A Year In Review: 2021
It’s the last day of the year which calls for a look back at all that 2021 had to offer. I’m feeling so grateful to be able to ring in the new year in Cape Town, South Africa, a place that has quickly come to feel like home away from home. This was very much a year of diving into my work, appreciating the company of my family and a whole lot of growing pains. It was a year of pushing myself out of my comfort zone and really making peace with being on my own. It was also a year of finding a community of like-minded people, on and offline and holding space for the vision of how I want to live my life.
Highlights of the Year
No. 1: A Summer Wedding. Watching my older brother get married in the Atlanta Botanical Gardens and photographing the whole thing was one of the sweetest moments of this year. It’s a beautiful day when you get to celebrate the love between two people who you care about deeply. To be able to share that moment with family felt so special.
No. 2: Making Georgia Home. Spending time with my family at home in Georgia was such a beautiful gift that came out of completely uprooting my life late last year. I spent the past eight years on the West coast so being back in Georgia this year took a bit of acclimating but I was able to really enjoy all the sweet things that I’d missed since I was a teenager.
No. 3: Living in Cape Town. Go figure, one of the biggest highlights of my year didn’t come until November when I travelled to Cape Town, South Africa for what was supposed to be a month long vacation. And guess what, I’m still here and enjoying every sunny moment of it (rainy ones too) into early next year. I knew almost immediately after arriving that Cape Town is a city after my own heart. Now I’m scheming how I can spend a lot more time here in 2022.
Personal & Career Highlights
No. 1: Finding My Personal Practice. This has been such a transformative year in terms of my personal health and wellness journey. Prioritizing my mental health and setting boundaries has been an ongoing lesson this year. I’ve adopted a slightly more regular practice of yoga, meditation and journaling, made some dietary changes and spent the year reading books that fed my heart and soul.
No. 2: Co-hosting the Parisian Style 10x10 Challenge. I’ve been so lucky to connect with Bri Lamberson this year and together we hosted two 10 day style challenges with you all! I loved seeing all of your Parisian-inspired looks through the #ParisianStyle10x10 hashtag, which now has over 1000 posts. Many of you said it was your first experience with a 10x10 capsule wardrobe too and you lot absolutely crushed it. We both came away from that experience feeling so inspired by the wonderful community we’ve found.
No. 3: Reaching 10k. I realize that this is quite a boring thing to mention in a yearly highlights, but it really did feel good to reach 10k Instagram followers this year. I try to remind myself that follower count is not necessarily a reflection of the value of my work but at the end of the day it does make a difference to the brands I work with and the types of opportunities presented to me. Being able to carve out a little space for myself online within a rather niche community helps to validate my work and lets me know that it’s resonating with someone out there. A small win worth celebrating.
SOME FINAL THOUGHTS
This year often felt heavy, raw and vulnerable. It taught me how to get comfortable in the uneasiness and the uncertainty, in the softness and humility. I think that’s a good way to go into the new year, with few expectations and an open heart.
Maybe it’s the general sense of optimism of this time of year but 2022 already feels like it’s going to be oh so sweet and full of happy, magical surprises. Thank you for making this year such a meaningful and uplifting one. Thank you for sharing your love, acceptance and positive energy with me. I hope you all take some time to have a moment of quiet reflection, an opportunity to release all that feels heavy and have a beautiful, harmonious start to the new year.
Cheers to 2022!
