Year in Review: 2021
I was not excited to start 2022. I ended the year in quite a funk and while everyone was busy posting about their accomplishments and high points, I was sitting in what felt like my lowest. I couldn’t remember a single thing that happened in 2021 that felt “good.” Both my personal life and my business felt like they fell flat and I was so discouraged.
So I decided to pull out a pen and paper and start going through the last 12 months and here’s what I found:
JANUARY
I celebrated my second year anniversary with a company I love
I made the decision to join Be The Match in hopes that some day I can make a life-saving donation
My (not yet) foster fail was finally diagnosed with a rare disease that allowed me to treat her and nurse her back to a healthy weight!
I celebrated Kelcey’s 30th birthday
FEBRUARY
I associate shot my first wedding
MARCH
I finished renovating my basement!
I also celebrated 1 year in my first home
APRIL
I got my first dose of the vaX
I joined a recreational sand volleyball league
I hosted my first Women’s Empowerment Dinner
I visited Lizzy in TN
I was invited to sit on an Advisory Council for a marketing certificate program I was completing through George Washington University
MAY
I celebrated my dear friend Megan Hurley at her bridal shower
I made my first (unsuccessful) run for my HOA board, but received great feedback and encouragement
JUNE
I flew to Denver to kick off my wedding season and visit dear friends Taylor and Whitney
I celebrated my 30th birthday with my dearest friends and Kelcey and Kathleen made sure it was one to remember (since the last several years have been pretty terrible)
Harper celebrated her 1st birthday
I foster failed with my first (and probably only) foster, after over a year of tons of complications and setbacks, but also loving her endlessly thank you to Sophia's Grace Foundation for my Lola Bean.
JULY
Scarlett Jane turned 3!
AUGUST
I celebrated Scarlett Jane’s belated birthday in TN with a trip to the zoo (complete with pony rides)
SEPTEMBER
I hosted my first HOA community garage sale which was a great success
I hosted my first successful mini sessions, which helped me to structure my year better and with more work-life balance!
We celebrated my dad’s 70th birthday
OCTOBER
Beau was born
NOVEMBER
Kelcey and I made a weekend trip to Pittsburgh for a little getaway
I received my booster!
Attended a Friendsgiving with amazing women
Completed my marketing and analytics certificate course!
DECEMBER
My mom and I visited my cousin and his (very pregnant) wife in Chicago!
I was interviewed for the Ohio Wedding Podcast
Celebrated Christmas without exchanging gifts and instead put our money towards charitable organizations and acts of kindness
In regards to my business, in 2021:
I photographed 4 events for church
I second shot 6 weddings for 5 different fellow photographers
I associate shot 3 weddings and 1 event for 3 different fellow photographers
I photographed 9 of my own weddings
I photographed 29 portrait sessions and another miscellaneous photo sessions
So it turns out 2021 wasn’t as bad as I thought it was. Sometimes a “good year” isn’t made up of large, monumental things… often times it’s a conglomeration of a bunch of little moments of joy that make for a wonderful year, and man, did my year have a lot of those