Hi blog family! I’ve missed you all! I took most of December off this space to soak in this special season with my family. The holidays with little bitties sure are busy but oh-so-rewarding too. I’m thrilled to step back into the grind and ready for a new year of adventure within this space & with my family.
Starting a new chapter has me reflecting on the previous one. 2021 didn’t come with any major milestones over here (although Bennett did learn to walk – that surely was momentous!) I’ve always defined milestones as things like, “we moved to a new house, started a new job, had a baby, launched a successful business endeavor or took a trip overseas” – you know the typical major moments that help to categorize years in our heads.
2021 felt stagnant to me in many ways. I put less emphasis on my business than ever before and stayed put in roles, places and positions I’ve come to love. My priorities really shifted and when I reflect back on the last 365 days I don’t see the typical accomplishments or year-defining events I’d always been able to notice previously.
What I can say about 2021 that I’ve never been able to say before is – I was fully present, wholly involved and incredibly grateful to spend almost all of my precious time with my children.
The pandemic has been hard on us all but it has given me a gift: the realization of how valuable my time is spent with my children. Before the world shut down, two and a half year old Annie was in daycare for 5 hours a day with the occasional aftercare. My workload was immense with freelance projects + partnerships. On top of that, I was traveling solo at least one weekend a month.
Slowing down let me see the beauty in the simplicity.
The small moments are now the ones I savor the most. 2021 was filled with chalk drawings on the sidewalk, popsicles on the porch, watercolor painting afternoons, bike rides, bedtime stories, and countless trips to the Memphis Zoo. I was one of Annie’s school room mothers, planned the class holiday parties and made many new mom friends that I know will be in my life for years to come.
Bennett taught me patience and how to appreciate tiny laughs, smiles and giggles more than ever before. Baby number two will do that to you – now that you realize how fleeting time really is.
Looking into the new year, my hope is to find more balance. Of course, I’d love my personal and business dreams to flourish – but I’m giving myself grace if those dreams don’t manifest themselves in 2022. There will be time enough for all of that down the road but right now it’s all about balance.
My “scale” is definitely tipped to one side right now. I’m thinking the key to any semblance of balance I’m striving for will be working smarter not harder. Blocking out time better so that I have space to work and achieve my goals without sacrificing moments with Annie and Bennett.
There will be many years to come where my children might not need me so very much (getting misty eyed just thinking about it!) I could pinch myself for being in a position to be able to work with such flexibility. This last year has shown me just how much of a gift that flexible schedule truly is.
While I’m not really going to resolute to do anything in particular, I am rounding up wishes, hopes, dreams and goals below that I pray I can manifest into this bright and shining new year.
show myself more grace
wake up earlier + take advantage of quiet mornings to myself
maximize Bennett’s days off from PDO to soak up our special 1-1 time together
remember time is money too (aka don’t feel guilty when you instacart)
fill our afternoons with less TV & more calming classical music
don’t sweat the small stuff
make more healthy dinners at home
and maybe even pull a recipe out of all of those cookbooks you have too?
play tennis with Patrick at least twice a month
and make date nights even more of a regular thing
adventure outdoors everyday no matter the weather
spend more time with extended family
pick up where you left off on all those home projects
make a kerley family vacation happen (where both parents can actually “log-off”)
be better about deadlines / do the hardest tasks first
reply to text messages when you get them instead of telling yourself you’ll do it later (because 75% of the time you’ll forget!)
take day trips & discover fresh places to play surrounding Memphis
& remember to wash your face instead of using just a make up remover wipe even when you’re super duper exhaustedddd
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Can y’all relate to any of these?! I love saving my resolutions in a blog post each year not only to hopefully inspire other women as well but to also look book on and check off as the years go by too.
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Wishing you all a happy, healthy, safe & wonderful start to 2022!
