2022 Year In Review Reflections
2023. Wow. I hope 2022 treated you well.
As many do this time of year, I reflect on the past 12 months and plan for the coming year. I look through my camera roll, journal, and agenda book/calendar. I note the highlights (which include highs and lows) throughout the year. I’m always in awe of how eye-opening this practice is. Daily I live in the moment, preparing for the immediate future (dinner, homework, soccer games, and work projects). I’d like to share a few highlights and takeaways from 2022.
My hope is that in sharing this, is that it will encourage you to reflect on the past year. So much can change in a year. And it happens gradually. You may not see it. But if you take the time to really sit and take note you can celebrate how you have evolved these past 12 months. Maybe you’ll see a theme or pattern that you want to embrace, or avoid, in 2023. Good luck!
Below are my reflections from this past year.
Can you apply any of these strategies to your life/career?
Personal: Prioritizing my family
Highlights: When looking back through the photos of 2022, I was able to truly celebrate how well I was able to prioritize my family this year. We took a few amazing trips. We spent lots of quality time together and gathered with friends/extended family often. I dedicated this past summer to redoing the boys’ bedrooms and my home office. It was A LOT of work, and my muscles were so sore! Haha. But, now my boys (age 12 / 6th grade and age 9 / 3rd grade) have a space to claim as their own. And now I have an efficient studio set up instead of being shoved to a random corner as I have been for the past few years. I mean, it worked, but now I feel more “at home” in my workspace.
Takeaways: John and I were able to squeeze in a handful of summer day dates while the boys were at summer camps, but we need to get more “dates” on the calendar for 2023. My health goals (working out, quiet morning time, healthy eating) were hit and miss. I need to be more intentional about this. I heard someone say they work out for sanity, not vanity. Yeah, me, too. I feel physically and mentally better when I’m in a consistent routine.
Branding & Marketing Services: A creative and fun year!
Highlights: I revamped my studio offerings and structure in 2021. This past year I reaped the benefits! In the realm of Graphic Design, there are SO MANY types of projects that I can handle. I made a list of projects that light me up and a list of projects that drain me. Now, I can confidently say NO to projects knowing that it will open me up to say YES to projects I enjoy. As a creative entrepreneur, I always start the year by wondering what’s in store for my business. My hope is always for fun projects and friendly clients. 2022 did not disappoint. I had a FULL schedule most of the year and the most profitable year since going solo full-time in 2017. I hope I served my clients well, and thanks to the incredible collaborations this year, I’m heading into 2023 with excitement in my heart.
Takeaways: I have SO MUCH to add to my online portfolio to showcase what a creative and fun year it has been. Check back soon and ping me if you want to chat about any projects on the horizon.
See recent work and learn more about my service offerings here.
Surface Pattern Design: Small but mighty steps
Highlights: If you have followed my journey, you know that Surface Pattern Design (art licensing) is a passion project. I have been creating art and working on my portfolio for a while now. And this year, I opened an artist shop on Society 6, a print-on-demand site. My audience can purchase any design on any item. They offer home decor, office, tech, and bags. It’s a task that has been on my list, and I’m proud of myself for finally putting my art out into the world.
Takeaways: I signed up for a bunch of art classes (online) but then never made time for them. I’m kicking myself about that now. I really wanted to learn more about watercolor and explore other mediums. These classes will definitely be top of my list for 2023.
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