As I sit and reflect on the past year, I think of all the lessons I’ve learned, places I’ve gone, people I’ve met, and the memories made. With all the wonderful changes in my life both personally and professionally It’s hard to imagine that next year will be better than the last year. My business is moving in a direction I am happy with, my teaching career is also in a great place, and in 2014 I am committed to finding a way to better balance my business around my family.

I don’t want to sound cliche, but I don’t really believe in New Years resolutions. I believe in committing to change and improving on yourself to be better. In 2014 I want to change the way I run my business at home so that I can find a better balance between my work and home life. It’s always interesting writing a blog post and trying to articulate a thought while my children are gleefully running and chasing one another around the house. I feel conflicted because I am missing out on these beautiful moments between my children, yet when I am with them I feel as though I should be working. Its a chronic cycle of guilt, no matter how good my time management skills are.

These days, if I don’t get out whatever though has entered into my brain the very second that it enters by documenting it in some form of electronic organization, it may fall into the black hole of my brain and never find it’s way back out. When I do remember whatever it was, I’ll think of it at the most inopportune time – when I’m driving, or giving the kids a bath, or when I have 3 pots on the stove and they are all boiling over simultaneously. No matter how much I journal, note, or create events, doing all that I want to do in the time I am given is difficult, and damn near impossible. I won’t give up any aspect of my life, so instead I need to learn a new way to grow with my life better.

Moving forward.

I made it a personal mission to find a workshop that brings together photographers who are also mothers. I wanted to be with a group of women who could understand the role and responsibilities that I face on a daily basis. So I googled and binged, emailed, messaged, with little to no responses. I was feeling down and out and convinced there were NO mom wedding photogs out there. Then my friend Jennifer Roberts of Jennifer Leigh Photography asked if I would be interested in attending a workshop with her. (BTW – Shes an AMAZING photog in Grand Prairie Alberta Canada – aannnddd you should book her if you live up there!) I looked into it and booked my seat to the Misty Nolan workshop. The workshop is versatile and will offer me an outside perspective on being in our industry but finding a balance between the creative lifestyle and motherhood. She definitely seems like my kind of people, and I can’t wait to see what’s in store from the experience. Added bonus that I get to go with my friend Jenn!

Here’s to 2014 – and finding balance.