Every December seems to bring some reflection time to look back and measure my success both personally and in business. For me 2016 was one to be measured not by financial growth but by personal. As I see everyone posting their top 9 instagram photos I am overwhelmed with a feeling of joy that mine are a perfect reflection of my growth both personally and in my style this year and I couldn’t ask for a better mix of my moments to showcase it!

In May I received a phone call from my dad that changed the course of my summer wedding season and set a bit of panic mode to drop everything and go down there mid June without knowing how long I would be off work. For me, the control freak, the addict to my work that was so hard. To sit and watch my dad be so vulnerable and to watch everyone’s business grow I felt my creativeness start to suffocate. The moment I decided to embrace this downtime, to refocus on who I want to be, things changed in a big way! Once I changed to positive thinking a huge weight was lifted off my shoulders I began to photograph things from a different perspective, I found my meaning of grace, my renewed vision and stopped comparing myself to anyone! This downtime was a blessing in disguise. I turned my gloomy time into a rainbow and things have since just been snowballing from there! My dad healed faster than I thought and I was back with a camera in hand doing better than I had ever done!

In August I got to embark on an adventurous retreat to the Rocky Mountains with an incredible group of photographers (who I had never met) and it was the best thing I could have done for my soul. I hadn’t laughed and smiled so much in such a long time, it was such an incredible way to end my summer! The stress free time to just focus on my creative mind and hone in on my film photography made me feel whole again.

So here I am on the last day of the year wondering if I have changed at all this year? Yes I sure have. I have finally been able to separate my work from personal life so that I don’t feel torn between the two and have family time (that was so hard to do). Every Saturday night I have let my phone die completely and keep it that way until Monday… Sunday’s have become my day with my girls to play board games, Nintendo, read or anything we come up with to do. I have spent so much more time with my girls doing the things they enjoy while putting that camera down (they are quite happy about that one). The amount of reading I have done has made me feel less narcissistic than I feel I was before… thank you Brene Brown.

On my editing and turn around times I have finally got a system in place that allows me to not take weeks or months but days to get sessions out! Writing goals down, setting a schedule and really devoting the time I do have to getting my job done has really changed the structure and direction of my business.

As we head into 2017 I have let myself be vulnerable and embrace the things I cannot change as they are blessings in disguise, I have embraced the little moments a lot more, and came out of my comfort zone to try new things. This next year will be one heck of an adventure both literally and emotionally as my goals this year are BIG and life changing! My biggest goal is my health and making sure I set aside time everyday to exercise my body and mind… if I can do that then the rest will be a piece of cake! Cheers to 2016 it’s been a rollercoaster and I wouldn’t have it any other way!