29 Pokémon Evolutions and Counting
A very merry unbirthday to me! Well, except that it’s my actual 29th birthday (November 2), approaching at max speed, and I’m gearing up to look back on this past year with a blend of curiosity and a magnifying glass. Birthdays are the ideal checkpoint to take inventory and ask myself the big questions: What’s working? What isn’t? Am I becoming the person little Madeline once dreamed of?
To me, this ritual is like a spiritual chiropractic adjustment, a fine-tuning that keeps me moving toward my truest self. And this time around, I’m finding that the answer feels overwhelmingly good.
Earnest disclaimer – I can’t ignore that there were times in my life I wasn’t sure I’d make it to 29. There were seasons when the future felt so distant, like a place I wasn’t certain I’d reach. Looking back now, with such deep gratitude, I feel even more compelled to honor each blessing, each moment of clarity, and every piece of joy that’s carried me here.
I hope this record serves as a reminder for anyone moving through their own difficult season that there is light ahead, and that with time, things can align in ways you might not expect. <3
This year hasn’t been my hardest, but without a doubt, it’s been my most transformative. There’s a quiet alchemy at work, pulling together every essential piece – physical, romantic, emotional, spiritual, and creative – into this harmonious whole. Picture a kaleidoscope coming into focus, each fragment clicking into place, creating something whole and beautiful. That alignment is profound, and I’m savoring every second of it.
One of the greatest blessings this year has been my support system. Now, I know everyone claims to have the best friends, but, respectfully, my people are the best. They don’t just show up for me; they see me, love me fiercely, and celebrate every evolving version of me. I am now officially in my 29th Pokémon evolution, and I feel this love in my bones. My friends, my sister, my partner – they each bring a grounded, steady joy into my life, and I’m endlessly grateful for it.
Physically, I’ve never felt so at peace with myself. For someone who’s spent years dancing around her own reflection, this newfound sense of beauty feels like a gift. It’s as if the confidence I’m cultivating within is finally showing on the outside, and I see myself with an appreciation that runs deep. My choices reflect that inner glow, with my body and mind in sync, honoring this wholeness in every way.
And then there’s the magic. I’ve always been a bit “woo-woo,” and I lean into that part of myself without hesitation. But this year, magic seems to be unfolding everywhere I look. I find it in sunrises and long shadows, in chance encounters and in conversations that dive below the surface, and in the timing of things that defy explanation. My journals are filling up with synchronicities – small moments and whispers that feel like gentle nudges from the universe, steering me along a path that feels right. (Right now, I’m really into bunny rabbits, seahorses, and foxes as my personal totems for universal magic.) Life has a playful hand, and I’m here for every twist and turn it sends my way.
Creatively, I’m overflowing. I feel like a vessel for ideas, bursting with things to say and stories to tell. For the first time, I’m ready to share my words with the world in a big way. I’m knee-deep in the process of curating and refining my poetry manuscript *screams* – a journey that feels so beautifully aligned with who I am. I can practically see little Madeline with her giant book of nursery rhymes, beaming with pride. (She’s a tiny blonde sprite skipping through the backyard, probably reciting “Mary, Mary, quite contrary” to a chorus of beetles and butterflies, her first audience.)
As I head into this next chapter, I’m grounding myself in a few affirmations that I hope bring a little magic into your life, too. They are part poem, part incantation, and they’re my way of rooting myself in gratitude to welcome the blessings head. Here are my affirmations for year 29:
Abundance fills my life each day; prosperity is here to stay.
Love surrounds me, pure and true; joy and harmony ensue.
I glow with beauty, inside and out; confidence replaces doubt.
Passion fuels the work I do; my career dreams are coming true.
Detached from outcomes, here I stand, open heart and open hand.
I release the need to plan and know; I trust the way my life will flow.
Thankful for the love I know; in my heart, peace will grow.
Here’s to this next magical year—to honoring our growth, embracing alignment, and finding that spark of wonder woven into every little moment. May these affirmations and this journey be a reminder that, even when things are uncertain, there is beauty waiting to unfold ahead.
With my whole heart,
Your Maddy
