November 29, 2017
Another year older! Wow! I’m always surprised every year my birthday comes around because honestly, I forget how old I actually am (anyone else with me?!) To me, birthdays are a way to measure time. From the last one to this one, it’s amazing to see all I have accomplished and experienced over these 365 days as a 26-year-old.
My Last 365 Days
• I continued traveling! Every month I was on a plane, exploring a new place.
• Some of the cities I traveled to include Charleston, Las Vegas, Nashville, New York City, Raleigh, Riviera Maya, San Francisco, even PARIS and LONDON!
• I led GB’s Rising Tide Society chapter another year and fostered relationships with entrepreneurs in our community.
• I photographed 32 weddings for 32 INCREDIBLE couples!
• I also photographed dozens of family sessions and engagement sessions!
• I helped launched Kreativ with two of my dear friends and hosted a workshop for small business owners.
• I attended a ton of conferences this year including WPPI, Pursuit, The Rising Tide Society Retreat, and was even asked to be a Panelist at Creative at Heart in Raleigh!
• My work was published in numerous sites and magazines including Martha Stewart Weddings and Wisconsin Bride.
• I launched a new website and started turning my focus to educating others.
• I donated my talents and my time at local organizations including The Boys and Girls Club and Paul’s Pantry.
• I celebrated new friendships, new relationships, and grew closer to current friends.
• I found a church that brings me joy and continued making time for God every single day.
• I continued to work on balance and find it way easier to choose relationships over work now!
• I watched my beautiful friends welcome new members to their families. I even photographed another birth!
• I fell deeper in love with Pure Barre and completed my first 40in60 challenge!
• I snuggled my cats harder and spent as much time as I could with friends and family members.
• I made time to be silent, to dig deeper, and to listen. I made time to just be.
Birthdays are blessings to remind us that we are still HERE! We get to celebrate another year being on this beautiful Earth. I will never fear nor worry about growing older because it’s a gift that many do not get to receive. Every new year is an opportunity to do more, explore, give back, and make a difference with our lives. Yes, when I turn 40, 50, 60, 70, even 80, I will celebrate and welcome each year with open arms!
So I hope the next time you are about to roll your eyes or sigh about getting older, you stop and remember this. Your life is a GIFT! Your time on this Earth is precious and we never know when it will be our time to go. Stop complaining and start celebrating! Let’s leave a legacy and you can’t do that by complaining the entire time. Each new wrinkle, gray hair, back ache, hip problem is a reminder that we’ve LIVED! I hope to have the wrinkliest face ever from laughing so hard! I hope my body aches from backpacking across countries, carrying my children, and experiencing all life has to offer. I hope every single issue or “flaw” on my body reminds me that I have ENJOYED life and gave it everything I have. I hope you do too.
I’m SO excited to see what 27 brings! I have a feeling it’s going to be an AMAZING year!
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