Full, Fat, and Feeling Good
My 2025 in Review
As we reach the last day of the year, I’m feeling a little full and fat, but also content with my life. Looking back on 2025, I might still be unemployed, but I feel I’ve achieved a lot.
One of my son’s favourite catchphrases is “All done!” whenever he completes something. So, as we say “All done!” to this year, I decided to proudly look back on what I have achieved.
Friends
2025 was the year I realised I’m now too busy to make new friends. I’ve learnt to stop trying so hard and not get upset when people cancel plans or don’t message. The older I get, the more I realise everyone is busy with their own lives. I’m finally happy with my own company and the company I have with my little family. Any friends I make going forward will be friendships that come naturally, not ones I’ve tried to force.
Motherhood
At the start of the year, I had a little one-year-old who was already talking and walking in leaps and bounds. Now I have a two-year-old who is putting all his words together to talk in sentences. I can’t always figure out what he’s saying, but I can tell he’s telling me something very important.
Daycare drop-offs can still be a little heartbreaking, but they’re becoming easier for both of us. It’s also great to see a smiling happy boy running up to us at the end of the day, which is a big turnaround to the start of the year when we would go to pick him up and he’d see us and burst into tears.
I’ve always known I wanted to have kids. I’d been wishing for my little boy since my 20s, but due to various life events and a string of terrible men, it didn’t happen until I was 39 years and 364 days old. It’s been a challenging two years, but honestly, not as hard as I thought it would be. I have so many days where I sit and think for a minute (obviously when he’s napping, I can’t sit and think when he’s awake) about how at ease I finally feel with my life. I feel like my whole purpose in life has been to be Mum to this little boy, and I’m finally where I belong.
Of course, every now and then my heart breaks a little when I get to see him after a long day apart... and he runs straight past me and to his Dad, but that won’t stop me continuing to be the best Mum I can be.
Writing
Apart from being Mum to the cutest little boy ever, I think my greatest achievement of 2025 is my writing. I started out in February having never written anything professionally before. I wrote a little story to share our family’s experience with sleep training our son because I’d seen so many other parents asking questions about this topic. I don’t know if it helped anyone, but 104 stories later, this story still has the second-highest number of reads, and by a long shot, not just because it’s my first story. Don’t ask me how I managed this... SEO maybe?
I started off writing about my real-life experiences as a parent, and have since branched out to poetry and fiction.
Ten months down the road, I’ve had several Top Stories, placed in a couple of unofficial challenges, and received some Runner-Ups and Honourable Mentions in the Vocal Challenges.
I’m also proud to have become an admin for the Vocal + Assist Facebook group and love posting my Saturday Leaderboard Lift post to help Vocal writers make the weekly leaderboard.
I went from laughing at people who said I should write a book, to saying “Maybe, just maybe if I write enough fiction stories, I might one day publish them in a book.”
Career
As for the rest of my career, well, it’s a bit non-existent at the moment, but I’m trying. I finished my career as a vet nurse a few years ago and I still don’t want to go back to that kind of commitment. I’ve found that since I became a Mum, my career priorities have changed. I just don’t want to be responsible for other people or animals that aren’t my own.
I’ve been applying for lots of jobs in retail. I really want a job where I can go in, do what’s expected of me, leave work at the door and come home. I’ve had too many jobs that have nearly broken me over the years, and I can’t afford to have that happen to me now.
It scares me sometimes when I think the reason I am so happy right now is because I don’t have a job and I know unfortunately that will eventually have to change.
Hopefully, I can find the perfect job in 2026.
Happy New Year!
About the Creator
Sandy Gillman
I’m a mum to a toddler, just trying to get through the day. I like to write about the ups and downs of parenting. I’m not afraid to tell it like it is. I hope you’ll find something here to laugh, relate to, and maybe even learn from.
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Comments (29)
I found such resonance with your sharing Sandy! Jobs that suck the joy from your eyes need a warning label. Ask me how I know. Such bliss to have a 2yr old boy! I remember it well. Mine is gonna be 20 this year--YIKES! Congratulations on your accomplishments in 2025 and an engagingly uplifting top story!
A delightful read… well done!
Happy new year, Sandy!🎉I hope you'll find a job that will make you happy, and that you will keep writing, especially your fiction because I really like to read them.
Congrats on the TS, Sandy! You will find a career that best complements you and your strengths...and very importantly, your family. May 2026 make all our wishes come true!
Back to say congratulations on your Top Story! 🎉💖🎊🎉💖🎊
It's very refreshing to see "what I have achieved" rather than "New Year's resolutions" that will never be achieved. :D So, here is where I learnt you laughed at me when I suggested you should write a book. Bad, Sandy, bad! I don't like speaking much about it because it makes me feel awful, but sadly I have also been finding it hard to get regular work. I've been having an assignment here and there as a freelancer, but nothing has been enough to reach a proper minimum income and it's getting desperate. So I can understand that part. But also you say you have been feeling happy since you're not working and spending time with your little family in your role as a mum to your most adorable toddler. I would count that as a plus. Perhaps, you could enjoy a few more years until your little man starts school. Then, you will have more free time and he will have his own homework obligations and his friends. Yes, he will have friends one day to whom he will want to spend time with. Speaking of which, I agree with your friendships paragraph. I also find it har to make new friends now because as you say, everyone is busy in their own life or whatever. But you are right that the best is just to relax and if there is a friendship that will happen naturally then that will be the right friendship. I read you here when you were just starting. One of your first outings with your toddler, I think it was, there was ice-cream involved and a latte, I think. Or was it the sleeping advice for parents? I am not sure which one but it was terribly funny and so relaxing to read. :D This is to say, I have followed how you have grown as a writer, how your writing has branched out to poetry and fiction. And yes, Sandy, you should be proud of yourself. You have, indeed, accomplished a lot in a very short time. Write on, Sandy!
Congrats on your top story and I wish you nothing but good vibes for this year! I hope you find a job you love that doesn't take everything out of you! Also, where can I find this facebook group?? I am in a few vocal groups but Idk if I'm in this one.. but I wanna be :D
I loved this so much, Sandy! Our Vocal family is lucky to have you ;) To another great year!
good
You're certainly aren't unemployed Momma San! 😁 You are an attentive & kind momma & excellent writer! Happy 2026! 🥳
Aw, i know about the plumpness, wretched pounds cling like suction, so happy for your happy vibes. yep, forget friends after a certain life of living. All tied up with kiddoes. lucky you, spending time at home is priceless. Enjoy.
So happy for you Sandy, not everyone can be as positive, enjoy your life, u only get one.
Congratulations on a year all done. Most heartbreaking thing for me was when our youngest said: can I walk to school on my own now. Always happy seeing them grow but still a little sad…
I would have never imagined you’ve only been writing/publishing for ten months! You write so well, and so engaging to read. You’ve accomplished an incredibly impressive amount in just one year—being a mum is the most important role for sure. My daughter is 24 and today on my beach walk, I saw so many mums pushing their strollers with their young babies taking in the scenes; I miss those days terribly—soak in every day as much as you can, they’ll be beautiful memories that you can pick up one day, and legacies of love, that’ll be shinier than jewels. Thank you for supporting my work so often last year… you made me feel seen even I’m mostly so lost in a sea of writers. I too haven’t been able to find work/income in over a year so relate, but like you—see what I have accomplished in other worthy ways. Happy New Year, Sandy ❤️
Beautiful wrap-up of your year's achievements - they are lovely in their depth (your deep experience of them). Bravo!
That’s quite a year! 🩷 Lots of luck to you in your job search!
This is such a heartfelt reflection on your year and it's really inspiring to see how much you've grown as a writer and how content you are in your role as a mom. Have a wonderful New Year, Sandy!
Natural friendships really are the best 💛 Awwwe, I'm so glad you get to be a mum to your little boy, it's so magical when dreams come true 💛 Oh, you're writing journey is only beginning to sprout, you just wait until it has a full blossom 💛🌼🌸 When you find your job, I hope you manifest the perfect scenario that you come to love what you do. Who knows what happens, life has a crazy way of doing things to us. 💛🌼🌸
Sandy my darling can I just say what an encouraging piece you have written here and so relatable to other mums out there especially once that are writers, all really. 104 people who brought your book amazing I need access to this, where can I buy? Also what a real big achievement and sleep yes my little one struggles at times I have tried a lot of things so this book would benefit me to read, I must buy. Poetry and fiction amazing to be able to do and seeing some of your work stunning. Also a huge congratulations on all your top stories, runner ups and challenges amazing. Yes do it publish your book I and many others out there believe in you. Lastly you will find the perfect job that works for you and you can leave at the door. Thank you for sharing this real piece. Very empowering.
I am really liking your slogan! You make me feel like I could add or make one up for just about anything. I love that because I am usually so hard on myself when I do not meet my goals. With you, I could be sick for days (which I was) and still say that I was weak, unwell, and feeling productive while I lay in bed. That right there is empowering.
Being a mother *is* a f/t job, don’t let anyone tell you differently x.
A delightful read… well done! You’ve achieved a lot in 2025✅. You could try Teacher Aide work… school hours and lots of holidays!🤔
Happy new year! I hope 2026 has more in store for you! And isn’t that feeling the absolute greatest? Watching your child light up when they see you? Absolute best feeling in the world, in my opinion :)
Best wishes for the very best job for you in 2026!💕💗
Yes girl you have arrived. Hehe. Lovely storytelling as always Sandy. Enjoy your New year eve celebrations. May you have a blessed and super successful new year and beyond @Sandy Gillman