Hey friends! Happy New Year!

Since things have been slow around Melissa Sheridan Photography this time of year, I wanted to share my “word of the year” and some goals I have for 2022.

I do this every year, not because I think people are particularly super interested in my goals, but because I love to write things down and reflect back on it. Last year, I wrote a monthly goals post from January to July. Our surprise move to Dayton, OH put a stop to those posts as I got a little busy! But it’s fun to go back and see what I was working towards in January of last year.

 

2022 Word of the Year

Sometimes I find the “word of the year” concept a bit “woo woo,” but for some reason it spoke to me this year. I saw Vanessa Hicks share her word of the year and was really inspired by that post and even provided this cute template to use for it. So I decided to go for it.

My word of the year for 2022 is… RESTORE.

 

I picked restore because I’ve had a pretty big mindset shift recently. After hustling hard for my business for two years in Virginia, a big move, and two+ years of a world pandemic, I need to restore balance and my personal and mental health. It’s not the last two years were really that bad, but my focus was not on myself and personal goals. Most my goals were business related and at times I felt like my business was my whole life! If you’re a small business owner, I’m sure you know what I mean!

I want to restore my love of photography by really setting limits on my business, not taking on too much, but paring down how much work I have so I can give that work my very best.

I will work to restore my love of running this year.

I will continue to feel restored by reading daily.

I want to restore my energy by waking up with an alarm and before my family for some much needed me time.

At the end of 2022, I want to feel like I put my best foot forward for me and not like I was always giving from an empty cup.

 

Personal Goals

Train for and run the Air Force Marathon! This is my main focus of the entire year, really. The race is in September which means training starts now! I’ve run two marathons before and always said if we ever got stationed at Wright-Patterson AFB, I’d sign up for this one. It literally runs through part of my neighborhood, so as a running military spouse who lives where the race is, how can I not?!

Wake up with an alarm/before my kids most days. If you have kids, this is literally life changing. Not easy and not good for anyone with kids under maybe 4. My kids are finally old enough and sleeping well that I can pull this off and I love the added time to my day.

Read 35 books. I love to read, period. A huge blessing of the pandemic was that it gave me time to read again and now I’ve read enough where it’s a habit that’s stuck. I read 34 books last year. It’s my happy me time!

Read the Jesus Listens devotional first thing every morning. It is so good! It’s the perfect start to my day.

Keep decluttering our house & organizing. Kind of a vague goal, but as a military family and house with little kids in it, it’s a never-ending task.

 

Business Goals

Blog & Work on SEO. Last January I did a Blogging & SEO course and it was amazing! But that was when we were based in VA. I still have a lot of old posts to update to reflect being located in Ohio. This is top priority for me so I can get in front of local clients.

Stick to a session limit per month. For me, this is 6 full sessions a month in slower seasons and a little more if I’m doing mini sessions in the fall. When I take on more than this, I don’t give my current clients the best experience. I do this part time so when my schedule is packed more than that, I start dropping balls or feeling like my whole life is about my business. I know my boundaries so I plan to stick to this limit for everyone’s benefit.

Say no to last minute inquiries. Last minute inquiries are stressful for me to accommodate. I’m saying no more, unless I truly have nothing else going on and feel up for it. It’s often too hard for me to fit in the work load or I have to rearrange something major in my schedule. Here’s your sign to book in advance, whether with me or another photographer!

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Overall, I am not using 2022 to set big, giant business goals. 2021 was my best year ever, in terms of profit. But it was a little too busy for me, so I know I need to take a step back. It’s unpopular in the small business/photography world to say you’re doing anything less than trying to “go full time.” I’m happy this business is mine to call the shots in so that I can adjust my workload accordingly. I know this year will be another amazing year for Melissa Sheridan Photography though! Sometimes less is really more.

I hope whatever you’re focusing on in the year head, it gives you peace, life, & adds positivity to your day.

xo Melissa

Other posts you might like:

• My First Two Rolls of 35mm Film
• 10 Things You Didn’t Know About Melissa
• Photographer in Dayton Ohio | L Family

 

Melissa Sheridan Photography is a Dayton, OH based family & wedding photographer. She is a military spouse, mom of two, & avid reader and runner. You can find her on Facebook, Instagram, & Pinterest.