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