Wrapping Up 2014 & Unwrapping the Adventurous 2015
Time to wrap up 2014, with some closing thoughts… and time to start unwrapping 2015!
Life is generally so busy that I rarely take time to pause for reflection, and reevaluate the direction my life is heading in, what choices I’ve made, and what choices I want to make for the next couple of months.
Everything moves so quickly and things happen at such a fast pace, it’s easy for weeks and months to go by without taking stock of the choices we make, and the direction we’re heading in.
Although I rarely wait for the New Year to make resolutions, start new projects, goals and change habits, it is a great time to reflect on the past year – what was a success, and the lessons I’ve learned over the past year.
Remarkable Events of 2014
So whenever I read someone else’s New Year blog post, I always want to know two things – what they did and what they learnt in the last 12 months, and then, with all of that knowledge and time, what will they focus on in the following few months – up to 12 if they can plan that far ahead!
Some of the things I did in 2014 which are worth remarking on are, in no particular time-order:-
- The Bell Sisters’ ART website was launched in November 2014
- Daily Inspirational Emails launched in October 2014 (sign up here)
- I completed my 3rd 365 Photography Project in July 2014 (see the full album here)
- Photographed Polo for the first time at Sandhurst, and then at Ham Polo Club (see some photos here)
- Our photographs were featured/bought by Orange, Lloyds Bank (inc. Sky News), Ralph Lauren, Weight Watchers, Waitrose, Microsoft, Procter & Gamble International, NBC news, AOL, WH Smith LTD, The Telegraph, Google, Samsung, Yahoo, Huffington Post, Amstrad Wealth, Citigroup, Avis, Virgin Media, Time magazine and numerous others, such as book covers by a variety of authors.
- I trained Sky Dancer from a flighty, difficult horse, into a beautiful young ‘star’ who can now be ridden bridleless & more. (read my blog post here)
- My photography Facebook page received in excess of 280,000 likes (come over and “like it” if you haven’t already…! )
- Increased turnover of a company we advise; United Remedies (UK site here – International, here) by 280% in 6 months.
- Sasha and Rosanna both started new photography projects – a 260 Photography Project, and a 104 Photography Project.
- Lifestyle Blog launched in November 2014
- L’Estrange-Bell Designs jewellery 80% complete & ready for launch in February 2015
2015 – A New Adventure
A year is a long time – 2014 taught me many things, some really hard lessons, ones which would take me a few hundred pages to write about, but it did teach me one thing that I can write about…
It taught me to dream, set goals, and have great courage – not to be afraid, and to have the true strength to stand tall, stand alone, and reach for something that feels hard… that feels impossible….. to do all the things I’ve dreamt of.
So although 2014 was tough, and I spent a lot of it battling my demons, and challenges, what it did teach me, was not to let it hold me back.
Which leaves me with my goal for 2015 – to take all my challenges, and all the hard work from 2014 and make 2015 a truly, new adventure.
I can’t wait to share the ride with you all on this blog…
– Olivia
