A Love Letter To January

Dear January,

Last year, you were the month I barely survived.

I didn't know to prepare to withstand your emptiness, and so I struggled. Badly. Like swimming through quicksand in a lead vest kind of badly. Every kind of anxiety was at an all time high. Breathing felt impossible, and the path forward, invisible.

But this year, I was ready for you. Instead of obsessing over blank Google calendar space and dwindling bank accounts, I leaned hard into the emptiness, determined to make something out of it... and you, January... you did not disappoint.

You taught me to look for the light.

And to be the light when it's hard to find.

You showed me the importance of standing up for what I believe in.

And you reminded me that we are all in this together.

You slowed down so I could catch up.

You forced me to learn new things.

And you challenged me to grow in ways I wasn't sure I was ready for.

You proved that there is power in creative collaboration.

And you encouraged me to offer whatever gifts I have to the world - even if I'm still figuring that out.

You reminded me to step with great care and great tact.

And when the going got tough, you reminded me not to take it personally.

You reinforced the importance of human connection.

You asked me to believe in love, in all it's unpredictability, and to let it in.

And you let me see myself in new light.

So here's to you, January.

I love you for the lessons I never would have planned.

A heartfelt thank you to Stephanie Leist and Josh Katz for the studio collaboration, to Chloris Floral for the magical flower adventure, to Stephan Goldstein for sharing his love of photographing strangers when we were both strangers, to Lauren Dailey for turning a OneHope Wine headshot session into an impromptu fashion shoot, and to my wonderful friends for always being the best adventure companions.