Tag: NoHoldingBack

I originally wrote this essay before the wildfires burned nearly 40,000 acres of Los Angeles. What I have seen since, both in the devastation, but also the resilience of our community has been enormous. My heart goes out to everyone affected by this monumental tragedy.

I have long used the start of a new year as an opportunity to pause and really review my last 12 months, taking stock of what happened and what I learned and what I loved. Reflecting can open your eyes to how much can change in a year and also what you want to create more of. And often, when you really take the time to look at it, you start to realize that life is full of grace, surprise, and meaning. The more you open up to the unexpected and embrace life in all its ups and downs, the more the patterns and messages behind it all resonate. Why did this happen, why is this here for me now, what else do I want to focus on and create more of in this next year? I like to remember that on some level, we are all alchemists.

This past year I learned that life has a way of bringing you exactly what you need to learn at exactly the right time. The transitions weren’t just changes; they were invitations to grow, to lean into the discomfort and discover the strength I didn’t know I had. In 2024, especially, I learned a lot about myself, my resilience, and my voice. I learned to let go of over-accommodating in my relationships and to sit with uncomfortability. What it really means to trust. I can truly say I greet each challenge with a question of “why is this here and what is it here to teach me?” Sometimes things break because you don’t fit in that vessel anymore and that’s okay.

I remembered that energy flows where attention goes. To choose who and what to give our attention to. To keep the inner self strong and watered, however that looks for you. Meditate, surf, go dancing with friends, make some art, play! An impossible standard to meet every day for most, but every now and then I find just trying to be helpful. And I do believe we can all agree, even making the effort will be helpful in these worldly times.

Fresh starts, I’ve realized, don’t wait for calendars or big proclamations. They happen in the quiet choices: forgiving yourself, showing up again, trusting the process even when it feels hopeless. Life’s beauty lies in its imperfection—the laughter through tears, the moments of doubt that give way to clarity. When you embrace the journey instead of clinging to the destination, you begin to surprise yourself with more joy than you imagined possible.

And now, standing on the threshold of a new year, I’m not searching for perfection but for presence. And wild, no-holding-back expansion. Each fresh chapter is a gift waiting to be unwrapped. I am so grateful for my family, the love and presence of my partner, Steve, and the adventures we will have this year. I see some travel, lots of family laughs, and, most importantly, maybe a wedding finally!

Until then, you can find me at your nearest fashion show, The Rookie season 8 set, Everheart production offices, Irish dance competition, or little league/basketball rec games. Life doesn’t demand that we have it all figured out; it only asks that we trust in its unfolding—one imperfect, extraordinary magical moment at a time.

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Read the original article on InStyle