I could go on and on about things that I learned, but here are the top 5 important lessons that I learned in 2021.

2021 was collectively the best and worst year to date. Brandon and I officially started working together at the beginning of 2021, and together, we were able to really get momentum and growth for Be Moreland Media. We also got married! Towards the end of 2021, I lost someone very important to me: my dad. And while this year had so many great things that happened, this event alone turned my entire world upside down.

You’ll never be prepared for a loss

I, along with so many others, had a loss in 2021. My dad had his first surgery for colorectal cancer in January, and while we stayed optimistic, it all came crashing down in October. My dad’s cancer spread, and in a matter of weeks, he was taken from us. No words can describe how exhausted I was towards the end of 2021, and even going into 2022. I’m still grieving – all while balancing a few businesses, being a wife, and trying to start a family. Nobody ever prepared you for the pain and grief that comes with losing someone, especially a parent. Spend as much time as you can with those you love. Take photos. Take videos. Make memories. 

Just an additional lesson that I learned through this – While you can never be fully prepared for a loss, there are a lot of things can be done to prepare your family. Create an end of life plan and be sure to communicate and share this with those that are important. Living is expensive, but so is death.

Spend less time worrying about what others are doing and more time focusing on what you need to do for yourself

I used to spend a lot of time comparing where I was in business and life to others. I let these comparisons get so into my head in 2020, that it caused major depression and even setbacks in my business. The moment I started to worry less about others and more about where I was in life, I saw a major uptick in our business, my self esteem, and my mental health. I learned how to spend less time focusing on others and more time focusing on myself, my husband, and our businesses.

It’s okay to be proud of your wins

Because I spent so much time comparing myself to others, I downplayed all of my wins – big and small. After we signed on our biggest client in 2021, I got down on my knees and cried. I also filmed it, which I’ve never done before, just to remember the moment. I ended up posting it on TikTok, also something I never did. There was a moment where I felt a little bit of regret because I didn’t want to come off as cocky or having a big ego. But also, I was so proud of what we’ve done that I wanted to share it and scream it! Nothing but good came out of that post (and if there were any bad, I wasn’t aware of it).

I don’t share all of my wins, but I learned to be more open to sharing here and there. I’m so proud of the progress we’ve made so far. I love being able to document and share this with others!

Be mindful of who you choose to work with

With expanding our client list came the decision of choosing who we say yes and no to. While we love to take on more work, it is important that we choose to work with the right people. We choose to work with people that match our vibe, people we love, and people that respect us just as much as we respect them! It’s definitely okay to say no and hand over a client to someone else that will best fit their needs. 

Take vacations & breaks

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Confession: I took more vacations and breaks in 2021 than I ever did. This did wonderful things to my mental health! While this is a perk of owning a business, I do think it’s something that should be done more. Breaks snd time away from work is needed! I cannot perform my best if I’m exhausted, which in the end hinders our clients.

This is just a small list of things that 2021 taught me, but I’m hoping you get some inspiration from this to go into 2022 with a few tweaks in how you run things.