As the temperature drops and the holiday lights begin to twinkle, I find myself reflecting on the magic, and emotion, that this time of year always seems to stir up. The memories, the gratitude, the grief, the growth. This season invites us to pause, feel it all, and remember that the real magic often comes from within.
Magic and Manifestation
This time of year always gets this sensitive girl feeling all the feels.
The beauty of the leaves, now falling. The way darkness settles in sooner. The first sparkle of Christmas lights, decorations appearing on porches, familiar on the radio. Memories come rushing back: holidays as a child, cozy Thanksgiving dinners with loved ones, and two back-to-back Christmas parties, Christmas Eve at my parents’ house, Christmas night with my cousins.
I think of the family members we’ve lost, the ones we’ve gained, and how everything seems to hit all at once. When I zoom out and look at it as a whole, it’s magic. I am truly blessed and deeply grateful.
But even with all that gratitude, these deep emotions can be hard to sit with. While so many people seem to feel pure joy this time of year, I often feel a swirl of emotions - some sweet, some heavy. In the past, I can see why I wanted to numb out and coast through the season. But now I know that clarity and presence are the better path.
Feeling the feels, moving through them in a way that protects my peace yet deepens my gratitude - that’s where the real growth happens.
The other night, on a call with my No Shame Society group, we talked (I learned) about the 11/11 portal - a time people say is powerful for reflecting on what we want out of life and for manifesting those things.
I’ve never fully bought into manifestation as magic, but I do believe this:
when you want something deeply, and you pair that desire with hard work, self-awareness, and a positive mindset, life has a way of leading you exactly where you’re meant to go, or to a version of it that’s even better than what you pictured.
During that call, I had my “2025” notebook beside me and flipped to the page where I had written my goals last November (at the top of the page, it said 11/2024). I smiled as I read through a few of them:
Maintain an alcohol-free lifestyle
Introduce weight training into my workouts
Manage frustrations with my girls better (less yelling)
Practice meditation and breathwork more intentionally
Stay active in a sober community and join at least one meeting per week
And then it hit me, every single one of those goals, and more, have become part of who I am today. Not a checklist. Not a temporary burst of motivation. Actual growth. Identity-level change.
I shared that realization with the group, feeling proud, grounded, and honestly a little emotional. Maybe there is something more magical about this season than just the lights and the music.
Maybe it’s the perfect time to sit quietly with yourself. To honor how far you’ve come, to dream about where you want to go, and to think intentionally about what you need to get there.
So, in the spirit of 11/11, here are my Hopes & Intentions for 2026
Continue to maintain an alcohol-free lifestyle and protect the clarity it’s created in my life.
Parent with presence and patience, validating my girls’ feelings, teaching problem-solving, modeling emotional regulation, and giving them (and myself) space to make mistakes.
Continue practicing emotional regulation and manage frustrations more intentionally, especially in the moments that matter most.
Take more weekend getaways with my family, to places like Western Maryland, the Eastern Shore, the Poconos, Cape May, Lancaster, etc. Exploring our area of the country while making memories as a family.
Practice listening to understand, slowing my responses and asking clarifying questions before offering advice.
Keep reading all the books. Five years ago, I read zero; this year, more than seventy. I want to keep that momentum going.
Care for my body in small, consistent ways, breaking the nail-biting habit, making morning smoothies, following my dermatologist-recommended skincare routine, continuing meditation and breathwork, and adding micro-movement throughout my day.
Plan monthly date time with my husband, even simple walks, just the two of us.
Learn photography as my new skill, using it as a way to see beauty, tell stories, and capture moments with intention.
Take a dance class to bring more movement, fun, and self-expression into my year.
Wake up earlier and refine my morning routine to create more calm, clarity, and structure at the start of each day.
Earn a promotion at work by showing up with confidence, strategy, leadership, and consistency.
Write at least one Substack article per month, with thoughtful posts, comments, and community engagement in between.
Celebrate the people I love more often (weekly) with quick congratulations texts, handwritten notes, or calls just to say, “I’m proud of you.”
As I look ahead, I realize that maybe manifestation isn’t about wishing something into existence, it’s about aligning yourself with the life you want. The magic is already within us; this season just helps bring it to the surface.
What about you?
As the year winds down, take a moment to reflect.
What magic from this past year are you carrying forward, and what hopes are you setting for 2026?
I would love to hear them in the comments or replies!
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