Hau`oli Makahiki Hou!!  Just a few weeks late.

I love the turn of the old into the new year.  I love the feel of a clean slate, a second chance, a crisp new sheet of unmarked, brilliantly white paper waiting for the first words in the next chapter.   I’m also a very goals-oriented person, so I love reading what goals other people are reaching for.  Tell me so I can shout from the sidelines and encourage you on.

If you haven’t already, you might have read my New Year’s Resolutions from a year ago.  I think the key to progress (notice I didn’t say ‘success’) is to revisit goals.    I made a mental note to check back in with my resolutions in July and remind myself of what I wanted to accomplish.  Thank goodness, since it was pretty bleak.  But by the end of the year, I hadn’t done all that I wanted, but I did take lengthy steps forward.

Photography Business Goals

1.  Do more by doing less Grade: D+

I tried to be strict about capping the number of bookings I did per month, but I’m a wuss and I just couldn’t say no to some very awesome sessions and weddings.  So, I’ll have to try again this year.

2.  Attend workshops Grade: A

Yeah, I totally did.  There are a lot of great online workshops but I also caught a few here on Oahu, like one by Sal Cincotta this past October.  It was fun and I learned a lot this past year!

3.  Hold workshops  Grade: I

I’ll give myself an incomplete because although I wasn’t able to put on the photography workshops that I have on tap, I will this year!!!  I have a place, I have a tentative time and date  (March!!!) and I’ve been mapping out the descriptions and syllabus.  Make sure you’re following my blog or Facebook page so you don’t miss out.  The first workshop will be geared towards those with minimal to no photography experience.

Personal Goals

4.  Use those reusable Foodland bags Grade: A

It took me a while but I finally caught on the last 4 months of the year and I finally remember to take those cloth bags to the stores.  I’m doing it!

5.  Try a two new recipes a month  Grade: C-

Hmm, still not cooking that much.  But I did try two new recipes this year.  A garlic cream pasta and chicken piccatta with lemons from my own backyard!  Pinterest is amazing!  What other way to compel a photographer to want to try to cook, then to show them pictures of food.  They finally cracked the code and managed to inspire me to cook something.  It was super yummy!

6.  Take care of the little things  Grade: B

Don’t be thrown by my nerdiness but I made a google doc of almost all our household tasks and organized them that things I wanted done weekly, monthly, and bi-annually.  And, yes, wiping down the top of the washer and dryer is on there.  Of course,  I can never complete the list before it’s time to start the next week.  And it kind of defeats my first resolution “Do more by doing less.”  Oops.

Hmmnn, anyone able to calculate my final average for 2012?

2012 was pretty spectacular.  I met a LOT of new people, other photographers and new clients, and it just made me want to keep meeting even more.  I saw my work being featured on other wedding websites, like Sweet Violet Bride and Modern Hawaii Weddings.  I had another beautiful baby girl and quickly learned I have no idea how to get out of the house under 2 hours.  All in all, I’m so thankful for another good year with great family and friends (my amazing clients also fall under that category). I have new resolutions for this year but I don’t want to forget these goals and want to keep working on them.

Keep moving up and forward!