A few things that stayed with me this year

Heading into 2026 like...

As the year comes to a close, I’ve been spending more time looking back than pushing ahead. Not in a dramatic way. Just noticing what actually stayed when the dust settled.

I didn’t sit down to write “lessons learned.” What emerged instead were a handful of realizations—some serious, some playful—that seemed to surface on their own as the year wrapped up. They felt worth capturing, if only as a record of attention.

I published the full reflection on my website this week. It’s simply a year-in-review, written without urgency or optimization, an honest snapshot of where I landed as 2025 comes to a close.

You can read it here:
👉 https://maryloukayser.com/what-stayed-with-me-in-2025/

Thank you for being here this year, in whatever way you were. I’m heading into the new one a little quieter, a little clearer, and very grateful for the space to think out loud.

— MaryLou