It's been a challenging one, this 2015.

This past year, I jumped full-time into freelance and found working for myself stretched me in ways (and places—namely, my aching back) I could've never anticipated.

Because that's the thing.

Entrepreneurship is talked about and romanticized for its excitement + limitless possibilities, but I've found only a few who will share how hard it can be, especially for those flying solo. You enter into the world of self-employment knowing instability and uncertainty are going to be good friends alongside you on the journey, but when it comes to daily life, others seem reticent to share how they're doing or perhaps more useful, what they're doing to make entrepreneurship work for them. Finding clients, finding good work systems, organizing schedules, balancing deadlines, handling finances + taxes, and more—these are the unsexy realities.

Here's a sliver what it's honestly like. There are big wins and days I feel ridiculously kick ass for working on my own. There are days laden with anxiety attacks, skipped meals and the constant feeling of, "WHAT THE HELL AM I DOING?!" There's failure. Lots of it. Although I'm beginning to see failure as a positive thing, which I'm hoping to write more about later.

I'm learning it's all in the becoming. I'm getting there—just like you are—and as long as I keep shuffling one foot in front of the other, everything ends up okay. Maybe not perfect, but good enough. Because life is about so many other more important things. Family, travel, art, food, friends, and trying things for the sake of trying, and I enjoyed a lot of that this year too.

Here's a few of my favorites from 2015, plus a snippet of one of my favorite books that strongly sums up my 2016 goals. May the new year bring you peace + contentment, my friends.
 

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Travel: Tulum, Mexico
TV: House of Cards + Master of None
Book: Essentialism
Movie: Brooklyn ( based off this book )
Blog / Website: Cup of Jo
Article: THIS x 1,000,000
Meal: Girl + the Goat ( for my birthday! )
Most Eaten Recipe: Sesame Soba Noodles GIF: THIS or THIS

Album: Hamilton
Concert: DOOMTREE
Art: My painting from Mara Barringer
Podcast: Serial + The Lively Show
Memory: Camping at Nelson Dewey Park
Purchase: A POLKA DOT JUMPSUIT ( !!! )
Goal: Closet Minimalism
Hobby: Letterpress ( obvs )
Nephew: This punkin'

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"My dream is to walk around the world. A smallish backpack, all essentials neatly in place. A camera. A notebook. A traveling paint set. A hat. Good shoes. A nice pleated (green?) skirt for the occasional seaside hotel afternoon dance." Maira Kalman