2025 Year in Review by an Australian in Paris.
As the year 2025 closes, Paris ice rinks, festive lights, and gift markets attract locals and tourists alike.
This has not been an easy year, globally or personally. History has continued to unfold in complicated ways. There have been conflicts, losses, and uncertainty, but one thing remains: creativity doesn’t disappear in hard times — it becomes necessary.
One of the gifts of the year was time spent in Romilly, Normandy. There is something deeply restorative about rural France, older friends, and the natural environment. Running the Odyssea 10 km event in Paris was also a personal milestone, not only for me, but for the almost 16,000 participants. It felt symbolic: moving forward, step by step. I also returned to Tbilisi, Georgia, a city of culture, creativity and warmth, and a favourite travel destination.
The best exhibition in Paris in 2025 was the John Singer Sargent art exhibition at the D’Orsay Museum – of his landscapes and portraits – continuing until 11 January 2026.
My greatest gratitude was the gift of creativity. I released my novel, If Paris Were My Lover, a book shaped by the city itself: my love for it, and my uncertainty about it while trying to understand it. Walking the streets, enjoying the culture, food, and atmosphere, brought new insights and interests.
Alongside that, I spent three months immersed in the “Soul Discovery” course with Jacob Nordby, author of The Creative Cure. Those months deepened my trust in creativity as a healing force, not just an output. That thinking and writing journey flowed naturally into visual expression. Last year, in 2024, I undertook Kari Van Tine’s “Magical Mandala” art course. I continued into this year with watercolour painting. With these two courses, I shared creative moments with friends – long conversations about the creative processes of writing, art, and music.
This year also marked the launch of my non-fiction book, Innovation Within Constraints Handbook, a work grounded in years of navigating complex systems while doing my core work in the humanitarian and foreign aid development sphere. It felt right to release it this year when constraints seem to define so much of our world.
My humanitarian and human rights work includes psychosocial support, which deepened this year with the creation and launch of two guides: the Moon, Mood, and Mind Mapping Tracker and Tranquility Mapping. Both emanated from a desire to help people silence the noise, to notice environmental and personal cycles, and to reclaim inner quiet, creativity, and wellbeing.
Wherever you are as this year closes, I hope you find a little laughter, a little beauty, and a little creativity in your lives.
With gratitude, Martina.
