So here’s the thing… this year has really blown, but I’m done complaining about it. I’m done being victimized by something that only exists as a construct of our own perception. 2022 didn’t do anything to me. It’s been a painful year, but guess what? You’ll be hard-pressed to find a better motivator or teacher. This has been the biggest year of growth I’ve had, probably since becoming a mother. And guess what? Growth comes at a cost- and it’s not always financial. 2022 has cost me sleep and some of the old standbys I used to take for granted. It’s cost my family time, comfort, and convenience. It’s cost me the illusions of where I always thought I would be by age 35. It’s required me trading in some of my old, cherished belief-systems, and challenging myself to find some new ones that can serve as a larger and stronger foundation for what I’m building now. I hope that if you’ve struggled through this year, you can say the same.

This is the year I’ve had to relearn the art of falling in love with the process. That’s all life is, isn’t it? The process; over and over again. You reach a destination and maybe celebrate it for a minute, but then it’s right back on the grind. I didn’t put out as many finished pieces as I would’ve liked to this year, but I did learn an entirely new skill set, and that skill set has become the new foundation for my business. I’m not a master (yet); I’m not the fastest; I don’t always know the best way to do things (but I’ve found that it’s generally the hardest one). But I can tell you what 2022 has revealed to me: I’m scrappy as hell and I work best with my back against the wall. When it comes down to it, I’ll always find a way.

I genuinely hope that 2022 has revealed to you some of your own resiliency. It’s one of those things that can’t be bought or gifted- it’s earned. Whether it’s late nights sobbing on a garage floor or early mornings with a restless toddler, struggle builds it. It’s the thing that shows up when you’ve got nothing else, and when you hit rock bottom, it’s the one thing nobody can take from you. If you’re walking through fire right now, keep going. You’re earning your armor.