Balance. It's something I didn't do so hot at in 2017. I worked a too hard & too long at times. I exhausted myself with the day-to-day routines, deadlines, and monotonies. I placed value on the wrong things more than once. I know I won't get it perfect in 2018, but baby steps add up to leaps & bounds, so here we go!

Balance to me means spending as much time as I can doing things that are healthy for me in some way: physically, mentally, or spiritually, and less time doing things that bring negativity into my life. In 2017 I spent time that could have been spent restoratively comparing myself to others. It's funny how these things work... As a photographer, I try not to compare myself to other photographers. I follow very few photography accounts that have a similar aesthetic to mine for the purpose of shutting out the inadequacy whispers that tend to creep in. I have, however, found myself playing the comparison game with other people: fitness bloggers, writers, people who seem to live the glitteriest lives. As I sit here by the fireplace in my cute house with my cat at my toes and my sweetest-in-the-world husband on his way home to be with us, I realize how silly it all is. I life such a full life. I am surrounded by family who loves me, clients who believe in me, friends who keep me going, and a God who loves me more than I can even fathom. I've truly taken to heart the old saying "Comparison is the thief of joy", and in order to live a more balanced 2018, comparing myself to others is going to take a back burner to living a joyful life.

For me, this whole balance thing in practice looks a whole lot like this:

less time scrolling online, MORE time face-to-face
less dwelling on negativity, MORE focusing on gratitude
less mindless time on my computer, MORE choosing my moments with intention
less comparison, MORE learning to love myself and others better

So, friends, CHEERS to a 2018 of balance, growth, and doing small things with great love. May it be the best year yet!

-Lauren