A Year in Review: 2019

Well the year is rapidly coming to a close but before we get into new years resolutions and intentions, I want to take some time to reflect on the past year. This time of reflection is so important because it puts things into perspective and gives you that motivation to take on the next thing.

I am very goal-driven and love talking about goal setting and organization here on the blog. Reflection time is the first step in that process, giving you the gratitude needed to continue on. And if reflecting on your year only brings up painful memories and regrets, at the very least it will make you realize how strong you are for getting through it.

I wanted to share a bit here to not only reflect on my own year but hopefully inspire you to find the joyful moments in yours as well.

Career Highlights

This year was very focused on building my platforms: this blog, my YouTube channel and Instagram. It was interesting figuring out how to balance blogging with my daily life and 9 to 5 job. There were so many firsts this year and I’m feeling so grateful for the support you all have given me.

I was able to collaborate with so many amazing brands that I love, all while having a very small following. I continued to expand my interest in video through IGTV, creating 31 videos for Youtube, 6 of which reached over 1k views! I didn’t have many expectations for YouTube so I have been overwhelmed with the support you all have shown for my video content.

2019 also meant really challenging my introverted tendencies to do more shoots and work with photographers. I was able to work with so many talented women this year and heavily relied on Kyle to help me create images I’m really proud of.

Travel Highlights

When I think back on the year my mind tends to go towards the insecurity and uncertainty, how down, alone and helpless I felt at certain moments. But as I went through photos from the past year I realized all of the high moments, how many celebratory and healing moments I had. Looking back, I’m with gratitude and pride for what I accomplished this year.

This year stated off with a very relaxing and romantic trip with my love in Santa Barbara. I really wanted to explore more of SoCal this year and I feel like I’ve got to do just that. In May we spent a weekend in Santa Monica with some friends, eating so much delicious food and enjoying ourselves.

In July, Kyle and I spent some time back in Atlanta together for the first time in 4 years. It was so nice to see the city through his eyes and revisit some of my favorite places. I even got to spend a short time in LA this fall, a day trip I took by myself to visit the opening of the new Mejuri store. It felt empowering to go it alone this time. And I finished the year off with a super relaxing and healing trip to Atlanta with my family.

Life Highlights

This year both my brother and Kyle’s brother got engaged. This is the first wedding in my immediate family so I am super excited to celebrate their love in the coming years. I took my brother’s engagement photos while in Atlanta and it was truly such a wonderful thing to be able to do for them. Kyle and I also celebrated his brother’s engagement right after Christmas, so the season’s festivities have just kept going.

In May we lost a very loved member of our family and it was quite a difficult time for us. And there was a lot of hardship leading up to it with my family, which was hard because I felt so powerless and unable to do anything to help. Sometimes the best thing is to just be together and I feel so lucky to be able to have spent that time surrounded by my loved ones in our little circle of support. I was really proud of how my family stuck together through such a difficult time.

While I definitely struggled with my mental health a bit in 2019, I also feel like I’ve learned a lot about how to manage that and now I have new tools going into 2020. I realized how important it is for me to protect my energy and surround myself with things and people that make me feel inspired and loved. A big intention of mine for this new year and decade is to lean into those feelings more.

So there’s my recap of this crazy year. All in all, I thought it was an amazing time of growth and there was so much to celebrate. I am so grateful to you all for supporting me in this, through reading a blog, liking a photo on Instagram or watching a video. I really appreciate your support so much. Now that the reflection has taken place it’s time to turn our attention and intentions to 2020. I wish you all a wonderful New Years! xx Jessica