I LOVE December. It’s like the Friday of the year. At work you get to tell everyone, “We’ll circle back later!” Great movies and shows hit the screens. You get to eat everything. Shop if that’s your thing. Read all the books on your TBR shelf, or buy 10 more. Maybe travel?

I’ve started thinking a lot about what my word of the year for 2026 will be. I don’t quite know what that will be yet, but I glanced back at my last blog post in January, where I shared that 2025 would be my year of FREE. I was vague about what that would mean, but I did have very specific goals in mind. So, I thought I’d reflect on how it all worked out and fill you in, for those who are curious.

In the last post I talked about going to therapy and how important that was. Well, it’s also important that you go to the RIGHT therapist. For me, this meant saying no to case-by-case video calls, with spotty connection, wait times of over a month, and a counselor who was kind but far removed from my life experiences. And it meant saying YES to bi-weekly meetings, in person, with a wonderful counselor who “gets it.” And honestly? This was the perfect foundation for a year of FREE. (The therapy isn’t free, but it IS freeing.) For one thing, I finally learned that I have PTSD, with a mix of mild depressive and anxious symptoms. I’ve always known there was something like this baked into my body, and hearing it out loud? It wasn’t the scary earthshattering moment one might expect. It was liberating. Therapy isn’t just about plunging headfirst into past traumas; it’s future-focused so you can build the life you want. And when you finally name your shadow, you pick up the flashlight. You gain the power to face it head-on. So roughly every two weeks, I just unpack my cluttered mind. Culture, work, family, relationships, masculinity, friendship, writing, legacy, health, trauma, joy, dreams, regrets… the whole casserole.

So here’s what happened while I’ve been embracing FREE and managing that shadow:

1. I finally cleared the debt that saddled me my whole adult life! (Well, mostly. Sometimes I still use credit cards for the points, but I don’t build up balances I can’t pay off within a month or so. And I DO still have a small student loan, currently under review for forgiveness after working 10 years at the university. Yay!) This was the original meaning behind FREE. Debt freedom!
2. In March, I gave my first bilingual presentation as both an author and a professional at the university. I wrote out a whole script, practiced a ton, got feedback, and in the end, a woman told me she never would’ve known that it was my first time presenting in Spanish. I even survived the Q&A! (It’s only fair that I tell you I was terrified, and not perfect, but I had so much fun and felt good putting myself out there.)
3. I got to serve as a reviewer for a collection by Phoenix Oasis Press, and I learned that there are some incredible writers in my backyard. Inspired by all the short pieces and poetry, I jumped into my own short pieces. I have a short story that will be published in an anthology about Blue Benches later next year, and I submitted three shorts to a literary awards competition. Therapy helped me with a lot of this–writing unrestrained.
4. In October, I took a solo trip to Mexico City. I’ve fielded a lot of questions about why I went alone, and the subtext seems to suggest that solo travel is sad, scary, or depressing. Friends: Abolish that thought. Take a solo trip sometime. Do your research first, but put yourself out there. It was one of the best things I’ve ever done, and I never felt lonely. I felt my Spanish blooming, tried tons of local food (and I got lucky; no stomach sickness even from the street food), rode in a hot air balloon, rode in a boat, climbed a pyramid, tried pulque, smelled flowers, got drenched in the rain, visited Frida Kahlo’s house, made friends, ran into friends, _{may or may not have gone on a date}, and according to people who know me well, I came home with an amazing tan and a bounce in my step. I cannot wait to go back, and I can’t wait to experience some more solo travel.
5. I drafted my next novel! I don’t want to show all the cards yet, but I love this one. So very much. I’ll post little reveals throughout the year, with a release of Fall 2026.

Don’t get me wrong: 2025 was also hard. It’s still hard. I don’t know what to expect from 2026. I’ve learned to stop romanticizing the future, and to accept that it will be beautiful and ugly at the same time. But I do think I’ll look back on 2025 and remember these five moments before I remember the challenges—or maybe even because of the challenges, and they’ll guide me.

I hope you found some joy this year, too. Maybe some peace… a moment where you felt free. 🙂

Do you have a word for 2026 yet? I could use some inspiration!

Until then,

Jacob