Every year we look back & stand in awe of how much we grew! It’s a humbling place to be as a business owner. As we looked into 2018 this time last year – it was all a large question mark. How would we balance family time & business? As we look back, here are the 3 largest things we learned in 2018:

1. Don’t be afraid to ask for help: HUMBLING! It feels like you have lost the battle when you ask, “Um, help!”. But in our case, we actually believe that this makes us stronger. No one person can do it all! Therefore, you ask experts, outsource, & even hire an extra set of hands if you need to! This was the greatest gift of our year – hiring Melissa & asking for her help. It also was a lesson learned in how to not be ashamed that we can’t do it all. That’s life – it’s natural & it should be celebrated. When we come together, we are stronger!

2. Give yourself grace: It’s super easy to be your hardest critique. We all do it! You see everything in your small business & feel like a failure when you set out a goal & it isn’t met. We have all been there! We especially felt like this when Kerr was born … there were weeks when we fought to keep our heads above water & then other weeks where we soared & got so much done!! But at the end of every day we looked at one another & said “Grace!” Grace for a sink of dirty dishes, grace for an unorganized office, grace for others, grace for ourselves, grace in trusting the Lord that He has us in every hour. He has GOT US in the palm of His hands. Therefore, I can close the computer & get a good night’s sleep.

3. Don’t compare yourself to others: This one is easier said than done! It’s so hard not to look around & find yourself wishing you were someone else or had their success. The greatest piece of advice we can give here is to put down your phone! Yes. Turn it off. Delete social media for a few days, clear your head & give yourself space. We do this best over the weekends & even set time aside to escape as a family into the woods each year (You can read about our Rainsford Retreats here!) Set your own goals, live intentionally, & don’t get swept up into the long list of everything you can’t accomplish. Remember to look back on how far you have come & celebrate each milestone along the way!

Like this blog post? Want to see what we learned in 2017? Read all about it here!