Finding Magic in Reflection, Resilience, and the Year Ahead
December has always been my magical time of the year. Here in Bangalore, the weather turns perfect—just crisp enough to throw on a sweater, cozy up with hot chocolate, and slip into Christmas socks. It’s the season for fairy lights, decorated trees, and that charming mix of shorts and woolens that makes me smile. More than anything, it’s my time to sneak away to a little café, reflect on the year gone by, and dream about the year to come.
As I sit here in this cozy corner, I can’t help but marvel at 2024—a year that challenged and changed me in ways I never imagined.
2024: A Year of Grief, Growth, and Gratitude
This year was heavy, no doubt about it. Thirteen family losses, including a baby cousin I adored and our beloved family dog, left a gaping hole in my heart. It felt like everything that could go wrong did—and in the most heart wrenching ways. But in the midst of monumental grief, there were glimmers of hope and joy.
The Unopened Box found its new home—a beautiful physical space where we can welcome clients in person. I traveled to Dubai and co-hosted a workshop with a friend I serendipitously met online in my late 20s. I wrapped up the Stanford Seed Spark Program, a milestone I’d dreamed of for years. There were concerts, travels with my partner, and a deeper appreciation for the people in my life.
2024 was a paradox: overwhelming yet beautiful, exhausting yet fulfilling.
With a fresh year on the horizon, I can feel the excitement bubbling. There’s so much to look forward to, and my bucket list is growing by the minute.
Grief, Growth, Gratitude
My 2025 Bucket List
- Microblog monthly (weekly if I’m feeling ambitious).
- Share my interventions more boldly—workshops, Instagram, blogs, you name it.
- Slow down and listen to myself—my needs have shifted, and it’s time I honor them.
- Host art and movement therapy workshops.
- Collaborate more—because magic happens in synergy.
- Take a surfing class and a kickboxing class.
- Finally get that tattoo (but fear of needles, you’ve been warned).
- Learn amigurumi (cute crochet animals—yes, please!).
- Design and print the T-shirts I’ve been dreaming of forever.
- Dive into pottery again—ceramic courses are my therapy.
- Master the art of posing for photos—awkward no more!
- Try the new sensory deprivation tank in town.
- Leave a 100% tip for a server!
- Give a gift to someone homeless.
- Visit a vineyard.
- Learn to hula hoop for fun (the hoop is ready, now I just need to start).
- Finally rearrange my home the way I’ve been imagining for ages.
Do you have ideas or goals you’d like to share? Let’s swap dreams and inspire each other.
The Journey Continues
This is just the beginning. My Eternal Bucket List, stories of adventures, and the lessons that bring me closer to magic, vulnerability, and joy will soon follow in this space.
If you’d like to know how I started creating bucket lists or what inspires mine, drop me a line. I’d love to share the journey—and hear yours.
Here’s to 2025 and all the wonder it promises!
With love, magic, and fairy lights,
Leanne 🌟