Personal | Hello 2017 | Word of the Year
With 2016 coming to a close – I always like to reflect on how the year went! Instead of coming up with a bucket list of goals, I like to give myself a word for the year, and let that really motivate my heart and choices for the year.
My word for 2016 was Fearless!
And my has it been a Fearless one! This year I:
- Traveled outside the Country to Cancun
- Made another trip to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter
- Hosted my very first Calligraphy Workshop
- Traveled outside the state to photograph
- Did Calligraphy for the Mid-City Makers Market
- Photographed a lot of branding work for other photographers
- Recorded and edited a lot of videos
- Was interviewed for three local magazines
- Published in 4 magazines
- Maternity session featured on a blog
- Planned a styled shoot
- Led TuesdaysTogether and watch it grow
- Put my Introvert-ness to the side, and made some friends I can't imagine doing life without
- Met the girls in my Mastermind in Person
- Helped creatives with big personal projects and watch them grow
- Attended 2 Conferences (Path to Profitability+Business Boutique)
- Met my goal of photographing Birth Sessions
PS: If you guys only KNEW the amount of times I failed this year – the tears that were shared because I was told no, goals that I had that didn't come into play! I learned that we must throw all we can at the wall, and something will eventually stick! And that one YES, is totally worth it!
Most of these things are things I would have dreamed up, and never put a plan into action, I would have turned down, because I would be to burned out/introverted/think I wasn't worthy enough. The biggest has to be coming out of my shell, to really meet some great people!
And my word, I've photographed some of the BEST sessions this year! Every year I cannot believe how much I adore my clients, how they become my friends, and how some of my clients I've been documenting for almost FIVE years! My brides from years ago, are having babies, and it has been so fun to reconnect with them and see how they are being husband and wife!
So on to my word for 2017! And that word is:
am.bi.tion: a strong desire to do or to achieve something, typically requiring determination and hard work.
Welcoming "Fear" and being "Fearless" did not make it for an easy year! I realized that I had to push and work so hard to push past my fear, and more times than I'd like to admit – I totally let fear take the front seat!
It took a bit of moxie and a lot of ambition to make these things come to the surface. I want to challenge myself with Quaint+Whim more than I've ever had and put myself out of my comfort zone. When coming up with Quaint+Whim, I've always known I wanted this to be a platform that was more than just sharing my photography! I don't know what this will look like, but I'm going to be working really hard (and praying even harder!) to watch this come to life!
I hope that you all have a very ambitious 2017! Do you have a word of the year? I would love to hear it!
