Newsletter 0
Wednesday, December 31, 2025
Hello to all!
One of my goals for 2025 was to delete Instagram and start sending out a newsletter to keep up with people in a more real way. Yes, Addy sends out a newsletter too, but I’m *not * copying her: we came to the same idea separately.
After gaining and losing the conviction to delete my account multiple times over the year—mostly out of fear of losing my pictures—I finally did it about a month ago. (You can actually do an export of all your photos and other account data from Instagram and then download the files to your device before deleting the account.)
It is now the last day of the year, so I’m squeezing in a quick email to get the newsletter started and meet my goal. Nothing like waiting till the last minute🤪
Other 2025 goals accomplished (or semi-accomplished):
- two phoneless days a month: I started this one off strong for the first quarter of the year. It definitely had the most impact on my life and headspace. It’s amazing how much peace it brings to just let go of the need to be connected to everything at the expense of being connected to anything near me. I am resetting on this one in 2026, and I think it’s worth running through as many iterations as it takes to make it stick as a habit.
- read 50 books—I’m at 58 right now, but I’m only a few pages away from finishing number 59. Couldn’t quite make the push for 60.
- finish bachelor’s—officially completed my degree in August after a winter semester in Ann Arbor and two online classes last summer
- find and settle into a place—not quite accomplished yet, but I’ll be heading to Chester, CA in May to finish out my wildland firefighter apprenticeship on a helitack crew there
- downsize/simplify in the suburban—this one was done for me after I got t-boned and the insurance agency totaled the vehicle
- serve meditation course—I signed up for a one-day course near Ann Arbor last March, but it was so informal that the “server” designation didn’t mean anything. Either way, it was a nice day for meditation.
- get rid of motorcycle—this one was heartbreaking, but necessary. I think his new owner is going to take good care of him.
- learn how to draw a chicken and a longleaf pine—I started drawing a chicken a day for a little while, with Athena’s coaching. I never tried the longleaf pine.
If you don’t want to be on here, please email me to “unsubscribe.” I don’t know how regularly I’ll send these out but I wanted to get it started.
Happy New Year!
Jaylen