2025- I’m not sure about you but for me…..2025 is a year that I can’t wait to kiss goodbye. A lot has happened in the last 365 days and if I’m being honest I haven’t had time to process it all. This was the first year that time has really sped up and I feel like I blinked and the year was gone.
There were highs and there were lows. There were moments that I felt like I was floating on air and then there were moments where I felt like I couldn’t breathe. I said goodbye to people I thought would be in my life forever, and I found friendships in the most unexpected places with the most unexpected people. I guess that’s what they mean when they tell you that some people are only meant to be seasons in your life. What I didn’t show the world were the crippling Lupus flares that took away the carefree life that I pride myself on, the social media bans from someone reporting my content daily, and the mystery illness that had left my husband and I terrified until one amazing doctor ordered some scans that showed he had cysts in his kidney, pancreas, lung, and needed his gallbladder out asap.
I’ve had so many amazing women walk through my studio door this year, some preferred not to show their images to the public (hey, I get it! And that is YOUR choice to make) but there were some who were so proud of their journey that they wanted to share their galleries with the world. We told inside jokes during hair and makeup, we talked about tik toks we had become obsessed with, we shared book titles, music, even recipes with each other! I learned about your kids or your upcoming weddings/anniversaries/trips, you told me stories that changed the way you viewed yourself, we broke down walls of self doubt, we did little dances, shouted lyrics to songs, and bitched about life. I held so many hands while some of you cried during your reveal, I jumped up and down in excitement with you because you were convinced you’d only have a handful of favorites when in fact you loved the entire gallery. Some of you even crammed all 150 images into your custom albums because you didn’t want to leave any part of your journey out! Which is…simply amazing. We spent hours together creating art, and every step of the way I learned as much about myself and you did about yourself. You all have inspired me so much. Some of you traveled from hours away and some of you came from literally across the street. I get the joy of hugging some of you when we run into each other at Walmart, and I also get the joy of watching some of you kick life’s ass from my iphone screen.
2025. It was the hardest but also one of the most rewarding years since I started my small business. I learned a lot (some of it I wish I hadn’t) and towards the end of this year I really contemplated if my time as a photographer was coming to an end. Last week I sat in my office and looked at all of the Polaroids that line my wall, the smiling faces of the women who found themselves and their voices in this tiny space, the letters from clients thanking me for giving them the part of themselves they thought they’d never see again, the hundreds of garments hanging in the closet, and the Affirmations For A Badass that are thumb tacked next to my computer. You see around the time when I was ready to give up I told my friend (who was a former client!) that my little business may not survive 2025. This may be the year that ends it all- with the economy turning to utter shit, Meta banning me more than allowing me to post, and AI infringing on the creative world I wasn’t sure if I would survive it. I wasn’t sure if I had the grit to keep fighting for real women to be heard. I wasn’t sure if my voice would be loud enough and inspiring enough to reach the women who need to hear it most. Then this little package of affirmations showed up in the mail and I cried when I read the first one. (And if you know me, you know I am NOT a crier) Because sometimes you need to be reminded of just how much shit you have been through and how none of that shit has stopped you yet. Sometimes I need to be reminded that we all fall down, but it’s when we rise up and dust off…that’s when the real magic happens.
So with that I’m going to leave you with my favorite two that are pinned to my wall. And the assurance that I’m not going anywhere. We have stories to tell, voices that need to be heard, and I’ve got a lot of badass bitches waiting to walk through these doors…even if they don’t know it yet. Peace out 2025, I’m so ready for the next chapter and all of the adventures that are going to come with it.
“I am the energy I want to attract- fierce as fuck”
“I am worthy of every fucking good thing coming my way.”
To all the badass bitches that needed more time to find the courage to walk through The Studio door, I’m here. I’m waiting for you. You can do this. Your story may be the lifeline, the inspiration, the motivation, the spark that keeps another woman going. Don’t ever be afraid to tell it, don’t ever be afraid of the ripple effect that it will cause. Great things come when you step outside your comfort zone.
