Edition 36: Wrapping Up for 2025

This week’s Stay Lit arrived from the coast. Inspired by slow mornings, ocean air, and a reminder how our visions often find us through people.

Author

Mary Vaz
December 19, 2025

A Pause by the Sea (and a Lighthouse Moment)

Last weekend, I’ve intentionally stepped away from the usual pre-Christmas rush and took a pause by the sea with loved ones.

That weekend was not shaped by a packed agenda or productivity goals, but by the ebb and flow of the waves, slower mornings, and the rare opportunity to simply breathe and be present. Even, Snowy, agrees!

There is something deeply grounding about the ocean. It gently strips away the layers of roles, deadlines, and expectations, revealing the core of who we are beneath it all. The sea softens life’s sharp edges and restores perspective, something I find especially vital as the year draws to a close.

The Lighthouse Symbol

During my time by the coast, I found myself reflecting on a familiar image: the lighthouse.

If you’ve attended one of my Vision Board workshops, you might recall the lighthouse that quietly sits on my own board, the Split Point Lighthouse. For me, it’s never been about the structure itself, but what it represents: guidance, unwavering steadiness, light without force, and a presence that doesn’t chase, but simply is.

This week, that symbolism took on new meaning.

I attended a Christmas piano recital at the home of a new connection. It was a beautiful evening, made even more meaningful by a moment of recognition. When Wendy and I first met a couple of months ago, she noticed the Split Point Lighthouse on my Vision Board. That shared connection stayed with her and led to the invitation to this evening.

It was one of those moments that gently reminded me: vision boards don’t always manifest in obvious or dramatic ways. Sometimes they work quietly — whispering, weaving, and then revealing themselves through people, places, and unexpected connections.

Wrapping Up for 2025

As the year winds down, I’ve been reflecting on what 2025 has asked of all of us.

For many in this community, it’s been a year of holding a lot:
responsibility,
leadership,
quiet resilience,
and personal recalibration.

Much of this work happened out of sight, unshared and unspoken, yet it mattered deeply.

If your year didn’t unfold the way you imagined, that doesn’t mean it failed. Sometimes a year is meant for clearing rather than building. For listening rather than pushing. For protecting your inner light so it can keep shining.

Looking Ahead (Together)

As I gently close out the year, I’m already looking forward, not just for myself, but for us.

The Stay Lit community continues to grow in the most authentic way possible: through shared reflection, honest stories, gentle encouragement, and a collective commitment to wellbeing over burnout.

In the year ahead, we’ll keep:

  • naming what truly matters

  • returning to our visions without pressure

  • choosing steadiness over urgency

  • and reminding ourselves that our light is meant to guide us, not consume us

Thank you for being here.
For reading.
For reflecting.
For choosing to stay.

Stay Lit will take a short break next week to soak up the spirit of Christmas and make space for the beginnings of 2026.

I wish you a gentle close to the year and look forward to welcoming the new one with you - rested, grounded, and staying connected to your vision boards.

Stay lit,

Mary