4 Lessons I Am Taking With Me Into 2025 + How You Can Use Them Too
In today’s post we’ll chat thru…
① 4 Lessons I Learned from 2024
② And how you can apply them to your life in 2025
LET’S DIVE IN. 🖤
Happy December Sisterhood!!! I can’t believe we’re in the final month of 2024. As the year comes to an end, I’ve been reflecting on so much and today’s episode is one of those conversations where I’m going to peel back the curtain on my journey in hopes you can see pieces of your own in my journey. Before we hop into that, though, I want to give a couple of announcements for the month of things happening IN and AROUND our community (+ how YOU can be a part of it):
The Sisterhood Membership is open for enrollment RIGHT NOW (in real time) thru December 8th. If your goal is to make wellness, growth, and human connection a part of your 2025 then THIS IS THE SPACE FOR YOU. Our topic is all about HOW TO ACTUALLY SET + ACHIEVE YOUR GOALS THIS YEAR and we’ve got so much goodness planned.
The Sisterhood Retreat is QUICKLY filling up and we’ve got just a couple of spots remaining. If you want to take your journey to the NEXT LEVEL and kick off 2025 with a strong focus and a coach who has your back alongside of you on your journey, then you’re gonna want to rip the band aid and apply for one of the final spots.
AND…it’s back ya’ll! Our Second Annual UNSTOPPABLE SELF VISION BOARD WORKSHOP IS COMINNNNNNG and YOU. ARE. INVITED. My goal is to help you create a VISION for 2025 that makes you want to show up and make PROGRESS towards it. So often we skip the KEY STEPS of becoming UNSTOPPABLE bc we dive right into action and then get burnt out, overwhelmed, and frustrated when we don’t make progress. I want this year to be DIFFERENT. I want to teach you how to become UNSTOPPABLE.
In this LIVE workshop you’ll get:
✺ a digital/printable goal setting workbook that will help you reflect on the past, create a vision for the future, and bridge the gap to make those dreams a REALITY.
✺ a 90 minute workshop where I’ll guide you through the process of creating a vision board that not only aligns with the goals you set for your BEST, most UNSTOPPABLE self, but also reflects the habits, behaviors, and routines you need to adopt as well.
This goes BEYOND visualizing your "dream life” and then letting it collect dust for the rest of the year...you’ll be creating a deep sense of OWNERSHIP for who you are when you’re AT YOUR BEST…laying the foundation for a year that can truly be UNSTOPPABLE.
✺ and then you’ll also get a digital vision board template via Canvas to help you create your vision board OR use as a guide to make a physical one if that’s your jam, too.
Can't make it live? No stress — once you snag your ticket to join us you will have access to ALL materials, including a replay of the workshop after it’s over.
Okay…all of the details for EVERYTHING (The Membership, The Retreat, and The Vision Board Workshop) are in the show notes below OR you can DM me on social (@inspirebeautybritt) and let me know what you want info on and Id be happy to help!
Now. Let’s talk highs, lows, and — LESSONS I’ve learned. What I found as I looked back on this year was that I was often caught between two extremes: striving to become versions of myself that didn’t truly belong to me, and clinging to outdated versions of who I used to be. Somewhere in the middle, I realized the truth— I need to embrace not only who I am becoming, but also the unchanging parts of who I am at my core.
I don’t know if you’ve ever felt this way, but I often found myself stuck in two spaces. One moment, I’d be so inspired by others that I’d slip into comparing their callings and passions to my own, feeling like I’d never truly find my footing. The next, I’d be white-knuckling an identity or season of my life far past its expiration date, terrified of who I might be without it. If you’ve ever been there, you know, it’s an exhausting place to bounce between.
I wanted so badly to stand out, to craft a message that resonated deeply, yet I was trying so hard to fit in with who I thought people “wanted” me to be, that I lost sight of what was ACTUALLY authentic to me. Somewhere along the way, I started sharing things that didn’t feel true to my heart simply because they worked for her. I stayed in places and roles that no longer felt alive because I feared what letting go might cost me. And worst of all, I held so tightly to the words, opinions, and expectations of others that I could no longer recognize my own voice. It all got really loud this year.
But as the year winds down, I finally feel like I’m coming back to myself. I’m learning to let go of striving for who I was—or who others want me to be—and to fully embrace the woman I AM and WHO I AM EVOLVING INTO. As I reflect on 2024, there are some big lessons that have shaped me, stretched me, and brought me to this place of clarity and today, I want to share four of them with you in the hope that they’ll inspire and guide you as we move into a new year together. Let’s dive in.
Lessons I Learned from 2024 + HOW you can apply them to your life in 2025:
① FREE YOURSELF FROM NARRATIVES THAT NO LONGER SERVE YOU.
The stories we tell ourselves shape how we view our worth, relationships, and potential. But not all of the stories we tell ourselves are true, kind, or helpful. This year I realized that to grow, I needed to recognize outdated beliefs, challenge them, and work to rewrite them to align with the person I am becoming….even if that means it’s a daily practice.
EXAMPLES FROM MY LIFE:
About Friendships:
Old Narrative: I told myself for a really long time that "I’m not a good friend—I don’t stay in touch enough, I always fall short, and I’m just not a good ‘girl’ friend.” And the more and more I’ve told myself this, the more and more I realize I’m the one who is hurting. I hurt because that’s truly not me, but our perception is our reality, right? And so the more I repeat these words, the more I believe them, and the more I find them played out in my life.
New Narrative: This year I decided that I didn’t want to label myself as a “bad friend” anymore. Heading into the last half of my life I’d like to be the kind of woman who others know they can count on and I want my funeral to be filled with people I loved well and who loved me back. Words weren’t enough for this, I had to actually DO something that proved this to myself and so I threw a 40th girls weekend with women from all walks of my life. That weekend showed me how much of an impact I’ve made on women in the past and in the present. Being a bad friend has flipped into "I show up for the people I care about in ways that matter.”
About My Body:
Old Narrative: I’ve been holding onto outfits that a previous version of me has outgrown…all for the sake of not wanting to lose that body and evolve into a more wrinkled and expressed version of myself.
New Narrative: "My body is worthy and strong, just as it is today, and it carries the story of my life beautifully."
HOW YOU CAN USE THIS HEADING INTO A FRESH YEAR:
Identify the Narrative: Reflect on areas where you feel stuck or insecure. Ask: “What story am I telling myself here?”
Challenge It: Question whether this story is true, is it kind, is it helpful. Where did it come from? Does it reflect your current reality?
Rewrite It: Write a new narrative that is truthful, kind, and empowering. Repeat it often to let it take root.
② ADULT FRIENDSHIPS DON’T HAPPEN BY ACCIDENT
Growing up you’re often GIVEN your friendships thru school, community, and your parents’ circle. But building friendships as and adult is often not the same. For my husband, Charles, and myself, we don’t have kids yet so there’s not a built in space where we meet people our age with similar interests, etc. We actually have to go out and CREATE that space and that’s really uncomfy. As adults, friendships require intention, effort, and vulnerability. Unlike childhood, where connections often form naturally through shared environments, adult relationships demand that we take the initiative to create and nurture meaningful connections.
EXAMPLES FROM MY LIFE:
Putting Yourself Out There:
It started with putting myself out there in uncomfy ways. We kicked off the year by signing up for a weekly marriage group with our church, we joined local meet ups for things like Beach Clean Ups and Volunteering, and we’d go to the events surrounding our interests like cycling, yoga, or running.
These small acts of courage led to meeting people who shared in my values and interests. Each singular event wasn’t a pivotal break thru or moment where I found my new bestie, but it was a DEPOSIT into the friendships I desired…and over the course of the year I am so encouraged by all of those deposits bc these are the moments where I met my people.
Create moments for Connection:
From there, if I met someone I liked or connected with, I made sure to schedule a coffee date, beach walk, or invite them into my life in a more connected capacity. Yes this is awkward. Yes people are busy. And this is how you go from not knowing people to actually knowing them. You have to create moments for connection. So as awkward as it would be, I’d send the invite and ask someone to meet me for lunch so I could get to know them better.
These intentional moments created space for deeper bonds to form and I always walked away feeling filled up and refreshed…even if it felt weird at first.
Be the Friend You Want Others to Be:
And then because these connections could form, I was able to go deeper with some of these friendships. Friends I met at the beginning of the year brought me dinner when I was undergoing Ketamine Therapy sessions bc I did the same for them earlier in the year during their time of struggle. I learned that you have to show up for others the way you want them to show up for you. When friends were struggling during the hurricanes we had here, we reached out and helped in whatever way we could. We opened up our home for fellowship and conversations and it paid off.
By going first and being the friend you want others to be, it broke down barriers and invited deeper, more genuine friendships into my life.
HOW YOU CAN USE THIS HEADING INTO A FRESH YEAR:
Put Yourself Out There: Commit to attending an event, group, or gathering that aligns with your interests—even if it feels intimidating.
Initiate Connection: Reach out to someone you’d like to get to know better. A simple “Want to grab coffee?” can open doors.
Be Willing to Feel Awkward But GO FIRST: Recognize that discomfort is part of the process. Focus on the bigger goal of finding genuine connection rather than immediate results and be the friend you want others to be for you.
③ HEALING REQUIRES BREAKING DOWN.
Healing isn’t a straight line or a one time event we undergo —it often involves deconstructing parts of ourselves we thought were strong, solid, or unshakable. To heal deeply, you must be willing to face the pain, discomfort, and vulnerability of breaking down in order to rebuild stronger. What I learned this year is that it’s through the breaking that we make space for real transformation and the most beautiful evolutions possible.
EXAMPLES FROM MY LIFE:
Ketamine Therapy and Ego Death:
This year, I stepped into a deeply uncomfortable healing process through ketamine therapy. It felt like confronting the rawest parts of myself—like peeling back layers of identity and experiencing what some call "ego death." This wasn’t just emotionally challenging; it was like looking at the core of who I am, stripped of all the roles, titles, and achievements I’ve used to define myself.
Through this process, I came to understand that healing isn’t about fixing what’s broken but about accepting and integrating every part of yourself. It was in breaking down my need for control and perfection that I found freedom, clarity, and a deeper sense of self-worth.
Flourishing Where I Neglected:
As I prioritized my healing, I saw parts of my life I’d long ignored finally get the attention they deserved. For years, my work consumed me, overshadowing my relationships, self-care, and joy. This year, as my work took a backseat, I began to see growth in areas I’d unintentionally neglected—my marriage grew stronger, friendships deepened, and I rediscovered hobbies that brought me peace.
This shift reminded me that healing doesn’t always look productive in a traditional sense. Sometimes, it looks like giving neglected parts of your life the space to bloom. Letting go of the hustle allowed me to nourish what truly matters.
HOW YOU CAN USE THIS HEADING INTO A FRESH YEAR:
Be Willing to Feel the Pain: Healing often requires feeling emotions you’ve been avoiding. Don’t numb or run from discomfort; sit with it, knowing it’s part of the process.
Release What No Longer Serves You: Identify the beliefs, behaviors, or attachments that hold you back. Letting go of them may feel like a loss, but it’s essential for your growth.
Embrace Vulnerability: Allow yourself to be vulnerable in the healing process. This might mean asking for help, being open to change, or facing parts of yourself you’ve been afraid to confront.
Trust the Process: Understand that breakdowns are a part of breakthroughs. Have faith that the discomfort will lead to a deeper healing and a stronger version of yourself.
④ DOUBT MEANS YOU CARE. FEAR MEANS YOU’RE STRETCHING.
Doubt and fear are often seen as signs that we’re not ready or capable, but they’re actually indicators that we’re stepping into something meaningful. Instead of resisting these feelings or waiting for them to disappear, the key is learning how to move forward with them. Growth, change, and big dreams will always bring doubt and fear along for the ride—but they don’t have to drive the car.
EXAMPLES FROM MY LIFE:
Launching My First Retreat:
When I decided to host my first retreat, doubt and fear immediately crept in. Who was I to lead this? Would people even want to come? Every step of the process—from choosing the location to opening registration—felt like battling waves of self-doubt.
By acknowledging the fear and choosing to act anyway, I created something that not only brought women together but also validated my ability to lead and inspire. Fear didn’t disappear, but I learned that I didn’t need it to.
Untangling My Worth from My Work:
This year, I found myself in a gray area with my work—unsure of its exact direction and questioning its ultimate message. For so long, I’d tied my sense of worth to how much I was producing, achieving, or creating. When the clarity wasn’t there, doubt crept in, making me question if I was enough without a clearly defined “success” story.
Slowly, I realized that my worth isn’t defined by my work. I began to trust the process, leaning into the uncertainty instead of letting it paralyze me. In doing so, I discovered that the value I bring isn’t tied to perfect clarity or constant productivity; it’s in showing up authentically and embracing the messiness of growth.
HOW YOU CAN USE THIS HEADING INTO A FRESH YEAR:
Redefine Doubt and Fear: Recognize that these feelings don’t mean you’re on the wrong path. Instead, they often signal that you’re doing something brave and important.
Take Small Steps Forward: Don’t wait for doubt and fear to disappear. Take action in small, manageable ways while carrying them with you.
Talk Back to Doubt: When doubt whispers negative thoughts, counter it with truths about your past achievements and capabilities.
Look for the Lesson: Reflect on what your fear is teaching you. Are you afraid of failure, rejection, or success? Understanding the root of the fear can help you address it.
Celebrate the Wins: Each time you act in spite of doubt and fear, celebrate it. These moments build resilience and confidence for the next challenge.
As we wrap up 2024 and prepare to step into the all the possibilities of 2025, I hope these lessons can come with you— not as rules to follow, but as guides to help us grow and evolve. Each of these lessons holds a key to living with more intention, authenticity, and courage. Let’s revisit them one last time:
Free Yourself from Narratives That No Longer Serve You.
The stories we tell ourselves can either build us up or hold us back. Take time to identify the narratives you’ve outgrown, challenge them, and rewrite them into something empowering and true to who you are becoming.Adult Friendships Don’t Happen by Accident.
Building meaningful connections as an adult requires intentionality. Put yourself out there, create moments of connection, and show up for others the way you want them to show up for you.Healing Requires Breaking Down.
Growth isn’t linear, and healing often comes through breaking down old patterns, beliefs, and ways of being. Embrace the discomfort, release what no longer serves you, and trust that the breakdown is leading to a breakthrough.Doubt Means You Care. Fear Means You’re Stretching.
Doubt and fear are natural companions on the road to growth. Instead of resisting them, learn to move forward with them. They’re proof that you’re stepping into something meaningful and stretching yourself in powerful ways.
I hope you take a moment this month to reflect on the year behind you, celebrate how far you’ve come—even if the path wasn’t straight or easy. And then take those lessons you’ve learned and use them to shape the year ahead with intention, courage, and hope.
Remember: You don’t have to have it all figured out to move forward. Growth comes from showing up, learning as you go, and trusting the process. Here’s to making 2025 a year of empowerment, connection, healing, and courage. You’re capable of incredible things— and I’m forever and always rooting for you. 🖤
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