A different kind of year in review

So much of our contentment in daily life rests on how we define success. Our society judges success by external and measurable factors: whether you're married with children; whether you own a house and how much it's worth; the type of job you do and your salary; how well you fit the current health and beauty standards; maybe even the number of followers you have on social media. I've learned the hard way that many of these traditional metrics of success aren't how I want to measure my life.

As we move into 2026, I've been taking time to rest, reflect on 2025 and celebrate some of the changes that made the year feel meaningful to me. I've been dreaming about what success looks like going forward as I build this life with my family in Granada. A key part of it is doing work that's aligned with my values and feels sustainable long term. But so much of what felt successful in 2025 isn't apparent from the outside or easily measurable. Instead, it's far more about what's happening internally – about finding ways to connect with my body, the people around me and a sense of home.

So here are the some of the things I'm taking a moment to celebrate from 2025 (in no particular order), in case this way of reflecting on the year resonates with you. Many of them represent meaningful starts to work I plan to continue in the coming year, rather than end points in themselves. I've also mixed the personal and professional because this work is personal to me. If you make your own list, I hope it helps you to feel more connected to yourself, and to take small, hopeful steps towards the person you're becoming.

Helping my dog feel safe in our home

My husband and I adopted our dog, Skye, just over a year ago. I didn't realise that the main thing missing from my life was a 25-kilo lap dog – now I can't imagine life without her. One of my favourite daily rhythms this holiday season has been rereading a favourite novel on the couch, while Skye snuffles in her sleep under the blanket enveloping us both.

Having her become such an important part of our family has also been healing for me. I was bitten by a large dog when I was running in a friend's backyard as a kid, and Skye's sweetness at home has helped me process the dregs of fear remaining from that experience. Skye makes my husband laugh with her silliness, and she helps me be in the moment on our daily walks, my phone left at home.

Stopping trying to track everything in my life

I realised early in 2025 that I was tracking all these data points in my life out of habit, disconnected from whether it was helping me achieve my goals or feel fulfilled. So I stopped wearing a smart watch and started paying more attention to what my body and emotions were telling me. Rather than checking whether my watch said I'd slept enough, I'd practice noticing if I felt tired and needed to take a nap or go to bed early. I didn't set a reading goal for the first time in a decade, and instead let myself explore new authors, reread books and borrow from the library based on what felt right in the moment.

Being bolder in my art practice

I felt like I was able to sink into my own artistic style and play more with composition and story. Completing regular commissions was a big part of this, because I wanted the recipients to love the sketches they received. I hoped they'd feel the emotions I burnished into each piece and treasure my visual love letters to Spain. My watercolour sketch of Mirador de San Nicolás felt like a storytelling breakthrough, maybe because it's one of my favourite places to be in Granada. I also love this gouache sketch, which I painted purely for myself when I was contemplating what home means earlier in the year.

Reading my first novel in Spanish

It took me three months to read my first novel in Spanish: Mujeres que arden by María Esclapez. Finishing it gave me so much confidence, because I knew having completed a novel in Spanish once that I'd be able to repeat the process. It was also the first time I laughed out loud while reading in Spanish. There are so many cultural differences and slang tied up in humour, so this felt like a big win. It motivated me to start another novel, and another, focused on the joy to be found in all the literary worlds I can explore as I keep practising Spanish.

Starting this newsletter and publishing it regularly

For a long time, I convinced myself that I needed external pressure or accountability to complete any project, that I was incapable of committing to my own dreams. It's taken time to discard that false belief, hours of falling back in love with the process of writing and letting go of outcomes. I have felt so lucky this year to have time and energy to dedicate to my creative practice, combine my love of art and words, and share them with you. Thank you for being here.

Running the inaugural Sketching Retreat in Granada

The biggest project I undertook in 2025 was planning and running an urban-sketching retreat in Granada with Julia Henze in October. It was rewarding to create a retreat that felt deeply connected and unique to my adopted home, and consistent with my values. Our guests had never sketched outside before, and it was wonderful to see their confidence and skills grow over the five days of the retreat. It was also a confidence boost for me, reminding me that I have value to offer and that the projects that are important to me are worth committing to. (We'll be running the Granada Sketching Retreat again from 8-12 October 2026. If you're interested in coming, you can join the waitlist here.)

Getting stronger than I've ever been

I committed to building physical strength and flexibility over the last year. Going to the same yoga classes every week has helped me learn to do new inversions and balances, and improved my sense of community and Spanish listening skills. It's also been great for my mental health and energy levels.

Letting go of what no longer serves who I am or want to be

Loyalty is important to me but most things aren't meant to last forever. This year I've been practising letting go of dreams that no longer resonate, friendships that left me feeling more alone than connected, and projects that I discovered were unsustainable in the long term. It's been a difficult but worthwhile process of making space for something new to grow in 2026.

Thank you for being here on this journey with me and taking the time to engage with my sketches from Granada. I am particularly grateful for those of you in my small but precious group of paid subscribers, who help keep this work sustainable and accessible for everyone else.

I have big plans for this newsletter, my business and life in 2026 and I can't wait to share some of them with you in the coming weeks and months. In the meantime, I hope you're taking time to rest and connect with yourself and your loved ones, and to revel in those every-day moments of joy and care that make life worth living and fuel us to take action during tough moments.

What are you looking back on that you want to celebrate from 2025?

What breakthroughs did you have that aren't obvious from the outside?

Sketches from Granada celebrates every-day moments of connection with strangers, friends and ourselves. I know how easy it is not to be present in your own life, and I hope these sketches inspire you to seek out those moments that are worth savouring. 

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