Yearly Review: Reflections and Visions

2024 reflections and a big, blossoming vision for 2025

Each year, as the days on the calendar begin to dwindle and the anticipation for the upcoming year sets in, we often find ourselves wanting to reflect and integrate all of the year-long lessons learned, and also plan for the year ahead, which can feel like a lot of pressure.

This year, I’ve decided to let whatever amount of reflection and planning I do simply be enough. Earlier today I scrolled through my camera roll over the past twelve months, and was reminded of the many amazing moments (and lessons) I’ve gathered along the way. After witnessing the year in images, I wrote down some of the lessons learned, experiences had, and things I was proud of. I have a hard time recognizing personal progress and growth, so this exercise was also very beneficial to pause, reflect and simply witness the journey that has unfolded this past year.

2024 brought a lot of change, mainly due to uprooting our life in Austin and relocating (back) to Paris. It’s funny, because this move was not at all in the cards at the start of the year. I joked with my husband the other day because a visit wasn’t even initially part of the yearly forecast. I’m letting this circumstance act as a necessary reminder to stay open to possibility and know that our lives can completely change in a matter of months. Which I personally think is pretty special and exciting (and another reason we shouldn’t get so wrapped up in over planning.)

2025 is officially here, and while I’m anxiously excited for what’s to come, I’ve been taking these last few weeks very slow. Mainly because we’ve been in survival mode thanks to Christmas festivities, a birthday celebration for our daughter, an ER visit for our son, and personally signing off the year with the stomach flu. While part of the slowness wasn’t necessarily by choice, I also desired to take a short break before jumping into this next chapter. I “missed” several weeks posting here on Substack, and took a big step back from Instagram.

Even as Christmas passed with many “instagrammable” moments had, I decided to keep them all to myself. I also lost all interest in consuming on the app either. A strange feeling of sorts, as anytime I’ve previously stepped away from Instagram, it’s been a conscious decision that required some willpower. However, this time was totally natural. No willpower needed or boundaries required. A blissful feeling I hope will continue into the new year. But for now, onto some reflections from this past year lived:

2024 Reflections & Lessons (in-learning)

• Let it be enough: the books read, hours works, goals reached, trips taken, minutes meditated.

• Stop waiting for permission to fulfill your dreams, in both work and life.

• There is no one-size-fits-all model. Find the way that is aligned to you.

• Our anxieties of the future rob us of our peace in the present. Be here now.

• You cannot “think” your way to clarity. It can only be found through (messy) action.

• You have the power to decide where you put your energy, which in turn, informs your reality.

• Recognize and appreciate the chapter of life you’re in. Something’s are simply not meant for you (right now.) Be patient and present.

• “An unexamined life is not one worth living.” Question everything and stay curious (even the hardest of questions you may be avoiding.)

• Remain open and have trust.

My “Word” for 2025

Expanding on my point above, my word for 2025 is “openness.” I’m not typically one to choose a word for the year, however this word came to me so clearly that I’ve decided to adopt it as my intention for the year ahead.

As someone who can have such a tight grip on control and clarity, wanting to know the exact roadmap from A-Z, I’ve tried to incorporate more flow (and less force) into my life. If you’re similar to me, you know this is easier said than done. You may logically know that life in unpredictable and that plans change, regardless of how well thought out, but there’s a part of you that still relentlessly holds onto a (false) sense of control.

Over the past year and a half, as I’ve navigated another rut, I could feel myself being so closed off to the world (and the magic) around me. Moving into this year, I hope I can continue working towards a mindset of curiosity over control, embracing the possibility of opportunities I most likely can’t even imagine.

Exciting Things to Come:

I’ve decided 2025 is the year I stop putting off doing the things I really dream about, especially in my career. I’ve held several visions for years that have seemed so distant, but this year I will begin to claim them.

I stepped away from my start-up nearly two years ago, and have been trying to decide my next career move amongst a new baby and an international move. As much as I wanted clarity and forward momentum in my career, that chapter of life simply wasn’t conducive to such things. However, that familiar spark has returned—the itch to create something new. In hindsight, the timing feels divinely orchestrated; no other moment could have aligned so perfectly for me to begin this journey.

If you’ve been following here for a while now, you may know I’ve been personally examining everything from my social media habits, to my next career move, and somewhat recently released a new suite of service offerings. And while this was a necessary first step after being frozen from action for so long, I knew it wasn’t what I truly wanted to create, however I simultaneously knew it would lead me to my next, more aligned step, and it has.

While I won’t go into all the details now, I will say that 2025 is going to be a busy year! I plan on building a new business, a brand outside of myself, that will be in the hospitality space.

I’m sure I will write future posts on the process of building a new brand, as well as why I decided to do so, but it comes down to knowing myself and how I work and create best. I am someone who loves to build things. I thrive when I’m able to turn my big visions into realities, versus creating work specifically for others (i.e. clients.) Trying to build a “personal brand” as a service provider isn’t a great fit for me, which is something I believed to be true about myself, and this year only further confirmed my hypothesis. In simplest terms, I do not want to be “my brand.” I desire to build something outside of myself, that includes collaborators and perspectives other than my own. That will have it’s own identity and “life” apart from mine. It’s going to be quite the journey, and I can’t wait to see where it leads (and I hope you’ll come along with me!)

inspiration gathering for my newest endeavor!

What to Expect from Slow Sailing This Year:

I plan to continue writing this Substack (almost) each week as a personal outlet, and am really excited to see what 2025 has in store for this space. Just to give you an idea…here are a few things you can expect to see me write and share about this year:

• Paris Apartment Search & Design: We’ve been in a fully furnished rental for our first year in Paris, but we’re planning to move into an unfurnished place to truly make our home within the next 5 or so months. I am excited to share the behind the scenes of finding the place, inspiration and moodboards, flea market finds, and more.

• Building the new brand: As I mentioned above, I am planning on building a new business this year and I will be sharing some of the process here.

• Paris (and other) Recommendations: in-the-know travel recommendations and intel for your trip to Paris (and other destinations I visit.)

• Personal essays on my lived experiences, from raising our family in Paris, to multifaceted/nonlinear career paths, intentional living and more.

Side note: As I’m ideating on what this publication will look like next year, I’d love to know your thoughts! Please leave a comment (or reply directly to this email) to let me know what you’d like to hear from me in 2025.

Thank YOU

Finally, a huge, heartfelt thank you from me to you. Thank you for being here. Thank you to those who subscribe and read these words each week. To those who have left a comment or started a conversation. Your time and attention means so much to me!

Happy New Year and until next week,