2024 Year In Review
In 2024 I feel like I continued to grow up. The realization of a goal to go to Ireland and gather a group of wonderful people to go with me was definitely a highlight of the year. I enjoyed many other memorable moments and feel so fortunate to be living this life!
For the first time, I don't feel like my business consumed me, and I really enjoyed the work we did at my agency. Even though we won fewer projects, the projects we did were bigger and better.
2025 is going to include some challenges, and I am giving a lot of thought to how I am going to show up for them and what role I will play in having a positive impact on my family, my communities, and my own mindset. I am returning to the 12 Week Year, which I started using in 2018, after taking a break from it for most of 2024. For me, having a checklist and holding myself accountable is the best way for me to grow and succeed.
2024 Word of the Year
Listen
Having a word of the year creates a foundation for an approach to interactions - internally and externally. I chose LISTEN for 2024 because I wanted to be a better friend to myself and others, to be patient and empathetic, and to think and listen before I speak.
I am sure I did not employ this at all times, but I believe that I became a better listener and many times considered this word before speaking or acting hastily, which is something that comes more naturally to me!
2024 Business Goals
Goal 1: To be a known source for WordPress websites for schools and nonprofits
This was a continuation of a 2023 goal, and will also be a goal in 2025. I believe I made some progress on this front, as I was found in some Google searches and continued to be sent referrals by colleagues and clients. I attended the Small Schools Conference, and continue to enjoy co-hosting the Mindful School Marketing podcast with the amazing Aubrey Bursch.
I attempted a more strategic approach to social media and blogging, but did not see this as having an impact on my business, so am making adjustments for 2025.
Goal 2: Improve Accessibility Practices and Offer Accessibility Services to Existing Clients
I invested a lot in accessibility in 2024. While I am not seeing a return on this investment, I believe that it is a valuable and necessary area for us to focus on for website we build going forward. I am hopeful that existing clients will respond to outreach about accessibility audit and remediation services.
Ultimately, making websites more accessible is something that aligns with the Design TLC mission and values, and we are committed to continuing to learn more, offer more and implement more accessible websites.
Goal 3: Manage Budget and Track Time
This was not a goal met in 2024, but the process is improving and the information I am gathering is informative. I continue to struggle with accurate time tracking, but have found some work around using Rescue Time to get a better idea of how much time I spent on new projects.
Because I can analyze my budget well using my spreadsheet skills, I know that my expenses were higher with more contractors hired for some larger projects. This is something that is new for me to manage, so I am taking my learning and applying it to new projects going forward to ensure a fair and reasonable profit margin.
I am raising my prices in 2025, which I have not done for 3 years.
Goal 4: Improve Processes/Consistency
This goal was in support of the new accessibility offering. I am still working on a more streamlined process for audits and reports.
2024 Personal Development Goals
Goal 1: Lead with Kindness
For the last 3+ years I have had this goal, similar to a word of the year, to be mindful of how I want to show up in the world. This is a general attitude and behavior, but also includes specific actions. I started a practice in 2021 of reaching out to people in my life - past and present - to let them know what they mean to me and that I am thinking of them. While I paused this regular practice part way through 2024 when I stopped tracking my habits, I plan to resurrect it to some degree in 2025.
Goal 2: Healthy Habits: Drink Water & Get Out In Nature
I continued my monthly hike habit in 2024, sometimes doing more than one hike a month, and even hiking in Ireland! Hiking means walking in nature, and tracking the activity and route using the All Trails app. Sometimes it is more strenuous, like hiking Old Rag in Virginia, and sometimes it is a walk on the beach!
In early fall I had fitness and body composition assessment done, after reading the book Outlive by Peter Attia. I learned that I am pretty fit for a woman my age, but that I would benefit from gaining a few pounds of muscle and losing a few points of fat. My water content was good though! Since the assessment, I have increased my weight in my strength training sessions, and increased protein intake. I do feel much stronger already, although I haven't lost any of the fat as far as I can tell. But, my doctor assures me I am in a healthy range so I continue to battle the voice in my head, (especially after Christmas cookie season) that yells at me for not weighing what I want to weigh.
I reached 1000 consecutive days on the Peloton app in December. I love using this app to hold myself accountable for doing some type of exercise every day - physical or metaphysical. Peloton offers cycling, running, strength training, yoga, meditation and more. I also did my 1000th Peloton bike ride on the same day I reached the 1000 day milestone!
Goal 3: Rediscover My Creativity and Arts Appreciation
Like my final business goal, I fell short on this last personal goal. I planned to continue some of the creative activities I started in 2023 (my word of the year in 2023 was Creativity). But, my heart wasn't in it, and I didn't continue playing the guitar or learning more colored pencil techniques. Creativity is not something that can be forced, and I think I will rediscover my creative side once it is not something I do as part of my job and I have more downtime.
Goals for 2025
As mentioned above, I am returning to my 12 Week Year planning in 2025. I am carrying over some of the 2024 goals, and my word of the year for 2025 is WONDER!