Wrapping Up 2025: A Year of Finding My Voice

As I sit here on the last day of 2025, I'm reflecting on a year that has been full of unexpected shifts and small victories. When I started this blog years ago, it was just a space to document everyday life—the moments with my family, my dogs, Stella and Thor, random projects, and whatever was on my mind. But somewhere along the way this year, things started to change. I found myself wanting to share more intentionally, to connect with others who might be looking for the same products I love or trying to figure out their own path forward. The shift from personal blogging to something more purposeful hasn't been easy, and honestly, I'm still figuring it out. But I'm grateful for the journey.

This year brought its share of challenges—kitchen experiments that didn't quite go as planned (looking at you, two-day bread), learning curves with new platforms like ShopMy, and the reality check that building an audience takes time and patience. But it also brought wins I didn't expect. I discovered products that genuinely made my life better, like those ACTIVE cleaning solutions and the AZURE face serum. I got more comfortable sharing my style and my "favorite things" without overthinking it. And maybe most importantly, I started to believe that my voice—even if it's reaching just a handful of people right now—has value.

As I look ahead to 2026, I'm choosing gratitude over perfection. I'm thankful for every person who has stumbled across this little corner of the internet, for the creative outlets this blog gives me, and for the way it pushes me to try new things even when they feel uncomfortable. Change is messy and slow, but it's also where the good stuff happens. So here's to another year of showing up, sharing honestly, and trusting that the right people will find their way here when they're meant to. Thank you for being part of this journey with me—however you got here. Happy New Year! 💛

-Melissa