A new year, a new focus for goal setting | Jackson Michigan Photographer | Mid Michigan Photographer

Ahh, a new year! What is it about a new year that is so fascinating? I feel that a new year is like wiping the slate clean. No matter what has happened in the previous year, a new year gives us new promise and the possibility of new beginnings. It's like anything is possible with a fresh start!

It's no secret that the past year has been a bit rough! Not only dealing with a pandemic with lockdowns and restrictions, the Coronavirus certainly was not on the radar when the year began this time last year for probably any of us. For myself, although I was fortunate enough to not have my life altered too much with these changes because my husband was lucky to be an essential worker, it did have a huge impact on my business. With my studio being such a boutique model where I meet with clients and have a lot of hands on work with each client, this pandemic really broke this model completely. With restrictions and having a home based studio this whole lock down altered my plans and my focus rendering me to try to find new ways of maintaining my business.

I found myself throughout 2020 hearing my own words of encouragement in my head. I am typically an optimistic person but there were some days during 2020 where I was feeling very discouraged and depressed. I think this might resonate with many of you, too. Who would have thought that we would experience all that we have in 2020? If I was a gambling person, I don't believe anyone would have predicted the outcome of this past year?

So as we embark on a new year in 2021, we enter with hope and optimism. Not only did we encounter a virus in 2020 but it was also an election year for our country. What will 2021 hold for us in spite of all of this? I know that I'm sure that we all hope for not more of the same or a repeat of what we have endured during this past year. How can we move forward with optimism in spite of such uncertainty when there is so much that still seems unsure and unknown about the future?

For me personally, I will walk into 2021 the same way I have in previous years. I plan to set new goals and plans for myself, my family and my business. If our past history is any indication, we can see that even with the Spanish Flu of 1918, we will eventually get back to normal as we are proof of that! Viruses tend to mutate and run their course and with new vaccines coming into play, as well, we should be encouraged of better days ahead!

Although nothing in life is guaranteed, I will look at the past year and learn from the mistakes, rejoice in the the good that did come out a somewhat dark year of life in our history. Sometimes it takes misfortunes and disappointments to allow us to see the good in life. Occasionally bad things that happen allow us to become even better than we ever thought we could become. These times in life give us the grit and the determination to succeed! So here's to 2021! We are walking into this new year ever so blindly but we can still have the confidence to make lemonade out of what ever lemons that might be looming that the year might bring!