As 2025 comes to a close, I’ve found myself reflecting not just on what I wrote this year, but on why certain pieces resonated so deeply. Writing has always been my way of thinking out loud—making sense of leadership, identity, resilience, and growth in real time. But publishing is a conversation, and this year, that conversation felt especially meaningful.
These five articles weren’t just the most viewed or best performing—they sparked emails, comments, coaching conversations, and moments of recognition that reminded me why I do this work. Each one reflects a shared tension many people are navigating: the pull between clarity and chaos, confidence and doubt, loss and meaning.
Here’s a look back at my Top 5 Articles of 2025—and what they revealed about the year we’ve just lived.
1. The One-Page Business Plan That Actually Works (No Eye Rolling Needed)
This article surprised me—not because it performed well, but because of how strongly it resonated. In a world overloaded with frameworks, templates, and “ultimate guides,” it connected with readers by doing something deceptively simple: cutting through the noise.
They responded to the permission it gave them to stop overcomplicating strategy. The message was clear—clarity beats complexity every time. A business plan doesn’t need to impress investors or consultants; it needs to guide the person using it.
The impact was tangible. Many shared that they finally completed a plan they could actually use—not someday, but now.
2. The Real Reason You Feel Like a Fraud: Impostor Syndrome and the Trap of External Validation
This piece struck a deeply human nerve. The response confirmed what many quietly experience: impostor syndrome isn’t about lack of competence—it’s a transformation that is incomplete.
Readers connected with the reframing. Rather than trying to “fix” impostor syndrome, the article invited them to examine why external validation had become the measuring stick in the first place.
The insight was both uncomfortable and freeing: when confidence depends on approval from others, it will always feel fragile. Many shared that naming this pattern changed how they viewed their own leadership and accomplishments.
3. Rising from the Ashes: Lessons from the Palisades Fire
This was one of the most personal pieces I wrote all year, and readers met it with remarkable compassion. The Palisades Fire was our moment of unthinkable loss, and what resonated most was my reflection at the beginning of a bone crushing journey.
They connected with the reminder that crisis strips life down to what truly matters—and that resilience often begins with acknowledging loss instead of rushing past it. This was too big, even for me.
The response reinforced something I had to learn, the most powerful lesson in this loss: that vulnerability creates connection. When one person tells the truth about what hurts, others recognize themselves in it.
4. From Catastrophe to Clarity: Prioritizing Purpose Over Possessions
This article extended the conversation sparked by the fire, exploring what happens after the shock fades and the deeper questions remain.
Readers resonated with the clarity that emerges when possessions lose their grip. The lesson wasn’t exactly about choosing minimalism but rather about intentional rebuilding. When excess falls away, purpose has room to surface.
Many reflected on how this piece prompted them to rethink success, redefine priorities, and make choices more aligned with who they are becoming.
5. Landing on Sandpaper: The Reality of Resilience in Challenging Times
This article brought honesty to a word that’s often romanticized. Readers appreciated the rawness of this article. Resilience doesn’t always feel empowering—it is often rough, uncomfortable, and unfinished.
The image of “landing on sandpaper” resonated because it told the truth: resilience isn’t graceful. It’s earned through friction, persistence, and showing up even when progress feels abrasive.
Many shared that this piece validated what they were already experiencing—that struggle doesn’t mean failure, and discomfort often signals growth in motion.
Closing the Year with Gratitude
Looking back, the common thread across these articles is honesty.
As I wish 2025 to be over because it was one of the most difficult years, it was also about truth, reflection, and connection. And the fact that these pieces resonated tells me something important: that my rants about internet marketing being over and giving way to an overall craving of substance over polish, meaning over noise. Quality over quantity.
To everyone who read, shared, commented, or quietly carried these words with them—thank you. You made this year of writing deeply worthwhile.
As we move toward a new year, my hope is simple:
Let’s choose community and each other with compassion and love.
Focus on simplicity and clarity.
Ask each other better and more meaningful questions.
And always remember you are not alone in the building, the breaking, or the becoming.
Here’s to growth, learning, and continuing the conversation—together.
Let’s Grow,
Beate
