This past weekend it hit me… after returning home from WITS15, I worked non stop and shared my new venture with the world mid May. It’s been ONE year since Adjust Your Focus® launched!
What’s happened in one year?
Everything from getting Adjust Your Focus® registered to working on design projects and photography shoots to attending networking events and conferences to moving across the country to traveling around Europe, Australia and the USA.
The biggest thing I’ve taken away is to just say yes. On both a personal level as well as work/blog related, that has made all the difference.
What did I get up to? What did I say yes to?
Summer
June: Europe trip (Italy + Switzerland + France + England)
I said yes…
To my first Contiki experience + traveling around Europe with one of my best friends
To karaoke at Red Garter and dancing at Space Electronic Disco, Florence’s biggest club
To an authentic dinner experience in Rome (thanks to BonAppetour)
To taking a train to Jungfrau Mountain + winter activities at the top of Europe
To hiking to the top of Staubbachfall waterfall
To going to the top of the Eiffel Tower + a night picnic with new friends under the lit up Eiffel Tower
To an afternoon high tea in London at Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon
To days exploring ruins, seeing iconic spots, talking with locals and making new friends in every city
For more info and pictures: Contiki Tours post + Friends Who Travel Together post + BonAppetour post + 2015 highlights post
July: USA road trip (New York to Colorado)
I said yes…
To driving cross country + enjoying the present moment, out on the road with my mom
To exploring Badlands National Park, Custer State Park, Yellowstone National Park, Grand Teton National Park and Rocky Mountain National Park
To getting up at 5am to search for wildlife (saw my first bear, moose and bison in the wild)
To interacting with horses + donating at Black Hills Wild Horse Sanctuary in South Dakota
To going to the top of the Gateway Arch in Missouri
To making spontaneous stops in little towns throughout the midwest
For more info and pictures: 2015 highlights post
August: Virginia birthday adventure
I said yes…
To celebrating my 27th birthday being healthy in Luray with one of my best friends
To a weekend at Shensara
To yoga classes, meditation, hiking in the Shenandoah Mountains, tubing on the river, stargazing, bonfires and camping
For more info and pictures: 2015 highlights post
Fall
September: Moved to Colorado
I said yes…
To leaving Maryland and moving to Colorado with my mom and our dogs
To driving cross country again
To embracing the opportunity + a big change, without really having a plan
To saying yes to a new chapter
For more info and pictures: Moving post + 2015 highlights post
September: California (belated) birthday adventure
I said yes…
To a week trip celebrating our birthdays together (yes, I’m a twin!)
To exploring San Fransisco again, trying new local places
To walking across the Golden Gate Bridge
To a little road trip on Highway 1, making spontaneous stops along the way
To experiencing Point Reyes National Seashore
To drinking our way around wine country + first time in Napa + Sonoma
For more info and pictures: 2015 highlights post
September: Nebraska conference
I said yes…
To going to NE just a few weeks after moving to CO and a few days after returning from CA
To attending the Do The Damn Thing conference and embracing all that it offered
To supporting Catrice, who I met at WITS15
To putting myself out there, making an effort to talk with attendees and each speaker
To a hotel happy hour with new friends followed by a doTERRA party (first time using oils)
To exploring lovely downtown Omaha + giving it a chance
For more info and pictures: Do The Damn Thing post + 2015 highlights post
October & November: Hawaiian Islands trip
I said yes…
To exploring Hawaii Volcanoes National Park + Haleakala National Park + Waimea Canyon
To walking through a lava cave and standing on lava
To finding Clark Little’s gallery in Haleiwa
To snorkeling with turtles during the day and manta ray at night
To driving the road to Hana
To visiting Pearl Harbor
To promoting brands like SugarSky
For more info and pictures: SugarSky post + Pearl Harbor post + 2015 highlights post
Winter
January: Winter camping in Colorado
I said yes…
To my first instameet + camping in the winter
To learning how to build a snow cave
To sleeping in a snow cave with 5 strangers
To going totally outside my comfort zone, not knowing anyone and embracing winter
To practicing night photography with other photographers
For more info and pictures: Winter Tribe Meetup post
Spring
March: California conference
I said yes…
To attending the Women in Travel Summit conference and embracing all that it offered
To volunteering as an event photographer
To putting myself out there, making an effort to talk with attendees and each speaker
To exploring Irvine, CA with new friends
For more info and pictures: A Wanderful Weekend post
March & April: Australia trip
I said yes…
To not letting a break up define a place
To returning back to Australia with my sister for 2.5 weeks
To exploring Melbourne, Sydney and Cairns
To snorkeling + kayaking in the Great Barrier Reef (GBR)
To flying (4 person plane/scenic flight) over the GBR
To conquering my fear of heights
To zip lining for the first time in Daintree Rainforest
To climbing the Sydney Bridge
To attending a Sydney Symphony Orchestra show at the Sydney Opera House
Throughout the year
Adventures in Colorado
I said yes…
To exploring new trails and/or parks weekly
To snowshoeing and embracing winter
To hiking the manitou incline + making it to the top
To attending as many networking and meetup events as possible
To surrounding myself with positive, adventurous and uplifting new friends
For more info and pictures: Fall in Colorado post
Global Degree
I said yes…
To really pushing my comfort zone and being open to the process
To reaching out to many big bloggers, creatives & entrepreneurs
To teaching myself video editing and creating my first video since college
To sharing my most personal, raw and authentic self/story in posts and video
To giving it my best shot and being ok with the outcome
For more info and pictures: GD application video + New chapter video + Global Degree post + Global Degree Update post
Trademark granted
I said yes…
To investing in my vision and Adjust Your Focus
To working with an attorney (highly recommend Lisa Fraley Legal Coach LLC)
To staying optimistic and patient during the long process
To being able to say the trademark was granted and Adjust Your Focus® is registered
To sharing my experience and this process with other bloggers and entrepreneurs
For more info and pictures: Should You Trademark post
Design projects
I said yes…
To working with new clients and really bringing their vision to life
To focusing on branding projects
Biggest take away?
The one thing that has been consistent this year was learning to say yes and enjoying the unknown. Being ok with putting myself out there and realizing nothing is a failure because we can grow and change from everything.
Personally, the biggest thing has been the connections made and strong friendships formed, most of which wouldn’t have been if I didn’t take the chance to go up and talk with someone.
Professionally, the biggest thing has been following my heart and trusting myself more. I know better what I want moving forward, from the type of design clients/projects I want to attract to post topics and travel opportunities.
There will be another post soon, sharing more on saying yes and some changes that are coming/what’s in store for Adjust Your Focus®!
For now, I’d love to hear from you! What’s something you’ve said yes to? Let me know in the comments below.
Today’s tidbit
“It is through living that we discover ourselves, at the same time as we discover the world around us.” ― Henri Cartier-Bresson