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The days between Christmas and New Year always pull me inward. Everything slows down. The noise fades. My thoughts do not. While people talk about fresh starts, I get stuck overthinking what 2026 might bring. The unknown feels heavy. Like a bingo card we have not even seen yet.

That fear has a name. Neoannophobia. Add metathesiophobia and it becomes familiar territory for many people on the autism spectrum. I usually handle change fairly well. Right now I do not. My mental health feels fragile. Staying busy makes it worse. I burn out fast. Meltdowns and shutdowns follow. I dislike both. So I reduce everything. Less input. Less talking. Fewer expectations. I quietly hope the final days of 2025 stay calm.

Second Life helps me through this stretch. It gives me gentle distraction. Dressing up. Decorating. Making small choices without consequences. I have said this before, but right now it matters more than usual.

So here I am in my bedroom, wearing Ison’s latest releases, the Vella Ruched Top and the Stella Asymmetrical Waist Pants. I paired them with an over the shoulder sweater from COCO Designs and a cargo shoulder bag by Arnaud Haus. Comfortable. Familiar. Easy to exist in.

My face is Hazel, a new group gift from Ives. She looks beautiful on the Vella head by LeLUTKA. On my eyelids I am wearing the Angel eyeshadow from Goreglam. On my lips a hint of Velour’s Unforgiven lipstick. Hazel’s natural pale pink felt a little too quiet. I wanted just a touch of color.

These days I choose gentle over ambitious. Quiet over forced cheer. If you are moving slowly toward the new year too, you are not alone.

How are you spending these last days of 2025? Let me know in the comments.

XO, Graz