2025 has been a great year. Here are my reflections on a year of slowing down, building stability, and focusing on what truly matters in work and in life.
Major Milestones in 2025
We bought a new home. That changed more than our address. It changed our sense of stability. For the first time in a while, we were not planning around uncertainty. We were settling into something that felt solid. That matters, especially when everything else in life moves fast.
Our daughter Kayla started a new school. That was a big transition for all of us. She's excited about the new environment, and my wife and I are learning how to support her growth while balancing my own work and life priorities.
My wife and I have been married for 29 years now. That milestone made me reflect on how much growth can happen when you commit to something long-term. Relationships, careers, and personal development all benefit from patience and consistency.
I started a new role at Travelers on the Travelers Design System team. This has been a good fit. The work is thoughtful. The expectations are clear. Accessibility is taken seriously. Quality matters. I'm learning how large systems succeed or fail based on clarity, documentation, and empathy for the people who use them.
We adopted Archer, our family dog. He brought energy into the house and structure into our days. More walks. More routines. More reasons to pause. And definitely lots more love. It turns out that was something we needed.
We made a few quiet but important decisions this year. We bought a previously owned car with cash. No debt. No stress. We furnished our home slowly, without rushing to fill every space. Those choices reflect a mindset shift I'm trying to lean into more often.
I continued therapy. That work doesn't show up publicly, but it shows up everywhere else. I'm learning to slow my reactions, question my assumptions, and give myself more room to be human. That has made me better at my job and more present at home.
At work, I learned a lot this year. Web Components. Playwright testing. Storybook documentation. Real-world accessibility constraints. Not just how things work, but why they are built the way they are. I'm getting better at thinking in systems instead of just solutions.
I also continued playing live music. That is a constant in my life. It keeps me grounded. It reminds me that not everything needs to scale or be optimized.
Looking Ahead to 2026
There are still things I'm actively working on. I want to be more patient at work. I tend to move fast and expect clarity quickly. That instinct is useful, but it isn't always helpful. I'm learning when to slow down and let collaboration do its job.
I'm continuing to deepen my accessibility knowledge through Deque University. The more I learn, the more responsibility I feel. That feels like the right direction.
And I'm working on being patient with myself. Progress isn't linear. Growth isn't always visible. I'm learning to let consistency matter more than intensity.
Looking ahead, I'm not trying to reinvent myself.
- I want to keep refining my craft.
- I want to keep building things that last.
- I want a career and a life that feel sustainable.
This year built a solid foundation. Next year is about continuing the work. Quietly and intentionally.