2025: the year I somehow stabbed myself with a spoon

2025 ended in a way I never could have predicted. I was making rice krispies treats and mixing them in a bowl, when I was stirring so vigorously that the wooden spoon I was using snapped in half, and I accidentally stabbed myself with the broken spoon.

I immediately felt like the karate kid. I did not know my own strength.

I went to the emergency room where they cleaned out the excess spoon from inside my hand…. and stitched me up. When I initially told the nurse I stabbed myself with a spoon, she did not believe me. She only understood after my mom brought out the weapon from her purse. She suggested to avoid confusing people, I just should say it was a knife.

But here we are. Closing out the year with the spoon wound of 2025.

Still, 2025 was still memorable in other ways. On new year’s eve, a group of us danced at a house party as midnight quickly approached. With only a few minutes to go, one friend yelled over the music, asking us the biggest lesson we each learned in 2025.

Immediately, I knew what it was. It showed me I could adapt to anything.

January 2025 started off with me facing my worst fears - going back into eye surgery after two years of being in remission.

I never felt as much fear and dread as I did in those weeks leading up to surgery, but I got through it. And a huge part of this was having friends and family there to help me. To remind me I wasn’t going through it alone. That I could not only face it, but come out on the other side, even stronger than before.

Since that time, I’ve been able to keep adapting, to keep remembering that I can get through any hard moment, and to feel grateful for such an incredible support system.

This feeling of resilience has helped me through other hard moments of this past year as well. Another eye surgery, after that first one was unsuccessful. Losing partial vision in my left eye. It only took until November for my eyes to really feel stable again, and now that they are, I feel ready to look towards this new year with more optimism and openness.

Plus, there were some pretty wonderful moments from 2025, too. I danced and painted a lot. I got my own apartment for the first time in 5 years. I got to dj at a festival in italy. I finally got an air fryer and it was pretty cool.

After being unsettled for so long because of my health, and then from traveling and being nomadic, once I got my place in August, I decided I would stay there, even though it was always my inclination to escape. To start over. And while it felt uncomfortable at times, I’m glad I stayed. Turns out, not living out of a suitcase and having a place to hang up art is pretty great. I love building a home that reflects my taste and all my chicken decor. I love that I’m in one place long enough that I’m able to be there for the people in my life. I love this community that makes me feel so seen and understood.

I’m not saying I’m done with traveling — in fact, I’m going to Thailand next Monday for a dance facilitation training. But for the first time, I’ll be coming back to a home, instead of wondering where I’ll return to.

As we head into this new year, I keep thinking about my intentions. And I know I want to practice embracing the present more, rather than always trying to be everywhere at once. I want to let go of resistance and instead, surrender to what is. I want to slow down more, and keep learning what it means to ground myself in one place. And I also definitely want to stay away from wooden spoons for a while.

If you’re also still feel reflective a few days into the new year and live in New York, I’ll be hosting an “Intentions for the New Year: Art & Journaling Workshop” at Recess Grove in Williamsburg tomorrow evening! It just sold out, but a few more spots will be released tonight and tomorrow. You can find out more info here.

I hope to see you tomorrow if you can make it, and thank you, as always, for reading!

Love,

Julia