A Look Back at 2025

We can all agree that this year has felt like 10 years packed into one, yeah? Started off the year with the Detroit Lions losing the playoff game against the Washington Commanders, thereby disqualifying them from the Super Bowl AGAIN. Granted, they had an incredible 15-2 season and were the No. 1 seed, but there was definitely heartbreak after coming so close, like we did last year, and having it snatched away. And of course, two days later, Trump became president AGAIN. History likes to repeat itself, I’ve noticed, and if those two things weren’t foreshadowing for the long, challenging—to put it lightly—road ahead, I don’t know what was.

Let’s be real: These days, “How are you?” is a loaded question. There’s not enough time to unpack everything I’ve been feeling in a three-second exchange, so here’s the truth. The first half of this year completely tore my heart to shreds, obliterated any trust I had in anyone outside my immediate circle, came in hot with burnout, and nearly brought me to my knees. I spent a lot of mental energy beating myself up over simple mistakes at work, skipping out on opportunities to hang with friends when I probably needed it most, destroying my mental health by reading too much news, and being overall too overwhelmed to make simple choices. For much of the year, I felt stuck in a perpetual cycle of forward momentum without any time to recover, and it left me feeling despondent, numb and shut down. The good news is that when the pendulum swings too far in one direction, it’s destined to return.

The second half of the year managed to fill my cup and keep me standing. It helped me forge new relationships and friendships, rekindle old ones, and check my privilege and be grateful for it. I’m heading into 2026 with far less patience for the internet and a renewed commitment to focusing my attention offline. After all, it’s only in real-life community that I’m reminded everything will be OK.

At the time of this writing, we’re ending the year the same way we started. The Lions are not headed to the Super Bowl next year, despite our highest hopes, and Trump continues to wreak havoc on our nation. But setting all of that aside, along with the roller coaster of heavy emotions I’ve carried this year, something hit me as I flipped back through photos for this post: 2025 was a lot of fun. A lot of needed fun, and it brought a sense of balance back into my everyday life.

With all of that said, before we dive into this recap, let’s revisit a couple of things.

Visiting Megan in KC

Festa Italiana at Freedom Hill

Tim reading to his nephew, Bart

Group Dinner in Traverse City

On Patience & Slowing Down

As you may or may not remember from last year’s recap, my intention for this year was to cultivate more patience and move more slowly through the world. That didn’t quite work out. Patience never even showed up to the party — it ghosted me completely. Instead, I found myself losing patience for shallow conversations and long-winded stories, consuming anything that doesn’t support my mental health, spending money on low-quality things, and for capitalism in general. In that sense, though, I did cultivate more patience but just for the things that actually matter.

As for slowing down? Forget it. Most of the year felt like full force ahead, constantly putting out fires and, on some days, hanging on by a thread. Even so, I can feel myself gradually easing the pace by not overscheduling myself and by letting the natural stillness of winter help me reset. I’m also carving out more time for what fills my cup: reading, sleeping and taking naps, sharing meals with friends, going to comedy shows, cooking, moving my body, writing, and outsourcing the work and chores I no longer want to carry alone.

I’ve also been more intentional about inviting play and joy back into my life — a conscious choice as we head into what will undoubtedly be a challenging few years in our political landscape. I don’t want to wait until retirement or the “end” to enjoy my life. I don’t know how much time I have, and life isn’t meant to be lived exclusively in the fast lane, saving rest and fun for last. I want to live now, while I’m here.

So rather than planting a stake in the ground and treating patience and a slower pace of life as an end goal, I’m using them as my north star, as a guide to help me recalibrate whenever life starts to fall out of balance.

January Tradition

Out with New Year’s resolutions, in with January traditions. For the past few years, I’ve unintentionally started a tradition of trying something new each January to (1) keep cabin fever at bay and (2) do something outside my element and normal routine. It not only recalibrates my mindset but also helps set the tone for the year ahead. Back in 2023, it was physical therapy—though not by choice. In 2024, I took Bollywood classes and ice skating lessons, and this year, it was improv classes. All that said, I’m taking suggestions for the start of 2026. Ideally, I’d like it to be something I can continue doing for a few months instead of a one-off experience, but I’m flexible.

Some things I’ve considered include going to a shooting range to shoot a gun for the first time, public speaking lessons, or committing to working out in the mornings instead of evenings. What’s something new and challenging you’ve tried that you really enjoyed?

Still Feeling Electric?

In the last quarter of 2024, Tim and I both leased our first electric vehicles (EVs), and I’m circling back with a few thoughts on our experience. We’ve had them for over a year now, and true to what I said last year, I really like my Hyundai Ioniq 5. It’s a very quiet, smooth ride, and design-wise, it looks like a spaceship. What’s not to love about that? I also appreciate the rearview camera — even if there’s snow on the back window, I can still see behind me without having to wipe everything off.

That said, it does get annoying when the cameras on the front and sides get wet or blocked with snow because the car constantly beeps as if there’s an obstruction or I’m about to hit something. I also wish it had an actual glove box in the center console rather than an open, shallow basket. It makes the car feel messy and disorganized.

Whenever I drive Tim’s Mustang Mach-E, it feels like a huge vehicle to maneuver, and it’s a bit clunky to drive. I do prefer the interior design, especially the center display and button accessibility, but overall, the Mach-E hasn’t lived up to the hype. It was originally the EV I wanted, but I’m glad I didn’t go that route.

Overall, I wish we had waited to get EVs because the infrastructure just isn’t there yet in terms of charging station availability, and the battery life doesn’t last as long as I’d hoped. Because of that, I’m reluctant to drive long distances without knowing there will be reliable charging stations along the route. Day to day, it’s not a huge issue for me since I don’t have a long commute and can get away with charging once a week, but Tim has to charge his car almost every night.

Lastly, we’re not really saving money on gas because that money now goes toward a higher electric bill at home, since we installed a charger in our garage.

As a society, I think we’re definitely moving toward EVs becoming the majority, but it’s going to take some time. We just jumped on board a little too early.

Poi keeping me calm during the Lions game.

Now everybody scream for Jellybean!

Feeling excited to celebrate the dogs’ birthdays.

Favorite Eats & Treats

• Chocolate Chip Cookies from Sugar Spun Run

• The Brunch Bar (Brunch/Breakfast // Rochester Hills)

• Forest Bakery (Pastry // Oak Park)

• Kacha Thai Market (Thai // Royal Oak)

• Ginza Ramen (Japanese // Clinton Twp.)

• Karam Brunch House (Brunch/Breakfast // Dearborn)

• La Fonda Street (Mexican // Detroit)

• Girl & The Goat (Modern American // Chicago)

• Tangled Apron (Brunch/Breakfast // Macomb)

• Ray’s Pizzeria (Pizza // Sterling Heights)

• Gathers Tea Bar (Boba // Chicago)

• Kazkara Coffee Roasters (Coffee // Hazel Park)

Favorite Shows & Movies

• Perfect Days (Rented on Amazon)

• Contraband: Seized at the Airport (Discovery+)

• The Haiyaa Special by Nigel Ng (Rented on Apple TV+)

• David Blaine: Do Not Attempt (Hulu)

• Grand Sumo Highlights (Youtube // NHK World Japan)

• The Six Triple Eight (Netflix)

• Daughters of Destiny (Netflix)

• Iliza Shlesinger: A Different Animal (Prime Video)

• Loot (Season 3 - Apple TV+)

• The Morning Show (Season 4 - Apple TV+)

• Who Does She Think She Is? by Victoria Beckham (Netflix)

• Nobody Wants This (Season 2 // Netflix)

Milestones

• 5 year anniversary with Tim

• 4 years in our house

• 3 years at my current job

• Jellybean turned 3 years old

• Poi turned 2 years old

Favorite Books

• The Women - Kristin Hannah

• Culpability - Bruce Holsinger

• All the Way to the River - Elizabeth Gilbert

• The Original Daughter - Jemimah Wei

• What Will People Think? - Sara Hadman

Click here to check out all the books I read this year.

Movement

The year started off better than it ended in terms of movement. Same as years past, most of my exercise came from walking the dogs, Kira Stokes workouts, and yoga through the Yoga With Adriene and Yoga With Kassandra YouTube channels.

In early winter, I was playing badminton every other Wednesday at the Warren Athletic Club. It felt good to get out of the house during my least favorite season and stay active while connecting with friends. As winter melted into spring, I started riding my bike more frequently and spending more time outside. By the time summer gave way to fall, I had signed up for a Mat Pilates class at my local community center, only to quit three weeks in because it wasn’t challenging enough. More recently, I even went to my first spin class in years and crushed it. I have no intention of integrating spin classes into my regular workout regimen, but I do dream of one day having a basement large enough to fit a stationary bike, treadmill and stair climber.

In the new year, I’d like to try a cardio drumming class and find a way to get back to my dancing roots.

New Patio

No Kings Rally

Fall SHINE Day

2025 Highlights & Lowlights

All the Therapy

Tim and I struggled through much of the first half of the year with busy schedules that left us like passing ships in the night. In our worn-down states, our ability to communicate suffered. With Tim back in school to earn his master’s degree and the general state of the world weighing heavily on both of us, the way we thought and operated just wasn’t lining up. It felt like our relationship was failing, so we started couples therapy sessions to help bring us back together. On top of that, we were—and still are—both in our own individual therapy sessions. It was grim for a while, but I’m happy to report that we’re in a much better spot as we close out the year.

Parking Tickets

Early this year, I got two parking tickets within 48 hours of each other — one in Royal Oak for not backing into a parking space and one in Detroit for parking in what was apparently a permit zone. To my fault, I didn’t see a posted sign, especially since there was a machine to pay for parking right next to my spot. It was a double whammy.

Activist Era

Toward the end of last year, Tim joked that I was entering my activist era, and this year, it truly started to take shape. Sitting at home doomscrolling through the endless, horrendous news cycle was doing nothing except deepening my unease, fear and anger. At some point, I realized I needed to channel that energy into something tangible, both for my own sanity and for our collective well-being.

So I started showing up. This summer, I attended my first-ever No Kings Rally and was deeply moved by the turnout. It was reassuring to see that even some of the most conservative areas of Michigan are fed up with Trump’s bullshit. That momentum pushed me further, and I signed up to help collect signatures for the Invest in My Kids initiative, which aims to increase funding for public education by taxing individuals who earn $500,000 annually or couples who earn $1 million.

That spirit of pitching in extended to my own community, too. For the first time, I volunteered for my city’s SHINE program, which assists residents with property maintenance when age, physical disabilities or financial hardship make it difficult to manage on their own. And I’m going to keep this momentum going into 2026.

All Pain, No Gain

Ever since I’ve known him, Tim has struggled with nagging shoulder and neck pain that has only worsened over the years. Through an MRI and various doctor consultations, we learned that he has degenerative disc disease, something that runs in his family and has been causing pain in his neck and shoulder, as well as tingling in his arm. While his condition seems to have improved slightly, the pain still comes and goes. Thankfully it doesn’t hinder his daily activities or his pickleball game.

My improv crew

Puppy Yoga at RELEASE

Ceramics class at Clawson Clay Guild

Elizabeth Gilbert at The Michigan Theater

Just for Laughs

• Kumail Nanjiani (Feb.)

• Tina Fey & Amy Poehler (April)

• Taylor Tomlinson (May)

• Hannah Berner (Oct.)

• Iliza Shlesinger (Oct.)

• Sophie Buddle (Oct.)

• Randy Feltface (Nov.)

• Jordan Klepper (Dec.)

Just for Fun

• Improv Classes (January - May)

• Activate (Jan.)

• Puppy Yoga (March)

• Ceramics Class (July)

• Elizabeth Gilbert Book Tour (Sept.)

• Mosaic Lamp Workshop (Nov.)

• Candle Making Workshop (Nov.)

• Glass Blowing Workshop (Nov.)

The fabulous women of Community Relations

Sometimes we have fun at work

It’s easy as THC

Call me your sober, vanilla queen because I don’t drink, smoke or do drugs. But for the first time ever, I set foot in a dispensary—mainly for shits and giggles—and what an experience. I had to check in at a front desk and be escorted to the back where all the goods were. A textbook murder plot.

I was greeted and assisted by a young woman named Saweetie (I swear I can’t make this up), who gave the rundown on all the different candies, edibles and gummies they had available. I broke her heart—her words, not mine—when I walked out empty-handed. I didn’t plan on buying anything anyway, but this year, I started taken the occasional gummy to help me sleep better.

New Patio & New Water Heater

Over the summer, we finally pulled the trigger and had our back patio redone. All of the ragged, broken pavers were replaced with a fresh, beautiful concrete slab, complete with plenty of seating for outdoor barbecues and bonfires. We’d been sitting on this decision for a while, and it was the one house project at the top of my wish list, so I’m happy and thankful we were able to make it happen this year. We also ended up replacing our water heater (definitely not planned) after the old one started leaking. With that unexpected expense behind us, I’m hoping this is the last of the surprise home repairs for a while.

Mental Health

This was the worst year in recent memory for my mental health and overall stress levels. This summer, I went through an anti-social era when I didn’t want to hang out with anyone or text anyone back. All I wanted was to go to work, come home, and curl up on the couch with a book or sit in my egg chair in the backyard and generally just be left alone. There were days when I was so inside my head that, while walking the dogs, I would cross the street just to avoid talking to neighbors. By the end of the year though, I gradually snapped out of that fog and started making plans with friends again who were equally committed to spending time together. There was an abundance of much-needed time with friends including dinner parties, restaurant outings and artsy activities.

Sterlingfest

Sterlingfest is the annual music, food and art festival my city puts on, and my department is the one that organizes it every year. This year, poor communication among coworkers, combined with scattered information coming from all directions, made the lead-up feel more stressful and overwhelming than it needed to be. As a result, I didn’t enjoy it as much. Plus, the weather was so fickle — the rain on the first night drove a lot of people away — that the whole event just felt off. Hopefully next year will go more smoothly and feel more fun and exciting again.

Travel

• Kansas City (May) - Went to visit my cousin Megan (hey, girl!), see Taylor Tomlinson’s comedy show live, and eat some finger-lickin’-good BBQ. Not only was it nice to get some one-on-one cousin time, but I learned that our family is growing. Megan and her husband, Aron, are expecting their first baby boy at the top of 2026!

• Japan (Aug.) - It had been seven years between moving back to America and visiting Japan again, and my trip really filled my cup. Got to see a whole bunch of friends, eat all the delicious food, do some hiking, relax by the sea and so much more. Only downside? I forgot how suffocating Japan summers can be, so next time I go back, it’ll be in the fall.

• Chicago (Sept.) - I took the Amtrak train to Chicago for the first time, and it did not disappoint. The highlight was seeing Dua Lipa live in concert — her vocals were sharp, the vibe was very Showgirls-themed, and the whole night felt like a giant dance party with friends. I was impressed that even at a sold-out show, most people snapped a few photos and videos during the first couple of songs and then put their phones away to enjoy the performance. Honestly, it restored my faith in humanity. I also ate at Stephanie Izard’s Girl & the Goat, which was phenomenal. I had a seat at the kitchen counter, where I watched every dish being cooked and served. I still dream about their zucchini bread!

• Moab (Sept.) - Spent four days based in Moab, Utah exploring the national parks. Absolutely incredible. It was four days of back-to-back hiking among the beautiful red rocks, and the whole time it felt like we were on Mars or the moon. It was rejuvenating to be offline, to be present with the group and reconnect with each other’s humanity.

• Chicago (Oct.) - Took the train down (again!) on a Friday night, saw Iliza Shlesinger’s comedy show live, attended Kamala Harris’ book tour stop at The Auditorium on Saturday, and caught Sophie Buddle’s stand-up hour at Zanies. I have to say, I’ve become a big fan of taking the train down to Chicago, and I fall more in love with the city with each visit.

Next year, I’m heading back west to visit Zion and Bryce Canyon, Colorado in June for a long weekend away, and I’ll be visiting Jordan in October, a country I’ve been wanting to visit for a long time.

Glass Blowing Class at Rusty Bug in Hazel Park

Made a cool, Turkish-inspired mosaic lamp

Twin Day at the office.

Looking Ahead to 2026

I’ve been meditating on how I want to spend my time and energy now that I’ve achieved what many consider the traditional American Dream: a house, a life partner and a decent-paying job that allows me to save for retirement and spend on the things I want to do. With those milestones in place, I’ve been asking myself: Where do I go from here? Do I focus on climbing the ladder in my career? Do I finally buckle down and write the book I’ve always wanted to write? Do I devote more time to serving my community? As I head into the new year, I’m open to all of those possibilities, particularly helping out in local communities and uplifting voices that have been silenced. Maybe this is how you know you’ve reached adulthood—when your daydreams about winning the lottery involve paying off your mortgage, helping people eliminate their debts and funneling money into philanthropic work.

Going into 2026, I’m also more committed to integrating fun into everyday life rather than waiting until the end of the week or the end of life to enjoy the world. I want to live more fully now—deepening connections with the people I love, nurturing those relationships and making sure the people around me know they are fiercely loved and valued. At the same time, I’m working through two desires that often feel at odds: the urge to try new things with a real YOLO mindset, and the pull to immerse myself more fully in what I already love.

As someone who finds joy in exploring new experiences, I’m realizing that it might be even more fulfilling to go deeper into the things that already ground me instead of constantly skimming the surface of many interests. That shift in perspective is helping shape what I want the next year to look like.

Practically speaking, one of my biggest goals is to live more offline—staying off social media from 5 p.m. to 8 a.m. on weekdays and completely unplugged on weekends. I also want to invest in professional landscaping for the backyard, properly set up my garden and start saving for a new car when my current lease ends in 2027.

And in perhaps the most exciting update of all: after five years, Tim and I will officially be tying the knot next summer. More details to come.

See you on the other side!