Hi friends! It feels surreal that my blog turned FOUR yesterday!
Today, I am taking a look back at 2018 with a round up of my top five highlights in both my personal life and blogging world. It’s been my busiest year ever and I can’t wait to see what 2019 brings!
One of the important decisions I have made is that I have decided that I need to be braver in 2019. Launching my own business has made me realize that “putting myself out there” is not as scary as I thought it was going to be. I want to get more personal, which means sharing aspects of myself that I haven’t before. And I also want to hear from you about what you want me to blog about. January is going to be all about setting the stage for the coming year. But, before we go there, let’s take a look back on the top five highlights from 2018 as we say goodbye.
Happy Birthday CT in Style!
- You might have guessed that the 2018 achievement that I am most proud of is launching my floral design studio, Fresh Flower Bar. I launched Fresh Flower Bar on-line on the first day of spring because I wanted an auspicious date hoping that it would bring good fortune. And it did. Two months later, I had my own storefront! The only downside to starting my own business is that it has taken me away from blogging as frequently as I want to. I have zero plans to stop blogging and hope to be able to do a better job at balancing both in 2019.
- Included in the top five highlights was an invitation to NY Fashion Week (NYFW). It was so much fun to take the train into the city and attend runway shows to get a preview of what will be trending in the fashion industry.
- Sponsorships were another highlight of 2018 and have been great for my blog. I partnered with many designer brands like UGG, Patagonia, Ralph Lauren, Loft, and J. Crew. Outside the fashion world, I have had the chance to work with Paperless Post, Whole Foods, Bath & Body Works, Bloomingdales, One King’s Lane, Sparking Ice and Serendipity Magazine for the Greenwich Wine + Food Festival to name a few.
- There was also that guest appearance on the Rachael Ray Show. Um hello? That came out of no where. I was sipping my Saturday morning coffee and scrolling through my emails when I saw an email with the subject line Rachael Ray. I shoved the phone into my husband’s face with a look of complete disbelief on my face and he said “Wow. That should be interesting.” I have yet to blog about it, but I promise I will before the end of the month!
- A major highlight of my year was learning that I played a role in encouraging a friend to start an interior design firm. I feel so happy for her and all the clients that she will impact with her gift. There are few things more exciting than taking those steps to pursue your passion. She’s super talented and I know she’s going to be successful. Maybe she’ll let me reveal all the details once it is official #ladyboss
- We all have a calling to do something, or a role that we were born to play. If you are truly living your dream, congratulations! But, if there is something that you want to do – I urge you to take the steps to make it happen. All you need to do is start. It is really that simple and I am living proof that it can be done.
- Push away your fear and get motivated like I did when I read Tony Gaskins’ quote “If you don’t build your dreams, someone will hire you to help them build theirs.” Ask yourself why you are helping someone else be successful when you could be building your own success.
Finally, as a thank you to my readers, I will be having a giveaway this week. If you like the idea of being cozy, reading a great book while sipping on a delicious hot drink – you’ll love me a latte! Stay tuned.
