A Few Thoughts on Patience and 2017 – Kitsap Documentary Family Photographer

Back in October & November I started hearing people talking about choosing a word as an intention 2017. Normally this is not the type of thing I’d be able to decide on, much less actually follow through with consideration. But already as early as last fall I knew my word had to be patience. And, indeed, 2017 is not exactly starting in my normal “hit the ground running” sort of way. Instead, I feel like I’m slogging through a 2016 hangover, metaphorically cleaning up from a house party that started out great but quickly got out of hand. Now, I’m left with a garbage bag and a can of Lysol wondering where the hell to even start picking up.

I’m sure I’m not the only person that feels this way. I mean, can we all just agree that 2016 was an odd year? Perhaps your 2016 wasn’t the dumpster fire the internet said it was. But when a large and vocal collection of people start counting down to the end of they year like villagers gathering their pitchforks, it’s pretty safe to say things have been a bit “off” in the world.

While I can hardly claim that my 2016 was a terrible year; after all, I had a baby, gained some international attention for my collaborative project, and was able to spend a week studying under Sam Abell. However, this was also the first year in a very long time that world events and the general population really tested my belief that humanity is inherently good and that kindness will bubble to the surface when times get hard. Added to the aggravations of 2016, I spent a good portion of the year pulling back from work and business in preparation for the baby. Pulling back from productivity goes against every fiber of my being. I was basically born with my nose bloodied from being shoved against the grindstone. Watching friends actively pick up business and jump on opportunities later in the year was certainly a point of frustration, even while knowing sitting on my hands was by my own choosing.

And that brings me to January and the word patience. Still on leave from client appointments and knowing that, even once I reopen my calendar, I will still have to consciously step back on many occasions. Being the primary care giver to a 4 year old and an infant as well as being married to a guy with an erratic work and travel schedule does not leave the flexibility for much else.

So this is the year of patience, with my family, with life and with myself. The year of knowing certain goals will have to wait and other goals will have to be scaled back. It’s the year of forgiving myself for falling short, as it’s certain to happen many times over. And it’s the year of being okay with all of the above.

And for the rest of you finding yourself a bit lost this January I encourage you to join me in somehow shifting focus and doing things a little different this year. Since this year I will be doing less reaching for the stars and more reaching down to pick up a baby, wipe a snotty nose, or tie the sad, old tennis shoes I’ve been wearing more and more since November; I will be focusing more on self care. You know, the goals one has on their list every year but never stick, after all “get published” is so much more big and shiny than “make reading for pleasure a habit”. With any luck 2018 will feel more like back to business as usual.