Looking Back, Looking Ahead

2022 was a total whirlwind for me, both personally and professionally. I don’t know if we are still trying to make up for the lack of any activity during COVID, or if there is some other explanation, but 2022 was the busiest year I’ve had in a long time. On the home front, my son started school, which meant starting activities. He began karate class in January, then we added two months of swimming lessons this summer. I upped my volunteering in a big way—perhaps in too big of a way. I can never seem to do things halfway, or just "help out as needed". Saying "no" is something I realize I need to work on!

On the professional side, one regular client became my primary client due their being short-staffed and needing regular writing help (I’ll take it!) I’ve been grateful for the work, but it was definitely overwhelming at times. I went from 2-3 projects a month to well over a dozen, in addition to other client work.

Frankly, I spent most of my time just trying to catch up.

So, now that the holidays are behind us and a new year is ahead of us, I thought I would look back at 2022—the good, bad, and ugly—and look ahead to what’s on the docket for 2023 so far.

Highlights of 2022

· I received some nice referrals for projects from longtime connections. I’m hoping for more of those in 2023.

· I decided what kind of work I no longer want to do. Instead, I’m choosing to focus on attracting the types of projects I want to do. I realized I need to be more selective about my workload. After all, I’m doing this a long time—I think I’ve earned the right to not take everything that comes my way.

· I joined a local networking group. It’s been a great source of camaraderie, which is lacking in the WFH world.

“Low lights” of 2022

· I lost a longtime client, which I wrote about in my last blog.

· The referrals I received seemed to be one-off projects. I’m not sure if those folks will seek out my services again.

· The content writing work didn’t take off like I’d hoped. Features are still my primary focus.

Looking Ahead to 2023:

· I do have a new project that is supposed to start early in the year.

· I’m planning to offer workshops, both on my own and in conjunction with some of the members of my networking group

· I’m still focused on securing more content writing work

· I want to secure at least two more higher education clients for writing projects.

· On a personal note, I’m making myself and my own needs more of a priority. Last year was no joke, and I’m in no hurry to feel that mentally and emotionally drained anytime soon.

What were your highs and lows of 2022? What are you hoping to achieve in the new year?