Happy Winter Solstice everyone! As we approach the shortest day of the year and prepare to welcome 2026, I find myself reflecting on the second half of 2025 with a mixture of gratitude, exhaustion, and quiet pride. When I wrote my Summer Solstice post back in June, I had no idea just how transformative these six months would be. If the first half of the year taught me that “life is what happens when you are busy making other plans,” the second half proved that sometimes the universe delivers exactly what you need, even if it doesn’t arrive in the packaging you expected.

The remainder of 2025 has been intense, challenging, and ultimately rewarding in ways I couldn’t have anticipated. Here’s how it unfolded:

June (continued)

After the heatwave finally broke, I received confirmation about the London-based opportunity I mentioned in my last post. As I’d suspected, the commute requirements made it unsuitable due to them now wanting me to be in the office in London 2 days a week, which was impossible due to #HubbyRuss’s new job where he is in the office 5 days a week. But honestly, closing that door felt liberating rather than disappointing. It freed up mental and emotional space to focus on what truly mattered to me and look for other more suitable opportunities.

I also continued work on the AI and Cyber Security Association, the new entity I’d been developing throughout the spring in line with writing my AI and Cyber book for Kogan Page Publishers.

July

July was absolutely MAD. I continued working on the now renamed AI and Security Association, the entity I’d been quietly building since my conversations at the National Cyber Security Show back in April. The response from the industry was overwhelming, people had been crying out for exactly this kind of intersection between AI governance and cyber security practice.

At the same time, I was deep into revisions for my book with Kogan Page. The editors came back with feedback on the first draft chapters I’d submitted, and while most of it was positive, there were sections that needed substantial reworking. ADHD hyperfocus, once again, became my superpower as I threw myself into rewrites whilst simultaneously managing the association launch. I also gained a new cyber security awareness role, but I quickly exited from it due to the sheer amount of micromanagement that I found myself the target of after only a day or two there. This opened up the pathway to a new role that I would start in cyber awareness the following month.

August

August brought a welcomed slower pace, at least comparatively. I submitted the final manuscript for “Artificial Intelligence in Cyber Security” to Kogan Page on 15 August, two weeks ahead of the September deadline. The relief was immense. I’d poured everything I knew, everything I’d learned, and everything I’d experienced into those pages, and letting go of it felt both terrifying and exhilarating.

With the book off my plate, I could finally focus properly on the AI and Security Association and my new role as a Training and Awareness Consultant at a leading global energy provider who supplies energy to business customers rather than to consumers. I also spent time this month working on materials for the energy organisation and developing security awareness frameworks that could work across eight different European countries and cultures. The challenge of making cyber security training accessible and culturally appropriate across such diversity was fascinating.

September

September was awards season, and it was absolutely surreal. On top of that, #HubbyRuss resigned from his job where he was in the office 5 days a week. That being the case, I was able to get to the 2025 National Cyber Awards and the International Cyber Expo, where it was great to catch up with so many of my friends and contacts in the industry.

And #HubbyRuss ended up staying at his job when he was offered the opportunity to work from home 2 days a week, which was a gamechanger for me.  I also started preliminary conversations about a potential return to the literary world with a new festival concept, something that would honour Frankie’s memory whilst celebrating the intersection of technology, literature, and human creativity. It felt like coming full circle in the most healing way.

October

During October I motored on with my work at the global energy provider which was beyond full on. It was also my birthday, so I made sure I celebrated in style, even though it wasn’t a milestone birthday.

The highlight of October for me was being able to go to the first ever CSIDES event thanks to #HubbyRuss now being able to work from home 2 days a week. I went with my good friend Simon, and the day was beyond superb; I enjoyed every second of it, and so did Simon. Kudos to Hazel MacPherson and Jemma Davies for their hard work in getting it off the ground, I already can’t wait for next year’s event.

On 18 October I got to meet one of the UK’s national treasures, Miriam Margolyes, at the Cheltenham Literature Festival where she gave a talk about her new book, “The Little Book of Miriam” I went with my friends Simon and Wendy, and we had an incredible time. It was very surreal to meet Miriam in person when she signed my copy of her new book.

Although it isn’t until next January, I started to prepare my talk for Basil’s Cyber Marathon 2026, expanding my presentation on AI and unconscious bias to include comprehensive content on deepfakes and manipulation. The research was sobering but necessary, particularly given the rapid advancement of AI technologies and their potential for misuse. I also received confirmation that my book would be published by Kogan Page on 3 April 2026, with pre-orders opening in December. Seeing the cover design for the first time made it feel terrifyingly real.

November

November was a whirlwind. I got to meet John Lydon from The Sex Pistols again when he came back to Worcester for “An Evening with John Lydon.” I enjoyed it more the second time and meeting him this time than I did the first time back in May 2024.

I continued to be flat out busy with work for the global energy company, with lots of twists, turns and challenges that I had to navigate. I also very much looked forward to speaking at the CSO Summit and attending the CSO Awards where I am a judge, but it wasn’t to be as #HubbyRuss was poorly with the flu which he picked up from numerous GP visits he had where he was diagnosed with Churg-Strauss syndrome, a rare form of vasculitis. So, I had to cancel my trip to be at home to look after Poppy, because as I have always said, Poppy comes before anything. Then I started to feel like I was coming down with what Russ had as well, and while I had it a bit, it wasn’t as bad thank goodness.

I’ve also been working intensively on content creation for HOOP Cyber and analysing EU AI Act reports, work that feeds directly into the resources I’m developing for the AI and Security Association.

Poppy turned 12 this month and watching her navigate her senior years with such dignity and resilience continues to teach me daily lessons about grace, persistence, and living fully in each moment. She’s been my constant companion through every high and low of this year, and I’m grateful for every day we have together.

December

Watch this space for an update about December 2025.

Looking Forward to 2026

For 2025, there is just one word that sums it up for me, and that word is chaos. 2025 was extremely chaotic with many twists, turns and challenges. I hope the uncertainty that characterised the first half of 2025 has transformed into purposeful momentum and more of a calm equilibrium. Yes, there have been setbacks, cancelled opportunities, and moments where I’ve had to pivot dramatically this year. But there’s also been growth, achievement, and the deep satisfaction of building something meaningful.

The AI and Security Association is coming together nicely. My book will be published in just a few short months. And perhaps most importantly, I’m learning, slowly but surely, to nurture that softness I wrote about in June, to rest in my own worthiness without constantly bracing for the next challenge.

I know many in our community are still struggling, so if you’re reading this and you’re in that place, please know you’re not alone. Reach out if you need to talk or vent, my inbox remains open at hello@cybergeekgirl.co.uk.

As we prepare to turn the page on 2025, I’m carrying forward the lessons of this year: that change, whilst uncomfortable, can lead to extraordinary growth; that community and connection sustain us through uncertainty; that our voices and our stories matter, especially when we think no one’s listening.

Here’s to the light returning, to new beginnings, and to everything 2026 holds for us all.

Namaste 😊