It’s hard to believe another Christmas has already come and gone. As a result of recent changes I’ve made in my professional life, this one felt especially meaningful.

This was my first Christmas fully settled into my full-time work as a coach for filmmakers. While I’ve done this work in different forms for almost 8 years now, last year I chose to pursue it full time and continue growing my company Nourish. The shift showed up clearly in my body this holiday.

In past years, Christmas often arrived with my nervous system still wound tight from high-pressure film environments and the constant uncertainty of freelance filmmaking. Even in moments of joy, rest and presence were harder to access.

This year felt different. I felt grounded, regulated, and alive. The peace of the day was able to land, helped in no small part by Lin and me stepping away from the stimulation to take a few walks and even sneak in a midday nap.

I still find myself attached to my traditional filmmaking identity from time to time, but as I look at these photos and reflect on the last few days, I feel a deeper acceptance of who I am now and the work I’m building. Coaching filmmakers has brought me closer to myself. And I will always be a filmmaker at heart, practicing whether or not it pays the bills.

What I want most in life is pretty simple: to feel alive more often then not, to move at a pace that supports my nervous system, and to spend unhurried time with the people I love.

This Christmas feels like a quiet marker of a new season rooted in growth, integration, and faith.