Dear friend,

As we near the end of the year, I can't help but reflect on where my life was 12 months ago. I had recently been laid off from my job in animation, but I felt optimistic about the future. There was more than one opportunity on the horizon that I was planning to apply to that I knew I was perfectly qualified for. I was also excited about creating an educational series for YouTube called "Prism Power" that felt aligned with my interests. The good news was that I did end up making 4 episodes that I was proud of, but the bad news was that along the way, every single opportunity for a new job that I held out hope for, fell through. I was left devastated and lost.

I fell into a deep depression, feeling the weight of my responsibility as a mother who had been left with no idea as to how to proceed. It was as if my B, C and D back up plans for my life had all fallen through. All I had left was to sincerely pursue plan A: to become an independent artist who could make a living off their work. It felt daunting and next to impossible as I had no prior proof that this could be a viable path for me. But after dozens of failed job applications, it felt as if it was the only path I had left.

So I took a chance, invested in myself with further education, and tried out every single piece of advice I was given along the way. Months passed and nothing changed. The future continued to look bleak and I was slowly losing all hope. Although every time I looked at my chances at attaining a regular job that I would enjoy, I was just convinced instead to stay the course with my own art, as delusional as that felt.

Then, in early December things started to shift. My social media posts were gaining traction which resulted in more exposure for my work as an artist, which in turn led to new fans and new forms of support. Although not a windfall per se, it was definitely a tangible turning point, as if I could finally see a glimmer of light peaking out through the dark void that I had been trapped in for the past year.

That glimmer of light my friend, is you. Thank you for being here and for helping to make the ending of my story that was 2025, conclude on a high note.

What has this year been like for you? I'd love to know.

Yours truly,

Teri