(TL;DR - I did some cool stuff this year and learned a lot about myself.)

There’s a trend on TikTok where people place little flags on a cake, sharing their accomplishments or their misses.

This is what I would put on my cake to acknowledge the past year.

1. I was invited to speak to an international group about Ancient Goddesses and Modern Wisdom.

2. I taught a hybrid path (in-person and online attendees) at Winter Witchcamp.

3. I presented at Paganicon for the first time.

4. I co-taught Devotion Pentacle with Riyana online.

5. My Knowledge essay was published in Magic of the Pearl Pentacle.

6. I signed a contract to co-write a book with Halo Quin on neurodivergence in witchcraft with Llewellyn.

7. I published two books: Hestia and Pantheon: The Greeks.

8. I wrote FIVE (!) books: Hecate, Athena, When Aphrodite Calls, The Dance of Devotion, and Zeus.

9. I wrote my part of the first draft of the book on neurodivergent witchcraft.

10. I traveled to Bali for the first time with friends and now-friends.

11. I applied and was accepted to a post-grad program in Australia.

12. I was invited to present at the Unbound Priestess Conference.

13. I completed the first year-long Aphrodite priestess training class I created.

14. I brought on the second cohort of that year-long Aphrodite priestess training.

15. I taught an online Iron Pentacle with Sequoia and Stephen. And Aphrodite.

16. I set up a community Love Altar at Brew with Emily of Wise Woman Witchery.

17. I chatted with Halo on her TEA podcast.

18. I taught a weekend Iron Pentacle with AM and Artemis.

19. I sold my books at the Green Witch market.

20. I went to a few concerts: Paris Paloma, Lucy Dacus, and Sleep Token.

21. I facilitated a book launch for Hestia.

22. I participated in the Magic of Pearl Pentacle Book Release party and online book launch.

23. I was chosen to be a presenter and panelist for the Water Priestess Confluence.

24. I was invited to talk with Julie for two Rich Witch podcasts: Conscious Communication and Building Relationships with Deities & Self

25. I presented at the Wise Woman Witchery Root & Rise Conference

26. I went to a friend’s wedding in LA, traveling back and forth in less than 24 hours.

27. I sold books at the Mother’s Market in Santa Rosa.

28. I completed SO MANY steps for cats to travel to Australia with me.

29. I applied for and was granted a student visa for Australia.

30. I drank a lot of coffee.

31. I was invited to present at Divine Alchemy online conference.

32. I talked about Hestia and Iris on FIKA with Vicky.

33. I co-facilitated Pearl Pentacle with Sequoia at the ocean with Aphrodite.

34. I co-taught Pearl Pentacle online with Riyana and Stephen and Hecate.

35. I planned a Pearl Pentacle weekend with Tracey, but it didn’t happen. :(

36. I witnessed and celebrated an initiate in their final ritual.

37. I went to the beach. A lot. Doran Beach. Lovina. Burleigh. Coloundra.

38. I hung out with friends. A lot more than I have. Some for goodbyes.

39. I co-taught a Rites of Passage weekend with Bella Strix

40. I presented at the Season of the Witch conference, hosted by Wise Woman Witchery.

41. I spoke on a Pantheon panel with other Moon Books authors.

42. I facilitated my Pantheon: The Greeks book launch.

43. I got rid of 200+ books.

44. I downsized my ritual gear, clothing, everything.

45. I refused a job offer from a former client because it was not a good fit anymore.

46. I loved authentically and wildly.

47. I kept going when I didn’t think I could.

48. I wrote about all of this. I shared about some of those pieces.

49. I said hard things, not always gracefully, but I showed up for honesty first.

50. I chased rainbows.

51. I wrote a bunch of book proposals. (Stay tuned.)

52. I got progressive lens glasses. Seeing is so cool.

53. I created some new classes.

54. I learned how to make dal.

55. I cried.

56. I laughed.

57. I held space for myself and others.

58. I did a bunch of things that I thought were impossible.

59. I took risks.

60. I painted. For fun.

61. I went to museums, art shows, performances, and installations.

62. I held boundaries.

63. I slept in.

64. I slowed down. Sometimes.

65. I grew my Substack to 900+ subscribers.

66. I moved furniture up and down my stairs on my own.

67. I asked for help. Sometimes.

68. I learned more about the stories that hold me back. I know what they look and feel like. I sit with them, feel them, and ask them what they need from me.

69. I sought out my pleasure.

70. I learned a few TikTok dances.

71. I quit Spotify, streaming services, Sephora, Target, Amazon, and more.

72. I listened to Taylor Swift’s new album. A lot.

73. Several books of mine surpassed sales goals, and Pantheon: The Greeks was #1 in History of Greece on Amazon for a minute.

74. I was published in Watkins BODY MIND SPIRIT magazine, again.

75. I let people experience the impact of their actions, instead of trying to make things easier or letting them off the hook.

76. I stood up for myself.

77. I paused before reacting. More than ever before.

78. I ate a lot of cake.

79. I walked a lot of steps.

80. I healed some patterns of acting and thinking.

81. I loved. I love.

This is a long and probably not complete list. And while I know how it can look to list all of your greatest moments, so many of these came with doubt, fear, anxiety, anger, sadness, joy, dysregulation, snacks, sarcasm, annoyance, laughter, poor choices, sleepless nights, etc.

This is life. My life.

It’s real and wonderful and hard and messy. And I see myself stepping into a new chapter of being willing to be good enough for myself.

I am committing to loving myself, to learning how to love myself better, and to allowing myself to be just as I am.

A mentor of mine would remind me when I stepped into bigger roles that I didn’t need to prove I belonged in those spaces. I was there. I was worthy because I was there.

Let that spell continue. Let that spell spill out and around.

Let the magick that has taken my hand, that I have allowed to take my hand, to bring me to what is waiting for this version of me.

To what is waiting for the next version of me and my heart.

May this love spell of life continue in service to my self, to the divine, and to community.

May this spell of liberation extend to hands that reach out to grasp onto hope and courage.

Let’s do this together.

in love and magick — Irisanya

PS - I’d love to hear what you’ve learned or unlearned. Tell me what you accomplished, and ‘just getting by’ is perfectly reasonable. I had MANY days of that this year. MANY. Leave a comment or message me. I’m happy to be a witness to your amazing-ness.

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