one year closer

and this time with a fully developed brain

I’ll be honest, clarity did come gift-wrapped on my 25th birthday.

It feels as if the past five years have been a slow unraveling—like gently tugging at the edges of a foggy, mysterious gift I didn’t even know was waiting for me. Each decision, each stumble, each breakthrough was like pulling away another layer of uncertainty. Then, as I entered the month of turning 25, it was as though that gift of clarity was suddenly placed right in my lap, resting on the seat of my mind.

The haze lifted, and everything finally felt fully real. It wasn’t a moment of dramatic revelation, but rather the quiet realization that the clarity I had been unknowingly working toward finally materialized.

I literally can’t explain it, but I just feel even more alive. I’m not second-guessing myself as much. I’m not getting anxious over the small things or obsessing over how other people perceive me. It’s like this freedom has been tucked away in the crevices of my frontal lobe, waiting for the right moment to emerge and revel in a second act.

I love it.

If every year brings more wisdom and clarity, I’m eager for what’s ahead. I’m excited to know that my mind is becoming even more present, more attuned to the world and its intricacies. Our culture is so consumed with running away from aging—don’t get me wrong, I have a growing skincare routine—but what a gift and blessing it is to have another year in the books. Each one strengthens our grit, grows our synapses, and teaches us what it means to live fully and freely, no matter the circumstance.

As T.S. Eliot wrote, “We shall not cease from exploration, and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time.” That’s what growing older feels like—a return to myself, but with a richer understanding of who I am and the world around me.

We’re all one year closer.

No matter your age, whether you’re headed towards turning 7 months old or 76 years old, we’re all moving toward something—closer to a deeper understanding of life, closer to clarity, closer to the person we’re becoming.

25 things I’m one year closer to:

1. Having an even deeper relationship with Jesus

2. Loving others more generously

3. Writing a book in every genre

4. Taking care of my body not out of vanity but gratitude

5. Becoming fluent in another language

6. Becoming a morning person

7. Going to a new country

8. Being an extra in a movie

9. Falling in love

10. Being less afraid of failure and more excited about growth

11. Buying a house

12. Meeting Harry Styles

13. Being more present in every moment

14. Laughing until I tear up even more with people I love

15. Learning how to cook the best steak

16. Actually finishing The Brothers Karamazov by Dostoevsky

17. Selling a screenplay

18. Finding a new favorite movie

19. Having a room that’s just for oil painting

20. Seeing my nephew grow up

21. Teaching my dog a new trick

22. Leaving a legacy that reflects love and kindness

23. Learning something new that changes a part of my worldview

24. Creating more than I consume

25. Feeling even more alive than I do right now

Though most of these might not happen in this new year—and God might have another plan for some of it—the beauty of today is that for all I know, I am one year closer to all of these things and more.

So, what are you one year closer to?