The day I was laid off formed a memory I can recall in an instant.
My schedule was booked tight. I was flying and driving all over the Western United States helping sales reps grow their territories and educate staff.
After a few rough years, things were finally looking up. I had a new boss who was the picture of professional.
Think part coach, part military. He was calm, organized, steady and strategic.
He knew how to encourage and direct.
And everything was scheduled.
Rarely did he randomly call.
So it was a surprise to receive a phone call from him as I was driving north up highway 99 after finishing work in a Fresno account on a hot June day.
"Hold on, Melissa, give me a second," was his response as soon as I said hello.
Odd. He'd called me.
"Melissa? Are you there?"
"I'm here."
"Okay, and HR. Are you here?"
Oh, no.
And just like that, my time with the company was over. Travels plans halted. The work redistributed. The schedule stopped. The leadership team decided to shut down my division. And that was that.
Endings are hard.
Scratch that.
Unexpected and unwanted endings are hard.
The Creative Season is closing, the last day will be on March 3rd, 2026. Other parts (like the
Etsy store) will close sooner.
The beginning of the year is supposed to have that fresh feeling of light and hope and all of that.
I love that new year experience. Love the excitement of goals and planning, a bit of dreaming.
So it is with a bit of a sober heart that I'm beginning the year with an ending.
However, once I moved past making the decision and the emotions surrounding it, there was one other thing that I knew.
Once the decision was made to close, it would be more important to focus on executing the ending well, not focusing on the why.
And I wanted to end with joy.
When contemplating this decision in late fall of 2025, I re-read the book, Necessary Endings, by Dr. Henry Cloud. It's my favorite book of his and I've both listened to it on Audible (he reads it and it's a great listen) and read it.
The premise of the book is that endings are normal and to recognize when something needs to end and how to go about that in a healthy, moving-forward sort of way. I highly recommend it to anyone who is contemplating a potential end. It's an easy read and the stories are great. These decisions can really pull on our hearts. Dr. Cloud provides a wise guide (and also makes the case for when things should not end).
In order to end things well and even have a little fun in the process. I've pulled a few ideas from his book.
Here's what I'm doing in the next few weeks. Some of it (like the memory journal, more on that below) is for me, while other things you can join in too. Maybe these will give you ideas for executing "the art of ending well" with a bit of pizazz.
Create a Memory Journal (or board)
As I went through boxes and pictures, a lot of memories came up. I crafted a simple journal with a timeline of the last ten years and the major milestones of the journey. It was such a helpful exercise, to process and let out all the feelings.
There's been so many wonderful people I've met. Great conversations. Challenging projects. Sweet memories. I went through my phone and printed out several pictures of events and people and art created, just let myself go on memory lane for an hour or so. On the pages of the journal, I added notes and dates of different events.
This does take a bit of time, but it really is healing for the heart. You may be the only one to see it, and that's perfectly okay. There are some things meant only for our own hearts.
Have Fun with a Closing Party
In the book, Dr. Cloud shares how a client had a "funeral" for a business that was closing. While that may seem a bit morose, the goal was to metabolize the grief this group of people shared over ending something they'd put a lot of work in collectively over several years. They didn't shrink or hide away from the ending. They embraced it, talked about the good, got together and threw a funeral / gathering. It was something to do with all the people involved and acknowledge everyone's participation and effort.
I can't have a gathering with those of you who've participated with me on The Creative Season. (I wish we could).
But we can have one more painting course together.
I was almost done with "The Confident Heart: Praying & Painting through Psalm 111 & 112."
Instead of selling it, I'm going to gift the course to whoever wants it. Look for the email for that in the next few weeks. If you're not on the email list,
you can sign up here.
Everything is downloadable. The videos. The supply sheets. So, even when the website goes down, all the content is open to you- as long as you download it ahead of time. (I'll send out email reminders).
I thought about simply closing the online store. However, I do still have stock left- if you'd like to purchase stationery, stickers, or a small piece of art, everything remaining is marked off at 50%. You can browse
and shop here.
End with a Showstopper - Celebrate the People, the Experience, the Gifts
If you're a fan of the The Great British Bake Off, you are already familiar with the concept of the showstopper. It's the final project, sometimes a cake or other very fancy dessert. The idea is that this dessert doesn't just taste amazing, it looks amazing. It wows with its décor, flair, and color.
I love to bake and I love flowers. I thought, If I'm going to go through with the idea of closing out with a party, there should be a cake. I think it was Julia Child who said, "Without cake, a party is just a meeting." I've always loved that. There is something about a fancy dessert that creates a festive environment. So, I'm planning a fancy cake bake to celebrate the last ten years of The Creative Season. Will share a picture when it is done.
I don't know what things in your life might need to end this year.
As the year starts, it's natural to look for things to begin, to start, to change, to grow.
But inevitably, things will come to an end as well. Either we will choose to end them, or they will be ended for us.
I wish I'd had this blueprint for previous "endings" in my life.
When I lost my job, I was such a trainwreck. But now I think, I should've enjoyed that downtime a little bit more! It was only weeks before I was back to work and running again!
I hope these encourage you to think creatively as you navigate endings in your future. Even in difficult decisions, we can choose to stay in the sunshine and let the exposure to the sun do its good work.
One thing ends and another begins.
Thank you for being with me on this journey.
You've made it special.
