Allot Can Happen In A Year!!
My daughter recently told me that when she watched me wake up one day and decide to start my own business, and then succeed, it made her believe she can do anything she wants. My reply to her was “and you can”. Truth is she has been doing just that. She started her own business during her junior year, and continued growing that after graduating in the 2020 covid era. I support it 100%. From that conversation it reminded me just how much she watches me. And possibly others are too. I hope the inspiration is contagious. It was part of the prayers I prayed when I took this leap of faith, for God to use me to inspire and help others in the process. Some of the things that I’d be adding were not planned initially. This blog is one of those things, unplanned in the beginning.
Last year by this time my first blog post was written and my Realtor hat was back on under the brokerage of Keller Williams; to be offered as an added service to clients. Once I announced the blog, I knew my first post would be a lifestyle post. It was about reflecting on the year and planning for the year ahead. I’m sure God got a kick outta that, the year ahead part! Many of us had all kinds of plans for 2020 written, wished for, and some even paid for. The first year in business was amazing during 2019, but this passed second year has surpassed what I anticipated. This has been a common trend for the majority in the design and real estate industries both for 2020. What amazes me most is the uncertainties that came with the pandemic that ended with some of the best silver linings ever. I’d be remiss not to acknowledge the sadness we’ve endured with losing so many lives to COVID19 and businesses that did not survive or do as well. My prayers and heart go out to those who suffered such losses. I am feeling truly grateful just to alive right about now.
So, reflecting on the year 2020 for me included a little bitter sweet, a couple of life changing events, and added services to all be thankful for. I’ll start with the bitter sweet. By February we celebrated Plot Twist Design’s one year anniversary, my 2nd published article, and I said yes!! Then my future mother in law suddenly passed away. That was a curve ball. A month later the pandemic started and shut downs for quarantine began. I closed on my 2nd real estate deal just a couple days before that was shut down too. It was no need to plan for blog content, because I blogged about that; the pandemic. Also, by then I was in the throws of my first One Room Challenge project for Spring; plenty to blog about with that. Our world was on pause to go through something most of us have never lived to see, until now.
How did we pivot through it? Faith and perseverance. I remember running an E-Design special during quarantine. Business expenses didn’t go on quarantine, that’s for sure! Clients being at home now more than ever just worked in our favor. E-Design was a saving grace until things opened back up for sure. Who knew the influx that would follow as if it had never stopped. A plethora of published features (links on the website homepage), steady flow of design and real estate clients, the opportunity to be an Influencer for the fall High Point Market IG Takeover, a Share The Mic Now Home Edition participant for Allyship/BLM initiatives, two home projects completed for the One Room Challenge (the Fall challenge including a partnership with The Tile Shop), an IG Live Series of 12 episodes (saved on our IGTV channel), and started hosting a podcast, The Plot Twist Design Business Podcast that’s now in season two. A few of my mood boards were featured in Morpholio Moodboards’ top 20 of the month a few times. I also found time to attend my first design show house, very inspiring! A super busy but abundantly blessed year!!
Why the year in review recap? In full transparency I had this blog prepared to go live New Year’s Eve. However, as in real life things don’t always happen as planned. So, the following from this point replaced what was previously written; which now seems a bit irrelevant. My 2021 has already started off on a similar vibe as my 2020 began. Bitter sweet. I decided intentionally not to spend time setting my usual list of goals at the end of the year and being more present in the moment. I was saving that for New Year’s Day. Instead, January 1st was spent traveling, because my father was hospitalized. Because I’m faithful, I trust God will see him and our family through this. Because I’m human, I decided to give myself grace. No goals written or even thought of yet. A few things had to be rescheduled, laundry needs to be done, and the list goes on. For once, I’m ok with it all. Last year was a perfect reminder for me to tap into; remembering just how faithful God is no matter how bad things can feel, and the way things look usually are not how they turn out over time. Trials come to increase faith, promote strength and endurance usually for future things to come. And hopefully they promote us to be kinder to others, as well as ourselves. This year has started off with a reminder that the same God who brought me through 2020 will be here through this moment and whatever else is to come in 2021! Oh the sweet, still somehow will continue planning my wedding for this year. Also, coming back home yesterday to positive feature news was a much needed and welcomed light shared on the feed.
Although goals haven’t been established yet, I did share my mantra for this year in my first IG post of the year: Quality Over Quantity!!
Shared all this all hoping maybe to help someone to stay encouraged no matter what is going on in life. The blog will include more lifestyle topics and perhaps written ted talks too this year, besides design and real estate. So, plan and set goals and do the things for 2021. But trust God above all. Please continue to be safe, stay healthy, and keep going no matter what!!!
-Kelly, XO
“For eyes have not seen, ears have not heard, nor has it entered into the minds of men; what God has for those who are called according to His will” -Bible