First, some housekeeping…
To start the new year I’ve moved the Sunday Musings newsletter to a different platform.
Substack is cool, but as a digital marketer and email strategist, I understand the value of building on my own platform. So going forward, the weekly newsletters will be hosted on my own blog (annasarayna.blog) and emails will be sent from my Mailerlite account.
My plan is to publish each newsletter to the website at the same time I send the weekly emails.
I had some issues with the audio recordings so I’ll solve for that in the coming weeks.
It’s been weeks. And you probably thought there would be no more issues of the Sunday Musings newsletter.
The holidays came and went and left me feeling a bit all over the place.
But it was magical and beautiful. I cooked, entertained, and spent time with loved ones. I rested, baked bread, did jigsaw puzzles, and made plans for the new year.
It was perfect.
As I come down from the high of the holidays I want to dedicate this week’s issue to endless mush, and just sending some good vibes and well wishes your way for 2025.
This week’s big idea: A prayer for 2025
I pray this year is filled with more good news, marvelous surprises, delight, love, joy, happiness, answered prayers, and contentment than your heart and soul can hold.
I pray this is the year you grow into the truest expression of yourself—whatever that means for you. I pray it’s the year you take the biggest heart-stopping risks, live your wildest dreams, laugh your biggest deep-belly laughs, cry your ugliest ugly cry of overwhelming happiness and joy.
I pray this is the year you feel the free-est. The most like you.
I pray this is the year you trust life and love, and let yourself be loved completely. And if you’ve already found the love of your life I pray that this year you will grow even closer to them.
And as life and the universe conspire (along with me and my prayer for you) to bless you this year and grant you the desires of your heart, I pray you will be ready to receive them. And may you never forget to express gratitude —even while you wait for them.
In the moments that the tide doesn’t turn your way and things look and feel bleakest (which we know for sure will definitely happen), I pray you will be kind to yourself, remain faithful, and trust the process, knowing that everything that happens is eventually in service of the lives we are meant to have. Yes, even the truly shitty things we wouldn’t wish on our worst enemies.
I wish for you a network of friendships that will support and hold you through those dark moments. And I pray you will be strong enough to show up for the people in your life who need you in their dark moments.
Cheers to 2025 and the marvelous unknown!
I love you.
Fast Five
📚 Book(s) I’m reading:
Non-Fiction: Write it Down, Make it Happen: Knowing What You Want and Getting It!’ by Henriette Anne Klauser
This is another reread that I usually gravitate towards at the start of the year as I set intentions and make plans.
*I’m on the prowl for some good literary fiction this year. If you have any recommendations I’d love to hear them.
💭 Quote/Idea I’m thinking about:
The idea of enough—being enough, having enough.
It’s a real challenge to be content with ourselves in a world that is constantly trying to convince us that we are lacking. But I’m trying to find small ways to feel enough. Like having more visible affirmations in my space that remind me of this simple truth—that I am, in fact, enough exactly as I am.
🎶 Song(s) I have on repeat:
‘BIRDS OF A FEATHER’ – Billie Eillish
‘THE GREATEST’ – Billie Eillish
I’m loving the entire ‘HIT ME HARD AND SOFT’ album, but I’m absolutely obsessed with these 2 tracks.
🧶 Thing(s) I’m making/trying:
I baked bread for the first time ever! (Please clap! 👏👏👏 ) I tried a no-knead recipe (first 2 images) and a focaccia (3rd and 4th image).
🙌🏾 Thing I’m grateful for from the past week:
I’ve been thinking a lot about my friendships.
It is not lost on me how truly blessed I am to have so many true friends. Friends who know me, love me, support me, keep me grounded, inspire me, humor me; friends who give me the privilege of being there for them, holding space for them, supporting them; friends who see me and allow themselves to be seen by me.
Many people move through this world alone and if they’re lucky they have one person they consider a genuine ride-or-die friend. I have an army. And every day I thank the universe because clearly I’m its favorite human. (Yes, that was a not-so-humble brag.)
Until next Sunday!
Love and light,
Anna
Anna Sarayna
Professional risk taker, part-time marketer, full-time maker, occasional wanderluster. Forever evolving.
Now, how am I to remain dry-eyed when you’ve written such a beautiful love note and best wishes?!!! You know me and how much my tear glands love acting up.
Anna, thank you. Thank you for pouring into me, for loving every part of me, and for being solid after all these years! I cannot express to God just how grateful I am to Him for you.
I love you with all of me.
I don’t think I say it enough so I will say it again. The best of everything is for you (at least it will continue to be so)— I claim it wholeheartedly and God loves to hear from me so trust me when I tell, it is so :).
You inspire me every day to be and want to be everything that God has intended for me to be.
You go about taking hold of your future like it’s nobody’s business, every. single. day!
I continue to be immensely proud of the woman that you are. The woman, I get to call friend, the woman who sees nothing as being too good for me, the woman whom I can’t imagine my life without.
God truly made you special. I will tell you this over and over again.
I love you!