It took me a while to know how to start this post. Recapping this past year seems to be a more difficult challenge than I had initially anticipated because, for most of us, this has not been a season free from challenges. The obvious struggles of knowing how to navigate a world filled with sickness coupled with more time spent at home and alone is a difficult set of circumstances to live through - especially when year 2 of this new normal is moving into year 3.
There are so many wonderful memories from the past year, but this year, more than ever, is also littered with my own mental, emotional and creative challenges. Which is why I'm ready to focus more energy, more life, more creativity into next year's goals – something I've been thinking about for the majority of Q4.
But first, what's a year-long recap without a bit of a highlight reel. And that's what the next few sections below will be – a celebration of some of the high points of the blog this year. If it's too much for you to see one more overview of only good things, feel free to skip further below for my thoughts on what 2022 will look like on this and my other platforms.
A Year of Growth
Impactful Partnerships
This past year I had the incredible privilege to work with brands that I've admired for a long time and also ones that were new to me but aligned with my personal values or style.
There were a lot of partnerships that never made it to the blog because creating for these brands consisted of photography or videography for their own marketing efforts.
I found through that process of working with brands that I'm truly more of a content creator and less of a blogger.
But the brands I did partner with for blog and social content were so lovely to work with this year. Some favorite posts include:
It is partnerships like this that keep me able to justify content creation and blogging. This is my passion, for sure, but creativity doesn't always pay the bills. But as a reminder for those new or skeptical about the blogging or influencer community, I never endorse brands I don't love or take on sponsorships without properly vetting the company if they're new to me. If something isn't a good fit I'll turn it down right away.
Fun, Social Moments
Earlier this year I hit 10 million views on Pinterest. It's been very up and down since then but I count it a privilege to have grown a following and viewership on such an impactful platform.
Pinterest is my favorite social search or visual search platform. I've connected with lovely people through comments, have grown all three of my businesses through concentrated efforts on the platform and have been inspired by beautiful and thoughtful content.
I plan to make Pinterest a bigger part of my strategy and content next year too!
Short-Form Videos
I've had a blast this year playing around with short-form videos from Reels to YouTube Shorts. There's a whole world of possibilities opening up with video content on pretty much every platform and although they're so time-consuming to create, some of my favorite pieces of content have been these types of videos.
"“Ring out the old, ring in the new, Ring, happy bells, across the snow: The year is going, let him go; Ring out the false, ring in the true.” ― Alfred, Lord Tennyson"
So, what's coming?
To nail that down is a bit of a moving target. How do you actually plan for a career that's changing as fast as you can blink in a society that's constantly shifting? Instead of elaborate goals and big resolutions - career-wise - I'm focusing on a few intentional shifts in my content.
Coming Soon to YouTube: You all have spoken and it seems like educational, Pinterest-related content on YouTube is going to be a big hit. Obviously with the past few years of success I've had on Pinterest a lot of people are interested in the tips and tricks of the platform and I'm more than happy to share that information! I'll be posting about the schedule soon enough, but in the meantime subscribe to my channel to stay up to date.
Coming Soon to the Blog: I've been working for the past few months to define my niche. Essentially a more concrete theme to attach all my content to. So many words and themes have come in mind that I've gravitated towards this year:
- Effortless
- Seasonal living
- Laid back
- Joyful
- Mindful
- Balanced life
- Creating beautiful moments
Which, I realize, is very similar to my current content, but in order to be more concise and intentional with my blog and social channels seasonal and thoughtful content is going to be my theme for the year.
I'm bringing back a quarterly newsletter with content, helpful ideas, gardening tips, etc. that will be exclusive to my subscribers. And I'm continuing social content with the mantra that less is more.
I'm sure there will be some shifts throughout the year and adjustments as we go. But I'm excited for a new direction and new goals to work towards as we all just take in the next 12 months the best way we know how.