I started writing an end-of-the-year blog post in 2016, to reflect on highlights and other notable memories/events from the year. With the exception of 2018 and 2021 when I was traveling, I have kept up this tradition through a chronological list of 10 highlights at the end of each year (some of which are multiple events lumped into one category). I get nostalgic with the passing of time, yet grateful for documenting life through writing, art, and photography. I see my own growth and evolution as life circumstances change and priorities shift. Despite these changes, year after year the highlights tend to overlap in themes, including creative endeavors, milestones/major life events, community, nature, travel, and art.
These reflections serve as their own form of gratitude: for the opportunity to appreciate all that has happened over the course of the year, including ongoing learning and growth, both personally and professionally. For my last post of 2023, I reflected on 8 business-related prompts that could certainly be used again this year. I just started using a notebook from Hawk & Key specifically for business journaling, so perhaps I'll revisit the prompts and see what has changed!
10 Highlights from 2024
Adventures in Nature
Trips with Friends
Art Events
20th High School Reunion
Date Nights
Theme Parks
Completing my first Tough Mudder event
Halloween festivities
Volunteering at every CreativeMornings/Baltimore event
Cutting our own Christmas tree
Other notable highlights include beach trips, birthday celebrations, working with local businesses and organizations, expanding my network of fellow entrepreneurs/women in business, teaching on my own terms, and participating as a vendor at two annual festivals.
In addition to sharing highlights from this year, I've decided to share some low points as well (inspired by others who have done the same), as well as a few goals/words for 2025. To be completely honest, my mental health suffered a bit this year. My sense of self-worth declined through negative self-talk, imposter syndrome, mom guilt, and creating false narratives in my head over the course of time. Therapy has helped me work through these topics, and I'm implementing strategies for managing anxiety that has also surfaced in recent years. I'm still learning how to balance my responsibilities as a wife/mother and as a business owner, while still carving out time for myself, and without letting guilt/uncertainty creep in to say, "you're not good enough, you're not doing enough".
I had some frustrating client experiences this year, which led me to develop better systems for communication and work. I also made a shift in services after identifying the work I want to prioritize and what I want to let go of. I am continually making adjustments to processes so they are more efficient and effective, while adding value to the products and services I offer. I also had some disappointing events this year, where I put a lot of time and effort into programs that fell short despite my best efforts. While I consider this a low, I also see it as a learning experience. I'm figuring out what works and what doesn't, what's worth putting time into and what isn't. At the end of the day, I'm proud of myself for coming up with ideas, trying them out, and seeing them through.
Writing has been and continues to be a great outlet for me to get thoughts and ideas out. I have so many ideas that I've written down to come back to later (on sticky notes, the notes section in my phone, and in a Google document) including future blog posts, artworks, and classes/workshops. My goal for the new year is to be more intentional with my time and bring these ideas to life. On a related side note, I recently facilitated a class about growth mindset and we discussed the concept of SMART goals. This framework, whose acronym stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound, is helpful in moving goals (and ideas) into action. One of the goals I used as an example was updating my website. I am getting new branding photos done in a few weeks, and I plan to revisit my website to include these new photos shortly after receiving them. In addition to updating photos on the site, I also plan to update information about current services, the process for working together, and some behind the scenes of my creative process.
To set the tone for the new year, I've selected five words for 2025: authenticity, gratitude, wellness, perspective, & intention. Below is the vision board I created for 2024, and I plan to create a new one to incorporate some of the themes for 2025!
Cheers to another year of growth, learning, and fun memories in the new year!
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