Be Brave. Work Hard. Don’t Give Up.

As I sit here on a plane, my mind is racing. After a quick, one day trip, to Houston I can’t help but think about all the memories and accomplishments from this past year.

Today, I celebrate my 31st birthday and a couple of years ago, I decided that each year on my birthday I would come up with a word that would be my mantra of the year. It’s the thing that I’m constantly striving for that’s in the back of my mind as I approach each day.

This year my word was HUSTLE.

Did you know that if you are 42% more likely to achieve your goals just by writing them down? As a type-A personality who LOVES to make lists, this was already part of my routine. The problem is, I used to have an ongoing list that had millions of different tasks on it. I realized that as soon as I would see it, I became overwhelmed and was filled with so much anxiety that often times, I wouldn’t even start. This year, I made it a priority to begin each morning with a plan. I wholeheartedly believe that if you don’t know where you’re going, you won’t know when you get there. I have a document that lists my six month, one year, and five year goals and I’m constantly revisiting and revising it. But ultimately, those goals are reached by what I choose to do on a daily basis. Each morning, I start by writing down my top three priorities, both personal and business, of what I would like to accomplish that day.

One tip that helps me to get through my daily tasks is to tackle the elephant in the room… you know, the super duper big important that that you keep putting off. Instead of avoiding it and keep putting it on the back burner, tackle it FIRST! It’s like all the weight is taken off of your shoulders when you get it done and then you can relax and ease through the rest of the day knowing you got it done. And once you do this a few times, I promise it gets easier and easier to do!

I think that’s the reason I like lists so much, it’s like a little pat on the back every time you check something off. I will even go back and add things to my lists I did that day, just to be able to cross them off my list, LOL! It’s silly, but it’s amazing how good it can really make you feel. When you get accomplish a task and can physically check it off your list, it’s like you are accounting for any time you committed to do it that would explain why you may not been able to accomplish one or more other tasks, showing that you are responsible for your time.

So what does this have to do with hustling? As one of my favorite quotes say, “Be Brave. Work Hard. Don’t Give Up.” Hustle to me means working hard, quickly, and effectively, not letting anything or anyone stop you from reaching your goals. For one, I put goals on my lists that weren’t going to be easy. They were going to challenge me, push me, and stretch me. Some you might say, even impossible. But goals are dreams that you see for yourself even if you might not think are possible, that’s what makes them so intriguing! And I go after them with all my heart.

As a small business owner who works at home with a toddler in tow, it’s very easy to get distracted. And that’s okay… my little girl is only going to be this little for so long, and I intentionally soak up every moment I can with her. But other times, I put the pedal to the metal and crack through each task like there is no end in sight. There were certainly periods I had to sacrifice time away from my family, sleep, and hanging out with friends. Case in point… this post is hustle in action, composed on an iPhone, while my daughter naps beside me on the plane. But I also knew that if I hustled and worked my butt off, that it would eventually pay off and I could reap what I sewed, as they say. I delved into education, enrolling myself in the International Academy of Wedding Photographers. I set up numerous shoots so I could practice new posing and lighting techniques, so I could confidently implement these into my client experience. I outsourced parts of my business that didn’t necessarily need my personal touch, yet still had to be done. We created meal plans so my family could eat healthier and spend less. And I’m happy to say that it paid off, ten fold!

So what’s this year’s word, you ask? That word is TRUST. And following a whole year of me trying to make everything happen myself, I’m gonna need to put a whole lot more faith and trust into what changed God has in store for our lives over the next few years.

Keep your eye out for my next blog post on how I plan to practice trust and also why we just traveled to Houston for one day. 😊 Hint: it wasn’t just for my birthday 😜