As one year comes to a close and another begins, I always feel the pull to pause before moving forward.

Before goal-setting, before planning, before dreaming up what’s next — I need space to reflect. To look honestly at the last 12 months and ask myself a few important questions:
What worked? What didn’t? What felt aligned? What felt heavy?

This “Year in Review” has become one of my favorite annual rhythms. I’ve been doing it since 2020, and every year it gives me clarity, perspective, and a deeper appreciation for how much can change in a single season of life.

If you haven’t done a year-end review yet, I can’t recommend it enough. Some of the questions I always come back to are:

• What worked well this year — and what didn’t?
• Did I achieve the goals I set out to accomplish?
• What surprised me (in a good or hard way)?
• What did my revenue and expenses look like?
• Where did my time and energy feel well spent?
• What do I want to carry into the next year… and what am I ready to leave behind?

With that in mind, here’s an honest look at my 2025 business review — the good, the hard, and how it’s shaping the year ahead.

2025 Year In Review

Year In Review | What Worked in 2025

There’s so much from this year that I’m deeply grateful for.

After years of behind-the-scenes work, I finally launched both of my education programs — The Entrepreneur Blueprint and Business Finance Foundations. These weren’t quick ideas or rushed projects. They were years in the making, and simply bringing them into the world felt like a huge personal milestone.

I also attended the Hybrid Collective Conference in San Diego, which stretched me creatively and connected me with other educators and creatives in a really meaningful way. Community matters — especially in seasons where business feels uncertain — and I’m incredibly thankful for the friendships that came out of conferences and industry events this year.

From a photography perspective, I photographed 5 beautiful weddings and 30 senior sessions, while intentionally choosing to take on less work so I could be more present at home with my young kids. That decision felt like a win, even when it meant saying no to opportunities.

On the backend of my business, I made several shifts that helped create more breathing room:

• Expanded the education side of my business
• Completely overhauled my websites
• Began using AI tools to speed up culling and editing
• Streamlined systems that had felt clunky and outdated

Outside of work, we made meaningful progress on things that matter deeply to our family and everyday life. We cleared out the back forest area behind our home and officially started building the kids’ treehouse — something we’ve talked about doing for years. Our garden also surprised us this season, producing an abundance of tomatoes and other vegetables. It felt grounding and life-giving in a way that had nothing to do with productivity or profit.

We celebrated 12 years of marriage, supported Millie through her surgeries, and cheered as my oldest passed his driving test (still wild to say that out loud). I spent intentional time focusing on my mental health, read 8 books, and invested in small systems that made daily life easier — like finally purchasing a Skylight Calendar to help keep our busy household organized.

I also took the last week of December completely off to slow down and be present with my family, something I want to protect every year moving forward.

None of these wins were flashy. But they were meaningful — and they mattered.

Year in Review | What Didn’t Work (and What Was Hard)

As much as I’d love a highlight-only recap, that wouldn’t be honest.

Millie went through two surgeries this year — an oral surgery and another to remove hardware from her hip surgery. She wasn’t able to walk for six weeks while she healed, and caring for her during that season reshaped everything: my schedule, my energy, and my expectations of myself.

I also lost both of my remaining grandparents, a grief that showed up quietly but consistently throughout the year.

From a business standpoint, consistency was a challenge. Blogging, newsletters, and social media often took a back seat during busy seasons, even though I knew how important they were for long-term growth. Wedding bookings slowed significantly, and I experienced more ghosting than ever before — something that can feel discouraging no matter how long you’ve been in business.

My education programs didn’t perform the way I had hoped, which forced me to take a hard look at my messaging, visibility, and systems. I also struggled to stick to a block schedule, wasted more time scrolling than I’d like to admit, and didn’t check off several personal, financial, and business goals I had set for myself.

It wasn’t failure — but it was humbling.

Year In Review| What I’m Carrying Forward Into 2026

Each year, I use Lara Casey’s Cultivate What Matters Powersheets to set goals rooted in what truly matters — not just what looks good on paper.

As I look ahead, here are some of the goals and intentions shaping the year to come:

• Read one book per month
• Turn The Entrepreneur Blueprint and Business Finance Foundations Evergreen
• Build passive income through my Etsy shop, education, and product sales.
• Finish our treehouse
• Get approval for our home renovation and begin the process
• Fully fund our retirement accounts
• Batch content weekly for blogs, newsletters, and social media
• Book 5 weddings and 30 senior sessions
• Document more of our life through photos and journaling
• Prioritize monthly date nights
• Communicate more effectively (a lifelong Enneagram 9 challenge)
• Take a parenting course
• Commit to nightly family dinners
• Take one family vacation
• Finish our camper renovation and plan a few camping trips
• Reduce screen time
• Take the last two weeks of December completely off
• Become a certified Profit First coach

Word of the Year: Change

For 2026, my word of the year is Change.

Last year, my word was Empower. It carried me through a season of building — building systems, building confidence, building resources for other creatives, and learning how to trust myself as both a business owner and educator. That word served its purpose well.

But when I began reflecting on the year ahead, Change stood out immediately. Not in a loud, dramatic way — but in a quiet, steady, this-is-what’s-coming kind of way.

This next season of life is full of transition. Some of it is exciting, some of it feels stretching, and some of it is simply inevitable. We’re preparing for major home renovations that will likely displace us for a time. My youngest daughter, Millie, will be heading to school full-time — a milestone that feels both joyful and emotional. My oldest child is stepping into more independence. And in my business, I’m continuing to shift toward fewer photography commitments so I can protect my time, energy, and family rhythms.

Change shows up in big, visible ways — but also in the smaller, quieter moments. It’s learning how to let go of what no longer fits. It’s adjusting expectations. It’s choosing to evolve instead of forcing things to stay the same just because they once worked.

I’ve learned that change doesn’t always mean starting over. Sometimes it simply means refining. Simplifying. Re-aligning. Choosing differently than you did before.

This year, Change isn’t about chasing growth at all costs or reinventing everything from scratch. It’s about honoring the season I’m in — as a mom, a wife, a business owner, and a human — and allowing my life and business to shift accordingly.

My hope for 2026 is to meet change with openness instead of resistance. With curiosity instead of fear. And with the confidence that growth doesn’t have to be loud to be meaningful.

Looking Ahead

2025 was filled with highs and lows, growth and grief, clarity and uncertainty. I’m proud of the progress I made, grateful for the lessons learned, and ready to move into the next year with intention instead of pressure.

If you’re doing a year in a review, I’d love to hear from you:
What’s one highlight from your year?
What’s something you’re ready to leave behind?
And what’s one goal you’re excited to chase next?

I’m cheering you on — always!