In this final episode of 2025, I sit alone at the mic and reflect on a year that asked more of me than I ever imagined.

I talk openly about burnout and healing, motherhood, culture and tradition, and what the festive season looks like when life has reshaped you. I share how living alongside the effects of cancer within our family changed our priorities, tested our strength, and forced us to slow down, reassess, and choose what truly matters. I also reflect on surviving a cyclone this year another reminder of how quickly life can shift and how resilience is built in moments we don’t choose.

This episode is also about roots and community: why preserving culture, honouring tradition, and backing independent artists and creators is more important than ever. I speak about forging a community that didn’t exist yet, navigating judgment, staying persistent with dreams and aspirations, and continuing anyway quietly, bravely, imperfectly.

I reflect on powerful stories that stayed with me this year, including a recommended documentary about a two-time genocide survivor, and I share personal moments like preparing to welcome my aunt from Germany in 2026 for the very first time an arrival that feels symbolic of fresh energy, reconnection, and new beginnings.

As we close out 2025, I offer gratitude for the collaborations, conversations, and community that made this year meaningful, and I consciously welcome 2026 with hope, openness, and renewed intention.

<3 Ivana :)