The Top 10 Career and Life Topics That Resonated in 2025

That’s a wrap for 2025. In this final post of the year, I’m rounding up the topics that resonated most and sharing a free Year in Review worksheet to support your own look back. Consider it an invitation to pause before the calendar flips, reflect on what actually mattered this year, and get clear on how you want to show up in 2026 without turning it into an overachieving goal-setting marathon.

Is it just me, or does time seem to move faster every year? Well, before we jump into the new year, the planner in me always wants to pause and reflect on what worked, what didn’t, and what I want to do a little differently in the year ahead.

As we wrap up 2025, I’m especially grateful for everyone who’s been reading along this year. The focus has been on supporting working women and busy parents juggling demanding careers and full lives. Topics covered everything from ways to boost energy and advocating for yourself, to navigating career transitions without all the overwhelm that tends to show up with change. There were also practical ways to use AI to save time (not add another thing to learn), along with reflections on navigating change, travel tips, and life outside of work. The common thread was simple: fewer shoulds, more intention, and choices that make life feel a little less exhausting and a lot more sustainable.

If you like top 10 lists as much as I do, here’s a look back at the topics that resonated most this year with Career Insight Studio visitors and subscribers.

#10 Showing Up Online with Purpose: Lessons from 2B Bolder’s Mary Killelea

Mary Killelea, founder of 2B Bolder, offers a practical perspective on showing up online at a time when having some digital presence has become an unspoken expectation of professional life. Her guidance focuses on consistency and authenticity, not performance or perfectly curated content. If you’ve ever felt pressure to post just to stay visible, this piece is a reassuring reminder that meaningful participation matters more than polish and that sounding like yourself is more than enough.  Read full post here.

#9 Need a Life Reboot? FutureBoards Is Your Starter Kit for Creating a Life Less Ordinary

There’s nothing like the start of a new year to pause and reflect on what you actually want, not just what sounds good on January 1. In this post, I share my personal experience using FutureBoards, created by best-selling author Sarah Centrella, as a way to press the reset button on my professional and personal life. I also explore how it became a meaningful New Year’s Eve activity with my kids, offering a more lasting alternative to resolutions that tend to quietly fade by February. Read full post here.

#8 How to Create an Elevator Pitch That Actually Sounds Like You

Guest contributor Julie Chase, founder of Dream Job Catcher, breaks down how to create an elevator pitch that actually sounds like you, not something memorized five minutes before a meeting. Instead of a one-size-fits-all script, Julie offers a simple, flexible framework you can adapt to your role and audience. The reminder here is refreshing: a strong pitch isn’t about sounding impressive. It’s about clarity and confidence, especially if you’ve ever finished a conversation wishing you’d explained yourself better. Julie shares her expert advice on how to cut through the noise and speak with more ease and clarity. Read full post here.

#7 The Insights Discovery Tool: A Simple Way to Strengthen Leadership Conversations

I’ve always appreciated personality tools that help clarify how we think, work, and lead, and earlier this year, I was introduced to the Insights Discovery framework, a color-based system rooted in Jungian psychology.

In this post, I break down how the tool works, why it’s impactful, and how to apply it to real-life communication, leadership, and collaboration. Whether you’re managing a team or navigating your own growth, Insights Discovery offers useful language and structure to guide development with clarity and confidence. Read full post here.

#6 Secrets from a Travel Advisor: How to Take the Stress Out of Planning

After planning a solo international trip a few years ago, I saw the value of working with a travel advisor to make the planning more efficient and safe (something ChatGPT might not offer just yet).

In this post, I feature expert travel advisor Brian Huyvaert from Timezoneless Travel, who shares his top tips for taking the stress and complexity out of planning your next adventure. Whether you’re dreaming of far-flung travel or a simpler escape, he offers expert guidance that can save time, reduce overwhelm, and make travel planning feel far more manageable (so you can actually enjoy the experience). Download the free Travel Checklist here and read the full post here.

#5 A Hidden Gem One Hour from Portland: Our First Farm Stay Experience

Who knew the best adventures could be so close to home? To end summer, we traded city noise for a farm stay just an hour from Portland, satisfying my long-held curiosity about what farm life might actually be like.

Think less early-morning chores and more of a glamping-adjacent version of farm life. We came back with fun memories we’re still smiling about.

This post reflects on how a change of scenery, fresh air, and fewer decisions made the trip feel surprisingly restorative, without needing a long flight or big itinerary. View the reel here and full post here.

#4 A Working Mom’s Guide to Hosting a Fun (and Manageable) Prom After-Party

Hosting a prom after-party for my high school senior, while juggling a packed schedule, required a bit of planning and a big checklist. In this post, I share the hits, the misses, the shortcuts, and the helping hands that made it all possible so I could spend less time stressing over streamers and more time soaking up the fun. If you’ve ever tried to coordinate food, music, and teenagers without losing your mind, this guide offers practical tips for hosting a teen-approved party. Read full post here.

#3 Level Up Your Listening: 5 Inspiring Podcasts by Women Leaders

When you need motivation that’s more powerful than your morning coffee, podcasts can be the perfect pick-me-up. They’re easy to fit into those in-between moments like commuting, getting ready, or squeezing in a quick walk without adding more to your schedule.

In this post, I share five inspiring podcasts hosted by women leaders that are in my playlist, each offering insight, perspective, and thoughtful ideas you can carry into your day. Read full post here.

#2 Feel-Good Instagram Accounts That Actually Make Your Feed Better

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the news or just need a better scroll, this post rounds up some of my favorite Instagram accounts for positivity, comic relief, and style inspiration.

From uplifting quotes to clean comedy and feel-good design, these feeds offer the digital pick-me-up you didn’t know you needed.

Whether you’re scrolling between meetings or unwinding after a long day, these accounts bring a little brightness to your feed and your mood. Read full post here.

#1 Remembering Ellie: Honoring a Loved One and Navigating Grief

This post honors my niece Ellie, who we miss every day, and reflects on our family’s experience navigating grief, something that’s never easy and often not talked about enough. By sharing our story, I hope to offer a bit of comfort and understanding to others walking a similar path. I also share a few practical resources that helped our family cope, put words to what we were feeling, and feel less alone. It’s a quiet reflection on memory, love, and how loss reshapes what matters most. View the reel here and full post here.

Thank you!

Looking back, the posts that resonated most weren’t about doing more or chasing every new trend. They centered on clarity, helpful resources, and giving ourselves a little grace along the way. What I’m most grateful for is the community that’s taken time to read, reflect, and share what resonated.

As I head into year three of writing Career Insight Studio, I’m planning to share new insights, tools and resources that help, and expert contributors, in the hope it continues to make work and life feel a bit more manageable (and dare I say, more enjoyable!).

Cheers to a happy and healthy 2026!

Thanks for reading & sharing. xx