I’ve spent a lot of time reflecting on 2025—both in life and in business. If you follow my real estate pages, you probably noticed I got a little quieter toward the end of the year. That wasn’t an accident.
I still shared tips, information, and educational posts, but I pulled back from the constant noise. Social media can be a powerful tool, but it can also drain you if you let it. Not all feedback is productive. Not all comments come from people genuinely looking to buy or sell. Sometimes it’s just negativity looking for somewhere to land.
Toward the end of 2025, I made a conscious decision to protect my energy and focus on what actually matters—to my clients, to my family, and to myself.
What I didn’t do enough of was talk about the wins and the losses. So this is me doing that now.
Loss, Gratitude, and Full-Circle Moments
In 2025, I lost two people who played important roles in shaping my early career. Both mattered. Both left a mark. And both losses made me stop and reflect in different ways.
One was an incredible mentor who helped get me started in real estate. My husband and I were extremely close to him. Being trusted to list his estate for his family was one of the greatest honors of my career. Selling one of his properties—especially a home I once lived in myself when I first moved to Billings—felt incredibly full circle. To be trusted by his family, and by the agents who knew him so well, meant more to me than any sales statistic ever could.
The second loss was different, and harder to explain.
Earlier in my career, I worked for another boss—someone who pushed me in ways that weren’t always comfortable, but were formative. He was demanding and intense, and he ran a very efficient operation. I learned how to work fast, stay organized, and do things well. He wasn’t afraid to tell me when I was good at my job—and that mattered more than he probably realized.
That environment also taught me something just as important: how I don’t want to lead or operate in business. Being around constant tension and strong opinions—especially when they had nothing to do with the work—was exhausting. It showed me how much tone, words, and emotional energy impact the people around you.
There were moments of kindness too, which made the relationship complicated. That’s often how it is with people who shape us early on—they aren’t one thing or another. They’re both.
When I eventually left that job, it was because I needed to choose my health and my family. I walked away quietly and never crossed paths with him again. And still, when I recently learned of his passing, it stopped me in my tracks.
Losing someone who was part of your daily life for years—even someone you had a complicated relationship with—creates a strange kind of grief. You don’t always know how to mourn it. But it makes you pause. It makes you reflect. And it reminds you how deeply those early experiences shape who you become.
I’m grateful for what I learned. I’m grateful for the skills I gained. And I’m also grateful for the clarity that came from it—clarity about boundaries, leadership, and the kind of professional I strive to be today.
Life Doesn’t Pause for Business
2025 didn’t slow down at home either.
My husband went through major ACL and meniscus surgery and hasn’t been working. One of my daughters has been dealing with an injury since June—casts, physical therapy, setbacks, surgery, and now starting over again. Anyone who has navigated long-term medical issues knows how quickly the stress builds—emotionally, mentally, and financially.
Trying to be a wife, a mom, and a real estate agent—and trying to do all of those things well—was humbling.
And yet, in the middle of all of that, I still finished the year ranked in the top 150 real estate agents in the Billings area. That mattered to me—not because of ego, but because I did it while learning to slow down, say no, and focus on what truly matters.
Growth Didn’t Look Like More
Some of my biggest wins this year didn’t come with big announcements.
They looked like saying no more often. Taking on less. Working with people I genuinely enjoy and respect. Letting go of a long-term listing that no longer served either of us—with no anger and no resentment, just peace. Watching one of my favorite clients/now friends finally get a home under contract after their 4th try at the same house.
I’ve learned that not every listing is worth the time. Not every buyer or seller relationship is a good fit. Real estate is a partnership—you have to want to work well together.
I’ve also learned that while I will go to the ends of the earth for my clients, standing up for myself matters too. Saying no doesn’t make me mean. It makes me honest. And honestly, it feels really good.
You won’t catch me texting back at 11 p.m. anymore unless it’s truly an emergency. Sleep matters. Family matters. Showing up clear-headed matters.
Integrity Over Image
One of the biggest lessons 2025 taught me is this: it doesn’t matter how big your brand is—it matters how you operate behind it.
I don’t need to post “just sold” or “just closed” constantly to know my value. I focus on treating people well, communicating honestly, and doing right by the people who trust me with some of the biggest decisions of their lives.
And I’ll say this plainly now—I’m very damn good at what I do.
From the Year of the Snake to the Year of the Horse
They say 2025—the Year of the Snake—is about shedding. And that couldn’t be more true for me.
I shed self-doubt.
I shed relationships I had outgrown—or that had outgrown me.
I shed depression and the quiet belief that someone else could always do it better.
There was sadness in that shedding—but there was also peace.
As we move into 2026—the Year of the Horse—my hope is that it brings steadiness, strength, and forward motion.
My message for 2026 is simple: look at the grass in front of you. If it’s yellow, water that first. Focus on what’s right in front of you—your family, your health, your work, your community.
Negativity spreads fast. So does kindness. So does effort. So does showing up.
What are you doing to make your own life greener? And how are you contributing to making your community better too?
To my clients, friends, referrals, and supporters—thank you. Truly. Your trust means everything to me. And to everyone reading this: remember that we are all carrying things no one else can see.
Here’s to a kinder, steadier 2026. Let’s lead with a little more grace—for ourselves and for each other.
