This Must Be It, Welcome to the New Year
Everyone loves to say how BUSY the holidays are. All that travel! And wrapping! And shopping! And cooking! I have never really connected with this sentiment... until this year.
It wasn't just that the holiday was loaded with social events, it was that I am freelancing now and every client has a sense of urgency to finish their project before the clock strikes midnight and the new year begins. So in between drinks with friends, miles of driving to visit family, and all the other facets of the season, I was also trying to cram in annual reports, marketing strategy outlines, and everything in between.
Thus, I did not really reflect this year as much as I have in the past. I didn't make my annual "Year in Review" video, or even write a New Year's Resolution.
But 2018 was a remarkable year, and so, in-between client calls today I am going to wrap up what was important about this year, for the sake of my own peace of mind.
1. Becoming Homeowners
My husband and I bought our first home together in January of 2018. It is a beautiful single family house with wooden floors, three bedrooms, and an adorable back yard. Living on a farm cottage for years before, I loved the silence of the country and the beauty of sunsets over the river. But I have had no regrets since moving... I missed the hustle and bustle of the city, and now I am two miles from a thriving downtown scene, and a five minute walk from beaches and parks.
2. My Nephews Were Born
I am lucky to say that I was the aunt to two girls and a boy through my husband's siblings. However, my sister giving birth to two twin boys was a more impactful experience than I honestly would have guessed. Seeing features in their faces (and personalities) that remind me of my own genetics is sort of mind blowing. Twins are exhausting to be around frankly, but so fun and it's also been really cool to see my sister become a mother!
3. Becoming a National Champion
This time last year I was anxiously anticipating my first practice with the Boston Renegades. Honestly, I figured I'd go to a few practices, get my ass kicked, and at least have a fond memory of getting to practice alongside a team that I am a big fan of. I would not have anticipated making it through the preseason, becoming a member of the team, learning all sorts of new things about the sport, traveling around the East coast for games, and making friends with some amazing women. Having to miss the post-season due to some health issues was a bummer, but getting to say I was a part of a Division I WFA National Championship team is priceless.
4. Quitting my Office Job
For the past three years I have worked in various office settings, doing the 9-5 thing, and while I have had incredible career opportunities with great colleagues, I have to say I hate the office life. I mean, it was really killing me. In June I took the leap (thanks to my very supportive husband) and quit my job. Throughout the rest of 2018 I picked up various contracts and hustled to build up my client list as a freelancer. By the end of the year, I had so much work I had to put a freeze on my UpWork account! While working for yourself has its ups and downs, I overall feel so much happier and productive.
5. I Began the Arduous Task of Seeking Publication
This is a double edged sword. I finished writing "Beyond Tomorrow" last year, but I still had to get through the beta-editing process before I could start shopping it. I finished with edits in sometime in the Spring, and since then I have been shopping it to literary agents and publishing companies. At first, getting rejections was almost fun. I though, "look, I'm a real writer now, getting rejections on my manuscript". But now the process has taken a little wind out of my sails so-to-speak. All the research, and writing query letters, and pulling together the specific documents (no two publishers seem to use the same process), is a lot... and it's cut into the pure joy of writing a bit. Nevertheless, as Sylvia Plath once said, "I love my rejection slips. They show me I tried."
It wasn't just that the holiday was loaded with social events, it was that I am freelancing now and every client has a sense of urgency to finish their project before the clock strikes midnight and the new year begins. So in between drinks with friends, miles of driving to visit family, and all the other facets of the season, I was also trying to cram in annual reports, marketing strategy outlines, and everything in between.
Thus, I did not really reflect this year as much as I have in the past. I didn't make my annual "Year in Review" video, or even write a New Year's Resolution.
But 2018 was a remarkable year, and so, in-between client calls today I am going to wrap up what was important about this year, for the sake of my own peace of mind.
1. Becoming Homeowners
My husband and I bought our first home together in January of 2018. It is a beautiful single family house with wooden floors, three bedrooms, and an adorable back yard. Living on a farm cottage for years before, I loved the silence of the country and the beauty of sunsets over the river. But I have had no regrets since moving... I missed the hustle and bustle of the city, and now I am two miles from a thriving downtown scene, and a five minute walk from beaches and parks.
2. My Nephews Were Born
I am lucky to say that I was the aunt to two girls and a boy through my husband's siblings. However, my sister giving birth to two twin boys was a more impactful experience than I honestly would have guessed. Seeing features in their faces (and personalities) that remind me of my own genetics is sort of mind blowing. Twins are exhausting to be around frankly, but so fun and it's also been really cool to see my sister become a mother!
3. Becoming a National Champion
This time last year I was anxiously anticipating my first practice with the Boston Renegades. Honestly, I figured I'd go to a few practices, get my ass kicked, and at least have a fond memory of getting to practice alongside a team that I am a big fan of. I would not have anticipated making it through the preseason, becoming a member of the team, learning all sorts of new things about the sport, traveling around the East coast for games, and making friends with some amazing women. Having to miss the post-season due to some health issues was a bummer, but getting to say I was a part of a Division I WFA National Championship team is priceless.
4. Quitting my Office Job
For the past three years I have worked in various office settings, doing the 9-5 thing, and while I have had incredible career opportunities with great colleagues, I have to say I hate the office life. I mean, it was really killing me. In June I took the leap (thanks to my very supportive husband) and quit my job. Throughout the rest of 2018 I picked up various contracts and hustled to build up my client list as a freelancer. By the end of the year, I had so much work I had to put a freeze on my UpWork account! While working for yourself has its ups and downs, I overall feel so much happier and productive.
5. I Began the Arduous Task of Seeking Publication
This is a double edged sword. I finished writing "Beyond Tomorrow" last year, but I still had to get through the beta-editing process before I could start shopping it. I finished with edits in sometime in the Spring, and since then I have been shopping it to literary agents and publishing companies. At first, getting rejections was almost fun. I though, "look, I'm a real writer now, getting rejections on my manuscript". But now the process has taken a little wind out of my sails so-to-speak. All the research, and writing query letters, and pulling together the specific documents (no two publishers seem to use the same process), is a lot... and it's cut into the pure joy of writing a bit. Nevertheless, as Sylvia Plath once said, "I love my rejection slips. They show me I tried."
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