How to Close Out 2025… with Cake!

Last night my friend Maggi came over and we celebrated our FAILURES.

That’s right! We baked a cake and everything.

Let me explain…

So often, especially in this social-media highlight-reel world we live in, it’s tempting to keep our “failures” buried deep. 

Like in the back of the closet where they never see the light of day.

And do you know what we call the emotion that makes us want to hide the parts of ourselves we’re not proud of? 🫣

Shame.

According to Brené Brown, esteemed researcher, author and speaker who studies shame, says it's the most corrosive emotion.

It attacks your character and says “I’m bad,” which does a number to your confidence, self-esteem and self-worth.

Some might think, “the more I pretend this never happened, the faster it’ll go away.”

And while that might work for a moment or two, deep down you know the truth.

You know what happened and you’re not proud of it.

So the shame festers. And grows. And can lead to other issues like addiction, violence, depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and perfectionism. 🫩

But you want to know the antidote to shame?

Sharing.

See, when we take those unpleasant experiences out of the closet and bring them into the light, a funny thing happens. 

The light neutralizes them.

But here’s the thing, it only neutralizes them when they are met with empathy and compassion.

And that’s what Maggi and I did last night.

We sat on my couch, swapped shame stories and cheered after each one! 👏

Because closing your 2025 isn’t just about looking at what you did well, it’s also about acknowledging and giving grace to the things that didn’t go so well.

A true closing asks: What do you want to let go of and leave behind?

I can’t think of anything more valuable to leave behind than shame.

So, before the clock strikes midnight, set a few minutes aside, dig deep into the Fail Closet and let it all out with someone you love.

Laugh, cheer, and celebrate. 

Because you deserve that. We all do. 💜