Ahhh, the void.

That liminal space between holidays that seemingly doesn’t exist — where nobody knows what day it is and we experience that weird pause before everyone goes crazy with “new year, new me” energy.

I like the taint.

Without it, we're just one big hole-iday.

These few days between big events are powerful for grounding and realignment.

My inbox is a quarter as full as usual. Meetings are actually fun and creative as we all plan for a big year ahead. Goals are hitting paper for the new year without the pressure of January 1st looming. Inspired action for post-holiday momentum is in full planning mode — but it's calm. Intentional. Reflectional (is that a word?).

This is when the real work happens. Not the performative "let me post my vision board" work. The quiet, focused "what am I actually building and why" work.

The taint gets overlooked. But it’s where clarity lives… and maybe a little TP debris.

The Hustle

I don’t do resolutions.

In the same way we mostly stopped doing Christmas presents years ago as a family — we buy things for each other throughout the year, little “I thought of you’s,” and would rather create experiences than accumulate more stuff in one big dumpster pile.

My goals are amorphous. I’m always setting new goals and adjusting them with new information. I’ve spent this year building with big vision intention, and when I think about accomplishing goals, I think about the feeling I’ll have when I hit those milestones. And I live there. In that feeling. Alignment.

If you've been reading this newsletter all year, you've been on quite the ride with me — Wild experiences, grief recovery, major releases, intentional preparation, international travel, family time, friend surprises, and navigating every twist and turn that 2025 threw my way.

And if you’re new here, you can catch up on ALL POSTS HERE in the archive.

I've always likened how I build my career to a multi-lane highway. The interstate is comedy — that's the through line, the constant. But each lane is a different pillar of who I am and what I give a shit about. Basically, my job is being me and continuing to build myself as a media company. I despise the term ‘personal brand,’ so we’ll avoid.

I’ve designed life so I can seamlessly move between lanes without losing steam or momentum. Same mile markers. Same destination. But flexible enough to navigate around roadblocks, construction zones, or the occasional idiot driver who makes you question why sanity tests aren’t involved in the driver’s license process.

This year taught me that maintaining multiple lanes only works if you're ruthless about what doesn't belong on the highway at all.

I said no to more things in 2025 than I said yes to. I cut partnerships that weren't aligned. I stopped working with clubs that take the fun out of doing what I love. I learned from bad deals. I stopped taking meetings that were riffraff bullshit. I raised my rates and my standards simultaneously.

And it worked. The right lanes started getting cleared. More efficient. Faster and easier. Shit got cleared off the road before I got to it.

2026 isn't about adding more lanes. It's about optimizing the ones I've already built. Clear vision. Alignment. Better systems. Stronger partnerships. Projects that actually move the needle and value me instead of just looking impressive on paper.

The highway's the same. I'm just getting better at driving it.

The Chill

I did my last show of the year on December 26th at Comedy Cabin in Janesville, Wisconsin with Jake.

Yes, my family was there. Yes, the majority of the audience had been arrested (clip coming).

There's something special about performing in Wisconsin. The stories from my childhood and upbringing just land differently when everyone in the room gets the references. They know what farming life looks like. They understand the Midwest work ethic and simultaneous rugged partying. And I get to work through material that feels lived-in because it IS lived in.

Also, I have to keep my mom's heckling at bay, which is its own form of crowd work training. We love you, Carmen.

Needless to say I’m enjoying a brief post-holiday pause.

In January, I'm heading to Belize with a group of women to celebrate a birthday. My first full relax-and-hang-out trip since 2021. No shows. No work. Not even sure I’ll bring a laptop… Just beach, friends, and actually being present without my brain spinning on to-do’s.

I do my finest writing when I’m just enjoying life and good hangs. Imagine that.

[Note to self: skip the laptop, pack extra notebooks]

I've spent years in constant motion — and a lot of that motion has been necessary and productive, some not. Most of the traveling I do happens in tandem with work, and I’m used to that. I love the blend. But I reallllly love an actual vacation.

Our place in Belize has golf carts to get around the island. I’m a menace on golf carts.

The last few days of 2025 are for being still. Chilling the F out. For finishing strong without burning out. For remembering that the sprint only works if you actually let yourself refuel.

2026 is going to be big. And probably just as messy and wonderful and horrifying and rewarding as 2025. Just a new version of it all. And we’ll be more equipped.

I wish your taint well, friends. RIP 2025.

Upcoming

My TEDx surpassed 30k views as of yesterday! My hope was to hit 100k within the month, and we are ahead of track. This talk means the world to me. If you haven’t seen it, HERE’S THE LINK.

Comments, likes and shares to others go a long way as well to keep it pumping in the algorithm. I would appreciate any engagement like this 🙂 

Speaking of engagement, feel free to respond to this email and share with me more of what you’d like to hear about in 2026… the business stuff? Creative monetization? My Break-Up Registry/MBR Media? Travel? Comedy BTS? Mentality behind x, y or z? I try to incorporate these nuggets in where they make sense, but I’m all ears and want my readers to want to open and read my newsletters. Value + Entertainment is the goal.

Love you all and cheers to the hustle + chill. We ease our ass into a banger 2026.

xx NPH