Write this down

" I am grateful for ... "

Time slips away between the busyness of life. It seems to pass faster, but it doesn’t. Time passes as it always does. It’s our perception that’s different. I didn’t want to let the year go by without writing to all of you. I can’t believe you are more than 150! Thank you for continuing to be here. The truth is, in a way I’ve been putting off writing. We think we never have anything to say, but when we realize it, months have passed. But things have been happening, things that I want to talk about, but not today.

Now that the markets are over, Christmas and the hustle and bustle of this season are over, it’s time to stop. It’s time to analyze the past year and reflect. I haven’t done it yet; I’ll take advantage of January to do so, since that’s when the adrenaline drops and it feels like the ground is slipping away from us, leaving us somehow disoriented. Suddenly we’re alone, in our own world, and that inevitably forces us to think.

Earlier this year I set myself the goal of writing one “leaf” a month, and I failed. I didn’t just fail there; I failed in other things, other projects I set out to do that didn’t happen or were left unfinished. It’s not that I didn’t have the opportunity to do them, but priorities changed, either because unexpected work came up, or because inspiration dictated otherwise. I’m not going to promise to write every month next year, but I’ll try to lighten and simplify this whole process to make it more natural and flexible.

This end of the year was demanding, but despite that, it reminded us that life is truly fleeting, time doesn’t stop, and therefore we should make the most of it.

I invite you to try this exercise: write on a sheet of paper, on your phone, or on your computer, whichever you prefer:

I am grateful for :

>

(Now fill in what’s in your heart)

I write:

> being alive

> the people who have crossed my path

> being happy

> being loved

> doing what I love and what fulfills me

> my family

> the opportunities I’ve had so far

I don’t want this to give the impression of a psychologist’s approach, not at all. But I feel that sometimes we should stop and give thanks, and I want to end the year doing just that. This is an important exercise because, in my view, it gives us clarity.

And if sometimes we find ourselves in less pleasant situations, may they serve to teach us, to give us strength to move forward.

May the experiences that we preserve, even the painful ones, allow us to grow and help us have the courage to explore fertile and frighteningly unknown ground.

I wish you a 2026 filled with creativity, peace, love, and health.

Thank you so much for being here, i hope i hear from you!

Stay well and enjoy life and nature,

Sandra 💚