There’s something about the end of a year that invites stillness. Not resolution, but reflection. Looking back not for answers, but for meaning and lessons.
A recent trip to New York to visit my brother felt like that kind of pause. Long walks, new streets and sites, shared meals, moments of observation rather than urgency. New York has a way of reminding you who you were, who you are, and who you’re becoming—all at once.
It felt like the right place to reflect on everything that 2025 held, and prepare for what’s to come in 2026.
Beginning With Intention
This year I decided to invest in myself and work with a career coach. I began working with Megan Shekleton of Wider Visions, grounding myself in questions around purpose, alignment, and long-term vision. We spent almost 6 months working on personal and professional goals, mapping out what my ideal future looked like, and how to get there.
At the time, it felt like preparation. I just didn’t yet know for what.
Letting Go With Gratitude
Closing my chapter at Arizona Biltmore was bittersweet. It was a place that shaped my understanding of hospitality, storytelling, and experience. A place that provided endless lessons and sources of inspiration.
Leaving wasn’t something I had planned. But sometimes the universe has a funny way of working in ways that you can’t understand.
Until it’s time.
When the Story Shifts
What began as a layoff quietly became an opening: an invitation to finally build what had lived in the back of my mind for years. Lydon Advertising emerged not from urgency, but from intention. From asking: What do I want to create? Who do I want to work with? How do I want it to feel?
Stepping into entrepreneurship wasn’t loud. It was steady. It was 5 years in the making, after starting an LLC during a global pandemic. It was deciding it was time to bet on myself. It was trusting that the work would follow.
And it did.
Finding Your People
This year also reinforced the power of community. Joining BONDE and Valley of the Sun Active 20-30 Club introduced me to incredible women: builders, thinkers, creatives. Each navigating their own evolutions, and in turn, helping mine.
In those rooms, I was reminded that growth doesn’t happen in isolation. It happens in conversation. In shared vulnerability. In cheering each other on quietly, consistently.
Looking Forward
New York offered perspective. A reminder that inspiration doesn’t always arrive as a lightning bolt—it often shows up as reassurance. That you’re on the right path. That momentum can be gentle. That the future doesn’t need to be rushed.
As I look ahead, I feel grounded and excited. Excited to continue growing Lydon Advertising. Excited to collaborate, to create, to help brands tell stories that feel human and intentional. Excited for what unfolds when you trust timing instead of forcing it.
This year taught me that endings can be elegant. That uncertainty can be generous. And that sometimes, the most powerful thing you can do is say yes to what’s next—quietly, confidently, and on your own terms.
Here’s to new chapters, softer starts, and building something that feels true. Learn more about my journey at https://lydonadvertising.com/.
