A Few 2025 Reflections and 2026 Focus

2025 was a weird year. Looking back, I am proud of what I accomplished, but a lot of what I wanted to accomplish, I didn't. I remember throughout the year realizing things I had planned weren't going the way I hoped and being frustrated. But now, with hindsight, I see how the journey may have varied, but I ended the year in a really exciting place.

There are a couple of things that stand out when I think about last year. The first one was my trip to New York City. I didn't have a plan to go to New York last year, although I had hoped it would happen. When the opportunity came up to go to Revelry in September, I'm so glad I said yes, and it's one of my favorite trips from last year. Now that I'm starting to think about my event schedule for this year, I'll keep this as a reminder that events will just pop up. Planning is necessary, but flexibility is key.

Another thing that stands out was speaking on three stages at industry events, including MJBizCon. It's not easy to get a speaking spot at MJBizCon, and I felt super lucky to be able to join my friend, Sandra Bergman's, panel in Vegas. The three panels I participated in were very different, and I'm proud to have sat alongside some amazing people. It makes me wonder who I will get to share the stage with this year and where that will be.

And the last thing I want to mention was the full-circle feeling I had around the pharmaceutical company I worked for, having a drug approved for pain, and the connections I found to cannabinoids. Then running into my former boss's boss's boss in the Boston airport sealed it as one of the most important parts of last year. It was a special moment and reminded me that I have a unique perspective due to my pharma background, and I want to make sure that doesn't go to waste.

Which leads me to 2026. I'm still planning for the year and determining my event schedule, but one thing is clear to me. Education is going to be a main focus for this year. I've been writing about various topics and sharing some education along the way, but I want to make that more purposeful. I want my content to educate people first and foremost. With the rescheduling executive order at the end of last year, I think the timing is right. As things shift, people have questions, and I feel like I can help provide clear, digestible information. Additionally, Schedule III means more research, and I want to help people understand the results.

It was after MJBizCon that I realized education needs to be more of a focus for me, and this question definitely got me thinking.