!”
10. Watching the Super Bowl outside with the neighbors at Dan’s house. The game was not very exciting, but the company was super.
11. My big, beautiful, Valentine’s Day bouquet from my love.
12. A sweet little bird found its way into the house. We opened the door and it flew out.
13. The quiet stillness of a mid-February snowstorm.
14. Indescribably powerful and beautiful shadow retreat at The Healing House in Raleigh.
15. Dancing with my shadow, literally and figuratively during the retreat.
16. The quiet mind, brought to me by my first cold plunge. 3 minutes in 33-degree water was a new and exciting experience.
17. Latte in a “Norm” mug (yes, Norm from Cheers) at Lanza’s coffee shop.
18. Self-care weekend (rituals at the Healing House in Raleigh + sound bath at the Yoga Shala in Carrboro) and business retreat with Ravit. Such a beautiful balanced weekend for my mind, body, and soul.
19. Walking in Duke Gardens with Ravit at the start of Spring. Noticing the white cherry blossoms in particular and their petals falling like snow.
20. Feeling energized around our new business idea.
21. Feeling so aligned with the changing of the seasons. Spring is all about growth. I’m feeling so alive.
22. Watching my sculpture spinning in the sun. It spins the most in the Spring.
23. Finding my way to Maegan Megginson. So grateful!
24. A young girl, maybe 10 or 11, came up to me in Rooms To Go and told me I’m beautiful.
25. Watching some little calves running after their mom in a field.
26. Raleigh-Durham Startup Week
27. Watching two sparrows taking a bath in a puddle on a warm Spring day.
28. Being in the audience for the recording of “Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me!” at DPAC.
29. Visiting Ravit in Pittsburgh and having an extremely productive long weekend. We awarded ourselves the “Best Retreat!” award.
30. Touring the “Nationality Rooms” at the University of Pittsburgh. If you go, ask for Aidan to be your tour guide. He was amazing! I learned so much.
31. Meeting Anna at South Point Mall and listening to the most delightful, 20-minute rant starting with Firebird taking 45 minutes to get her “a f*cking burger.”
32. The taste of a Honeycrisp apple + walnut.
33. John Oliver’s segment on minor league baseball on “Last Week Tonight” and rebranding of the Erie, OH team.
34. Lovely breeze in savasana after a sweaty yoga practice.
35. A beautiful and profound weekend spent at Carolina Beach in mid-May.
36. Listening to Kate Hamilton’s Mad Wife on my afternoon walks.
37. Watching Liam walk across the graduation stage.
38. Epic birthday trip to Cedar Point with Laura.
39. Listening to Henry tell me everything he knows about Mindcraft.
40. Playing with giant Jenga blocks with Oliver at Liam’s graduation party.
41. Pelican’s SnoBalls in Carrboro.
42. This “Smartless” interview with RZA.
43. A perfect summer Wednesday afternoon: paddleboarding and Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream.
44. Officiating the wedding of dear friends Lyndsay and Micah at the beach June 28th. The whole thing was magical!
45. Blueberry hushpuppies at Blueberries in Wrightsville. The best thing I’ve ever put in my mouth.
46. Watching the sunrise over the surfers at the beach from the pier.
47. Nearly losing Micah’s ring in the sand dune as I was walking down the path to start the ceremony.
48. Surfers cheering during a surfing competition happening behind the ceremony.
49. Rooming with Sarah Sophia at the beach.
50. Riding on a speedboat and going swimming in brackish water while the tide was coming in.
51. J’s Edith Bunker impression while he’s making me breakfast.
52. “People will let you be anything you want, except for who you are” – profound statement from J.
53. Seeing an owl on my morning walk. We watched each other for a few minutes. Feels like some kind of sign.
54. Taking a linocut printmaking class with Laura at Spark Makerspace in New London, CT.
55. Taking Odin to LEGOLand in NY, riding the Dragon’s Apprentice rollercoaster, shooting water guns on the pirate ride, riding the Duplo Train at the end, and shutting down the park.
56. Playing with Odin at the trampoline park without injuring myself.
57. Having basil & blackberry ice cream with Amanda Stern at Honeycone Craft Ice Cream in Chester, CT.
58. Seeing the Book of Mormon with Ravit in Charlotte.
59. Seeing the lemurs at Duke with Ravit.
60. The trip to West Jefferson, NC with my chosen family for Quaye’s birthday.
61. Amazing hike and views in Mount Jefferson State Natural Area.
62. Magical beach weekend at Wrightsville—a last hoorah for the summer—with Lyndsay.
63. Swimming with the schools of fish in the waves at Wrightsville Beach and seeing them jump out of the water all around us.
64. Watching the baptisms in the ocean from our balcony during Surf Church.
65. Reading Journey of Souls on the beach.
66. Lovely Saturday walk at Umstead Park with Sarah Sophia.
67. Seeing the patches of Brown-Eyed Susan blooms on the side of the road.
68. Watching the Lions beat the Ravens in Baltimore on Monday Night Football.
69. Seeing a butterfly float gently by me at an unexpected moment, snapping me back to the present moment.
70. Norah Jones playing at Open Eye, like my past self reaching out to remind me of a long forgotten part.
71. Reading R.F. Kuang’s Katabasis outside on my cute little patio on a delightful fall afternoon during a mid-day work break.
72. My Golden Hour candle.
73. Getting back to walking while listening to audiobooks more consistently in the morning.
74. Long Sunday morning walks with J.
75. Inviting in nourishing contraction—my intention for the fall retreat about Reigniting my Vision.
76. Incredible, transformative retreat in Portland, OR. Manifesting a rainbow. Reconnecting with my past self, Lil’ Emmy. Alternating between the cold plunge and sauna. Dots being connected faster than my mind could keep up with.
77. The cute little A-Frame we rented in Black Mountain for our anniversary weekend.
78. Prince’s “7,” my new favorite song. Thanks to Genine for adding it to our shared playlist.
79. 4 delicious pies from Baked Pie Company in Arden, NC on our anniversary.
80. Spontaneous dance party with J on a crisp, October Friday morning.
81. Reading outside in the sun for a couple of hours on a lovely Saturday afternoon, the first day of November.
82. Hitting up the Carrboro Farmer’s Market with J.
83. Morning cuddles on a crisp Tuesday.
84. Odin’s 4th birthday party at the trampoline park.
85. Seeing Wicked on Broadway with Laura and Mom.
86. Sweet card and note from Genine with our Witch Garden Elf stickers.
87. Dancing with the rainbows during yoga practice.
88. Thanksgiving at Lyndsay and Micah’s.
89. Sitting around the fire with the yoga fam during the Full Moon in Gemini party.
90. Debriefing after networking events with Jessica.
91. Embodying my word of the year “magnetic.”
92. Building the sauna with J. It was so freaking cold, but it felt good to build something together.
93. Hanging out in the sauna on Christmas Eve with Lyndsay. Then hanging out in the sunshine with Lyndsay and Bodhi.
94. Quiet Christmas at home with my love, including a long walk around the neighborhood in the beautiful weather.
95. Reading by the fire.
96. The weekly rituals I’m creating for myself. Weekly card pulls, incense in my office, lighting candles whenever I get a chance.
97. Bike ride on the ATT with my love on a warm, sunny December day.
98. Madmen marathon the week between Christmas and New Years.
99. Reiki + sauna session to usher out 2025 and welcome 2026.
100. Learning to trust myself and this journey I’m on.

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