Welcome to the future! I'm still waiting on my Jetsons flying car and my Star Trek holodeck tho....
I never was big on resolutions, tbh. As I've gotten older, I started doing a word of the year (or for however long I feel like that still serves me - sometimes I change the word 6 months in or whatever). It's simple enough for me to go back to and kind of sets a "eyes on the horizon" view. I can EASILY slip into hella planning with worksheets and schedules and all the in the weeds stuff so instead I've been trying a broader approach. Give myself wiggle room and less pressure.
"But I had such high hopes that this would take pressure off my design-related income and it just didn’t." - So many things factor into the 'performance' of a course that isn't reflective of its content quality.
"I also don’t like setting money goals for the year." - Me either. I set goals in terms of 'make this much or ELSE' that covers my bare minimum and others I financially support but I never really set biz growth income goals (like 10K more this year or something). That said, I really want to though. In general, I want to get a handle on my biz income so that it's more consistent/predictable. Having some cushion wouldn't hurt either lol And to do that, I have to get REAL about what I'm charging, time spent on projects, lead generation, etc.
Oh my gosh, book goals killed my love of reading too at one point. I signed up for Storygraph or whatever app. Tracked my reading, tried to do some reading challenges with people, etc but it really felt like work. Now I read whenever I want to and I'd rather take a year to read ONE book I enjoy than try to get through 5. Also, I've come to accept just NOT finishing a f'n book lol if it sucks or I'm not interested, I just stop. I used to pressure myself to finish, esp if it was highly recommended or whatever. Life is too short for shitty books. SKIP!
Haha you know a flying car doesn't sound too bad but I think at this point I'll settle for walkable cities and better public transportation 😂
Oohhh I like the word of the however long you feel like it approach! What's your word for the start of this year?
Yeah the performance of a course is based on so many things. I mostly just enjoy the education aspect so much more than the design aspect right now that if I could make more through that, I'd just be happier. But alas, not in the cards at the moment.
I recommend a good spreadsheet to start the what you're making, from where, how much time, etc. stuff. I did that when I was considering leaving certain groups and platforms and it allowed me to cut out what wasn't actually generating that much income for time spent on it and increase where I was getting clients from. The time spent on projects is still what I struggle with the most, it feels like it varies wildly but my pricing doesn't vary as much lol. I've just given up on it because I'm not motivated enough or organized enough to actually track my time for everything.
Hahaha YESSSS life is way too short for shitty books. Putting them down and not finishing them feels so good, too. I always feel so powerful and rebellious for the simplest thing that most people end up doing lol. But yeah, I swear book goals are one of the most common goals and it just steals so much joy??? Why are we like this as a culture 😂
omg yessss to walkable cities! I like having all the little stores, medical stuff, etc in one area AND if there's some greenery like a park or lake? I'm sold! Honestly, outside of where I live now, university was the last place that was really a little walkable city.
My word for 2024 is surrender :)
Good reminder about the spreadsheet! I have an expenses one and also an income plan one that I should get back to using and update.
Also about the book thing - I had to retrain my social media addled brain to actually focus long enough to read. I'd skim through to just figure out what happened because I was too impatient, or I'd try to play music while also reading. How did I get through a whole ass philosophy degree?! This can't be the same brain that was hyperfocused while reading articles and books and having hours-long discussions 😅
(lastly, boooo substack for not having emojis readily available in comments...)
Oh man university days. I remember walking everywhere! Even like a 2 mile walk into downtown felt so manageable and now I'm like "a mile? Must drive." Slowly trying to break that habit. I also mourn the green space I used to live right next to. Took it for granted and now I have to drive for some greenery 😭
Ooooooh surrender. How thought provoking. I feel like that works in so many ways. I'm just picturing someone with their arms spread wide shouting "I SURRENDER TO YOU UNIVERSE" and dramatically falling like they've been struck by lightning. And maybe that someone in my mind is me because that's how I feel I'm approaching this year 😂😂😂
The social media vs book attention span is so real 😭 I can't even have my phone next to me when I read or else I'll reach for it at a chapter's end like why? I really don't need it. It's horrible.
Welcome back Amy! Seems like you've had a lot going on, and I don't blame you for taking a step back to focus on all the life things. Also wishing your pup a healthier year!
I didn't do an end of year recap or 2024 goals post, but I do like to look back and remind myself of everything I accomplished. Sharing recap posts publicly doesn't quite feel aligned with my values, I know the comparison game on socials is already so bad (at least for me) and I don't like the idea of adding my highlights to the noise. Personally I think it is important to recognize the good work you've done though, so don't discredit yourself—I'm sure you've done some great things! Launching a course is amazing and I can only imagine how much work went into that! Just joined the waitlist!
Here's to chasing things that bring you joy and focusing your time and energy in areas of your life that deserve them! Wishing you a more balanced year for you and your business!
Thank you! I'm very much hoping our pup has a healthier year haha. He has already peed on the floor twice this morning and it's barely past 9. Things aren't looking good 😂
I totally understand that! Honestly I think private, personal reflection is soooo helpful and amazing. Always good to remind ourselves of what we've actually done. You created some STUNNING brands last year!! Love your work so much and you have a ton to be proud of in this past year!
Excited to have you on the waitlist! Would love to see you in the course - no pressure or obligation whatsoever though! Only if it works for you 🤗
I hope your year is off to a great start and is filled with joy! 💙
For sure! Gotta remember all the good we did and all the cool projects we worked on. Your super sweet Amy, thank you!! I had a few bad clients last year that tainted things at the end of the year but working with Angela and another ideal client in the last month into this one really turned things back around. Reminds me that working on projects with people who respect my time and energy is really what I should focus on this year.
As long as the timing works out, I'd love to learn more! I'm no web expert and honestly prefer my print and brand design projects but it would be good to know more and have that info to share with clients.
Jose and I currently have covid so it's a bit of a rocky start, but I'm feeling hopeful for lots of fun projects and collabs this year! I hope yours is off to a good start, wishing you and your family a Happy New Year!
The brand you designed for Angela looks SO GOOD!! It feels so much like her and is fun yet grounding and warm!
Holding onto what made those clients so special is the best strategy! That's actually how I ended up rebranding and refocusing haha. I still end up with bad clients every now and then (who doesn't?) but the ratio has been soooo much better. I hope this year brings you more aligned and great clients!
Oh no! What a crappy start to the year 😓 I hope you feel better soon!!
Thank you so much! We've gotten a lot of great feedback and I'm thankful everyone sees her shining through so strongly!
For sure! Oh yes, I think you always run into that and sometimes good clients can go bad too. You never really know how things will shake out until they do. I'm happy to hear the ratio has been better for you overall! Ah, yes! Thank you!
Certainly not great, but work is still coming in so thankful for that. Doing a mix of work / resting the last few days! And looking forward to a proper vacation later this month!
Yes take that vacation!!!! I feel like January vacations should be in everyone's calendars after a hectic and stressful year end of holidays and everything. I hope you're feeling a lot better this week! 🤗
Oh yes, it’s booked and I’m ready. Dispute all the big projects coming in it’s been a really hard year so far. Going back to the Midwest tomorrow for a funeral later this week.
Welcome to the future! I'm still waiting on my Jetsons flying car and my Star Trek holodeck tho....
I never was big on resolutions, tbh. As I've gotten older, I started doing a word of the year (or for however long I feel like that still serves me - sometimes I change the word 6 months in or whatever). It's simple enough for me to go back to and kind of sets a "eyes on the horizon" view. I can EASILY slip into hella planning with worksheets and schedules and all the in the weeds stuff so instead I've been trying a broader approach. Give myself wiggle room and less pressure.
"But I had such high hopes that this would take pressure off my design-related income and it just didn’t." - So many things factor into the 'performance' of a course that isn't reflective of its content quality.
"I also don’t like setting money goals for the year." - Me either. I set goals in terms of 'make this much or ELSE' that covers my bare minimum and others I financially support but I never really set biz growth income goals (like 10K more this year or something). That said, I really want to though. In general, I want to get a handle on my biz income so that it's more consistent/predictable. Having some cushion wouldn't hurt either lol And to do that, I have to get REAL about what I'm charging, time spent on projects, lead generation, etc.
Oh my gosh, book goals killed my love of reading too at one point. I signed up for Storygraph or whatever app. Tracked my reading, tried to do some reading challenges with people, etc but it really felt like work. Now I read whenever I want to and I'd rather take a year to read ONE book I enjoy than try to get through 5. Also, I've come to accept just NOT finishing a f'n book lol if it sucks or I'm not interested, I just stop. I used to pressure myself to finish, esp if it was highly recommended or whatever. Life is too short for shitty books. SKIP!
Haha you know a flying car doesn't sound too bad but I think at this point I'll settle for walkable cities and better public transportation 😂
Oohhh I like the word of the however long you feel like it approach! What's your word for the start of this year?
Yeah the performance of a course is based on so many things. I mostly just enjoy the education aspect so much more than the design aspect right now that if I could make more through that, I'd just be happier. But alas, not in the cards at the moment.
I recommend a good spreadsheet to start the what you're making, from where, how much time, etc. stuff. I did that when I was considering leaving certain groups and platforms and it allowed me to cut out what wasn't actually generating that much income for time spent on it and increase where I was getting clients from. The time spent on projects is still what I struggle with the most, it feels like it varies wildly but my pricing doesn't vary as much lol. I've just given up on it because I'm not motivated enough or organized enough to actually track my time for everything.
Hahaha YESSSS life is way too short for shitty books. Putting them down and not finishing them feels so good, too. I always feel so powerful and rebellious for the simplest thing that most people end up doing lol. But yeah, I swear book goals are one of the most common goals and it just steals so much joy??? Why are we like this as a culture 😂
omg yessss to walkable cities! I like having all the little stores, medical stuff, etc in one area AND if there's some greenery like a park or lake? I'm sold! Honestly, outside of where I live now, university was the last place that was really a little walkable city.
My word for 2024 is surrender :)
Good reminder about the spreadsheet! I have an expenses one and also an income plan one that I should get back to using and update.
Also about the book thing - I had to retrain my social media addled brain to actually focus long enough to read. I'd skim through to just figure out what happened because I was too impatient, or I'd try to play music while also reading. How did I get through a whole ass philosophy degree?! This can't be the same brain that was hyperfocused while reading articles and books and having hours-long discussions 😅
(lastly, boooo substack for not having emojis readily available in comments...)
Oh man university days. I remember walking everywhere! Even like a 2 mile walk into downtown felt so manageable and now I'm like "a mile? Must drive." Slowly trying to break that habit. I also mourn the green space I used to live right next to. Took it for granted and now I have to drive for some greenery 😭
Ooooooh surrender. How thought provoking. I feel like that works in so many ways. I'm just picturing someone with their arms spread wide shouting "I SURRENDER TO YOU UNIVERSE" and dramatically falling like they've been struck by lightning. And maybe that someone in my mind is me because that's how I feel I'm approaching this year 😂😂😂
The social media vs book attention span is so real 😭 I can't even have my phone next to me when I read or else I'll reach for it at a chapter's end like why? I really don't need it. It's horrible.
Welcome back Amy! Seems like you've had a lot going on, and I don't blame you for taking a step back to focus on all the life things. Also wishing your pup a healthier year!
I didn't do an end of year recap or 2024 goals post, but I do like to look back and remind myself of everything I accomplished. Sharing recap posts publicly doesn't quite feel aligned with my values, I know the comparison game on socials is already so bad (at least for me) and I don't like the idea of adding my highlights to the noise. Personally I think it is important to recognize the good work you've done though, so don't discredit yourself—I'm sure you've done some great things! Launching a course is amazing and I can only imagine how much work went into that! Just joined the waitlist!
Here's to chasing things that bring you joy and focusing your time and energy in areas of your life that deserve them! Wishing you a more balanced year for you and your business!
Thank you! I'm very much hoping our pup has a healthier year haha. He has already peed on the floor twice this morning and it's barely past 9. Things aren't looking good 😂
I totally understand that! Honestly I think private, personal reflection is soooo helpful and amazing. Always good to remind ourselves of what we've actually done. You created some STUNNING brands last year!! Love your work so much and you have a ton to be proud of in this past year!
Excited to have you on the waitlist! Would love to see you in the course - no pressure or obligation whatsoever though! Only if it works for you 🤗
I hope your year is off to a great start and is filled with joy! 💙
Oh no, poor guy! Maybe it's only up from here!
For sure! Gotta remember all the good we did and all the cool projects we worked on. Your super sweet Amy, thank you!! I had a few bad clients last year that tainted things at the end of the year but working with Angela and another ideal client in the last month into this one really turned things back around. Reminds me that working on projects with people who respect my time and energy is really what I should focus on this year.
As long as the timing works out, I'd love to learn more! I'm no web expert and honestly prefer my print and brand design projects but it would be good to know more and have that info to share with clients.
Jose and I currently have covid so it's a bit of a rocky start, but I'm feeling hopeful for lots of fun projects and collabs this year! I hope yours is off to a good start, wishing you and your family a Happy New Year!
The brand you designed for Angela looks SO GOOD!! It feels so much like her and is fun yet grounding and warm!
Holding onto what made those clients so special is the best strategy! That's actually how I ended up rebranding and refocusing haha. I still end up with bad clients every now and then (who doesn't?) but the ratio has been soooo much better. I hope this year brings you more aligned and great clients!
Oh no! What a crappy start to the year 😓 I hope you feel better soon!!
Thank you so much! We've gotten a lot of great feedback and I'm thankful everyone sees her shining through so strongly!
For sure! Oh yes, I think you always run into that and sometimes good clients can go bad too. You never really know how things will shake out until they do. I'm happy to hear the ratio has been better for you overall! Ah, yes! Thank you!
Certainly not great, but work is still coming in so thankful for that. Doing a mix of work / resting the last few days! And looking forward to a proper vacation later this month!
Yes take that vacation!!!! I feel like January vacations should be in everyone's calendars after a hectic and stressful year end of holidays and everything. I hope you're feeling a lot better this week! 🤗
Oh yes, it’s booked and I’m ready. Dispute all the big projects coming in it’s been a really hard year so far. Going back to the Midwest tomorrow for a funeral later this week.
Covid wise I’m much better just a dry throat!