Personal | Hello 2016 | Word for the Year

2015 was a wonderful and wild year! It went by so fast that I can't believe a year ago today I decided that I wanted to be a lifestyle photographer.

For 2015 my word was Flourish, and I don't think I could have picked a better word to carry with me through the year some things I've accomplished have been:

I attended my first Conference
I finished Marie Forleo's B-School
Found my voice for Lifestyle Photography
Reached different social media/marketing/financial goals
Finally, invested in a 5D Mark III
Guest blogged
Blogged weekly for myself
Started a Bi-weekly Mastermind group
Become the Tuesdays Together Leader for Baton Rouge
Connected with some wonderful creatives both near and far
Got Taschden, my little brother, into Harry Potter
...and the biggest I QUIT MY DAY JOB!

This is a selfie of me walking to my job on my very last day...(I am such a dork!)

Yes, 3 months ago I am no longer a developer for the state, I am now a full-time CEO with Quaint+Whim. So when I say this was a year of Flourishing it really was, every goal was met with a lot of tears, perseverance, and insane goal planning. So many people asked me why it took me SO long to make this decision, you are probably also wondering why I spent SO long waiting to tell you guys this decision, and it is because of one thing, and that thing is...

FEAR...

I am reading Elizabeth Gilbert's book Big Magic, where she talks about creative living beyond fear. I didn't realize how many times I was left frozen in indecision because of fear. Last year I got out of my comfort zone, and due to that, I experienced so many wonderful things. So this year is all about getting out of that comfort zone and living my word for 2016...

FEARLESS.

The whole point of 2016 is not to live without fear, lord knows I would fail awfully at that! But to understand fear, to welcome it, but to let it take the back seat and no longer the driver's seat.

Gilbert puts it best that, "Your fear is boring, it is the most boring thing about you..." I will understand it, I will welcome it, but I will no longer make choices on my fear.