What I learned after my biggest dream came true
It’s with mixed feelings that I say goodbye to 2025.
On the one hand, in many ways, it has been brutal, devastating, crushing – yes, even for me.
At the same time, I have so much to celebrate – my book! Out in the world! Doing its thing, connecting with strangers, bringing joy and catharsis around the world.
A long-held dream finally came true, and I experienced the same thing so many people do when they finally reach the summit – “Huh. I guess that wasn’t it after all.”
Because the thing is never the thing. It was never about a book. It was never about standing in front of a room, an audience, or adoring fans. It was about what it took to get there, and who I became along the way.
Just like you, I’m setting new goals and intentions for the new year. But thanks to these hard-won lessons, I have a different posture. I’m finding myself a lot more at peace and relaxed about the whole thing. I’ve learned to trust.
I now know without a doubt that there is so much more to look forward to, in the great beyond. That we can’t take any of this with us. All of it is fleeting. And the only thing that ever mattered, the only thing that ever matters, is who and how we love. That goes for ourselves too.
Whatever comes next, is just the cherry on top.
Wishing you a season full of peace, joy, and wonder.
Cat
Your Brand Catalyst, Story Strategist & Creative Ally.
PS: I’d love to know — what did your year teach you? Hit reply and tell me the lesson you’re carrying forward.
Cat’s Top 10 Reads for 2026
Lest you think I leave you and this year with just some random existential musings, here’s a shortcut to my favourite posts for building your next chapter and starting your passion project, especially if that’s a book. Wherever you are – beginning, becoming, or reinventing – I hope one of these meets you exactly where you are today.
1. That Time I Hit Rock Bottom
https://catmargulis.com/blog/that-time-i-hit-rock-bottom
2. What Does Your Next Chapter Look Like?
https://catmargulis.com/blog/what-does-your-next-chapter-look-like
3. Your Audience Doesn’t Need Your Pain — They Need Your Perspective
https://catmargulis.com/blog/your-audience-doesnt-need-your-pain-they-need-your-perspective
4. The Leap Comes Before the Clarity
https://catmargulis.com/blog/the-leap-comes-before-the-clarity
5. Why the Best Stories Don’t Stick to the Script
https://catmargulis.com/blog/why-the-best-stories-dont-stick-to-the-script
6. Your Story Is Your Superpower — Here’s Why
https://catmargulis.com/blog/your-story-is-your-superpower-heres-why
7. 20 Ways to Write Your Book That Don’t Look Like Writing
https://catmargulis.com/blog/20-ways-to-write-your-book-that-dont-look-like-writing
8. Spoiler: You Don’t Need to Be a Better Writer
https://catmargulis.com/blog/spoiler-you-dont-need-to-be-a-better-writer
9. The Future Belongs to Storytellers
https://catmargulis.com/blog/the-future-belongs-to-storytellers
10. What If Your Goals Are Holding You Back?
https://catmargulis.com/blog/what-if-your-goals-are-holding-you-back
A quick note on the work unfolding lately ✨
One of the quiet joys of the work I do is getting to watch stories leave the page and start moving through the world.
Over the past little while, I’ve had the privilege of supporting several clients as they launched their books – including Jennifer, Lori, and Caroline – each using their story not just as a finished product, but as a catalyst for new conversations, visibility, and opportunities. (And yes, I’m walking that path myself, too.)
At the same time, I’ve been working behind the scenes with organizations and founders who aren’t writing books, but are still in the middle of a powerful narrative shift.
With North York Harvest, that’s meant helping reframe the conversation around food banks – moving away from scarcity and stigma, toward leadership, dignity, and what’s actually possible when communities invest differently. Watching that new story land in the media and the public imagination has been incredibly meaningful. (You can see a glimpse of that here.)
And with Layne, it’s been about a full website rewrite and brand narrative refresh – clarifying who they are now, and where they’re going next, so their story can carry them into their next chapter.
All of this work looks different on the surface – books, brands, campaigns, websites – but at its core, it’s the same thing: Helping people and organizations tell the right story, at the right moment, so it can do the work it’s meant to do.
If you’re feeling the nudge that your own story is ready for its next evolution, and you’re looking for strategic support around your book, brand narrative, or messaging, let’s connect. I’m always happy to explore what that could look like together.