I lived life on hard mode this 2025.
Do I regret it? No. Maybe I didn’t have much of a choice, or maybe I chose it anyway, knowing I’d feel accomplished on the other side.
In the spirit of closing out the year, and partly out of tradition, I found myself rereading (and writing) last year’s “Best of”. So here’s how 2025 unfolded for me, and looking back on the year that was…
Speaking at CreativeMornings Berlin and sharing my story to strangers to kickstart the year
Becoming a Skillshare teacher, fulfilling a lifelong dream, and publishing two classes this year (plus working with the best people)
Embracing the cringe as I documented my life on video the most this year, and really put myself out there (and reached 75k subscribers!)
Preparing for the SF Pen Show which landed me a partnership with some of my favorite brands and creating a new sticker book
Diving into different kinds of freelance work that ultimately tested my patience and tolerance (some projects, I will never say “yes” to again, and that’s okay)
I renewed my German residence permit. Deciding to stay for another three years wasn’t easy, especially with past plans to move to the US, but everything that followed reminded me to trust the process.
I reframed my relationship with fitness and food. I had so much internal struggles (with PCOS and all) and I really invested in taking care of myself. So grateful to Rachel and to myself for showing up at every workout and choosing to cook more nourishing food (and not depriving myself in the process).
I moved into my own apartment in my favorite neighborhood! So glad that I asked for help a lot, and I’m extremely grateful to family (finally, a reason to convince my mom and sister to visit) and friends who made it more manageable for me. Turns out, I love being by myself and learning all the quirks and habits as I settle into my own space.
I graduated from psychotherapy. Looking back at who I was when I first met my therapist in 2023 and who I am now, she and I both knew that I’ve changed so much and have been better at regulating my emotions. How does a Capricorn do that? I honestly don’t know. I just try! 🤪
I finished so many journals this year! I know this should (technically) be part of Creative Projects, but I think of this more as a personal achievement. I stopped categorizing it as a project and made it more of a practice. And yes, if this wasn’t my job, I would still be keeping these journals all the same.
Bonus: I chopped all my long hair off last March! Call it placebo or cliché, but I felt like a new person after that.
Going camping for the first time in the south of Germany
I have a love-hate relationship with my two trips to the UK (because they were crazy expensive) but they deserve a spot here nonetheless lol (London in May, London/Liverpool in October)
Experiencing the summer heatwave (and a bit of Asian fare) in Düsseldorf
A week on the road with Jackie, living out my Cars dreams in the USA
My solo trip to Tokyo was special and well-deserved
My big and roomy Daunt Books tote that holds everything
Upgraded to a larger backpack from Everlane and it’s been my travel buddy ever since
Noise cancelling AirPods—life changing is an understatement
Jeans that flatter my figure. I bought wide leg ones from Madewell and barrel ones from Everlane, after not wearing jeans for years.
I said it in my stationery favorites, but I’ll say it again—I love a good fountain pen, and TWSBI Eco won this year.
Bonus: buying a rice cooker and bigger pots for my kitchen lol
Kansas Anymore (The Longest Goodbye) was my album of the year. I danced to Sally, When the Wine Runs Out, and caught myself humming the bridge of Some Protector while doing the dishes.
Spotify said my listening age was in the 70s, no surprise since I bounced between my usual indie picks and Fleetwood Mac’s discography. I leaned into a lot more 70s and 80s music this year, which felt like a fun bonus.
I was late to the Djo party, but The Crux got me through winter and straight into the Stranger Things fandom. My favorites shifted from Delete Ya to Basic Being Basic to Potion, and now Golden Line is on repeat. There’s a Beatlesque quality to his sound that I really love.
Shoutout to Sabrina Carpenter’s sophomore album Manchild. Nobody’s Son was my anthem last autumn.
Long baths on cold nights were for Anything Goes, while Sunday chores were accomplished to a T thanks to Song Exploder.
I didn’t read for the second half of the year, so my favorites from the first half remain.
I watched Perfect Days, A Real Pain, The Florida Project, and Eternity for the first time this year (and loved them all).
As for TV, I had pockets of peak watching every quarter—the most recent being Stranger Things, and a memorable one being The Bear S4 last summer. Of course, how could we forget the weekly episode drops of The Summer I Turned Pretty’s final season? That was so much fun watching it together with the rest of the world.
I learned to appreciate the season of life I’m in and stop questioning myself the way I did in my twenties.
I learned that asking more questions keeps me, and my ever-curious brain, engaged with life.
I learned to listen to myself more through my body, my thoughts, and my disposition. Sometimes chaotic, but manageable.
I learned that I don’t thrive on just one creative outlet, and that’s okay. I’ve loved finding my way back to writing.
I learned to stop thinking too far ahead into the future because it disrupts my present frame of mind. Borrowing a line from Perfect Days: “Next time is next time, now is now.”
My word of the year was balance.
At first, I thought this meant work and life balance.
As the year went on, it took on a simpler meaning: knowing when to pause and when to keep going. If I worked overtime one day, I cut my hours the next. I stopped forcing myself to give 100 percent when I knew I didn’t have it in me, especially during certain times of the month. I’m learning to preserve my energy and listen to my body with more care.
I have no grand plans for 2026. I want to enjoy my rent, travel less, create more, and maintain a flexible routine that keeps me grounded and healthy. No word of the year, no Techo Kaigi, no vision board either. Check back in on January 14, my official new year and birthday.
I hope you close out the year gently and step into 2026 feeling both excited and hopeful. Thanks for being here!
💛 Abbey
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