Brought to you by a Celsius & Nerds Clusters, my trusty leggings, and the wild curls that have a mind of their own 🎉
As I'm about to level up to age 34 (does this mean I get new superpowers?), I'm sitting here in my favorite athleisure (because jeans are just leg prisons, let's be real), curls doing their best impression of a lion's mane, and contemplating life's big questions – like why doesn't Old Bay make a coffee creamer yet? From pivoting careers at 30 to running my own business capturing love stories through my lens, here are 34 lessons that have shaped my journey, sprinkled with a healthy dose of realness and probably too many caffeine references.
1. Starting over at 30 isn't scary – it's liberating. Plot twist: you can actually have multiple chapters in your life story! When I launched my photography business, I realized age is just a number, and it's never too late to chase what sets your soul on fire.
2. Your comfort zone is a beautiful place, but nothing grows there. Except maybe that forgotten smoothie in the back of your fridge.
3. Old Bay belongs on everything. Yes, EVERYTHING. I will die on this perfectly seasoned hill.
4. Being unapologetically you is the best fashion statement. Yes, this includes wearing leggings to "nice" places. No, I will not be taking questions at this time.
5. Being a parent is such a thankless job. It took me moving 9 hours away to realize how right mine were about *almost* everything. My parents are still my (super)heros and best friends.
6. Self-love isn't selfish, it's necessary. Like putting your own oxygen mask on first, except instead of oxygen, it's sometimes a face mask and true crime documentaries.
7. Water and sleep are not optional. Despite what your caffeine-fueled brain might try to tell you at 2 AM while editing wedding photos.
8. Your curls are not a problem to be solved. They're a mood ring for the weather and a built-in humidity detector. Embrace the chaos!
9. Running a business is like having a child – except it has a website and occasionally crashes instead of crying.
10. The best clients become friends, and ONLY SOMETIMES do your friends become clients. It's the circle of life, but with invoices.
11. Social media is a tool, not a measure of your worth. Your dog (or in my case, my parents' dog) still thinks you're amazing even with zero followers.
12. Travel isn't just about the photos and as a photographer, I'm TERRIBLE at documenting my own life.

13. Being kind to yourself includes dancing in your kitchen, taking midday naps without guilt, and sometimes eating cake for breakfast. Because you're an adult and you make the rules now!
14. Everyone talks about how special childhood friends are, but no one gives adult friendships enough credit. The ones who truly cheer you on and build you up without even knowing all the trauma and baggage that you carry.
15. Wedding photography is 10% about photos, 90% about being a calm presence, and 110% about being the one with ALL the good snacks!
16. Your brand is more than a logo – it's the way you show up, even on bad hair days (especially on bad hair days).
17. Movement should be a celebration. Sometimes that celebration looks like a workout, sometimes it looks like a kitchen dance party/karaoke to Taylor Swift.
18. Celsius & Nerds Clusters are life. But water is life-er. (Yes, I made up that word, and at 34, I make up lots of words. It's called vocabulary innovation.)
19. Making time for goofiness is essential. Life's too serious to be serious all the time.
20. Not every trend needs to be followed. Except maybe the one where we normalize naps for adults.
21. The clients who are meant for you will value your work, respect your boundaries, and laugh at your dad jokes.
22. Having a schedule doesn't make you less spontaneous – it makes space for planned spontaneity. (Yes, that's a thing I just made up.)
23. Building a business is a marathon, not a sprint. Pace yourself accordingly.
24. Your worth isn't measured by your productivity. Some days are for hustling, others are for hibernating with Netflix.

25. The best marketing strategy? Being genuinely yourself, weird laughs and all.
26. FOMO is not as powerful as JOMO (Joy Of Missing Out).
27. Success looks different for everyone. Sometimes it's booking your dream client, sometimes it's remembering to water both yourself and your plants.
28. Community over competition, always. There's enough success (and coffee) to go around.
29. The best decisions I've made started with trusting my gut. And sometimes my gut says "ice cream for dinner".
30. Boundaries aren't barriers – they're your personal bouncer for peace of mind. "Sorry, your drama's not on the list."
31. Getting enough sleep is the ultimate power move. (Still mastering this one, but hey, progress not perfection!)
32. Your prices reflect your worth. Don't apologize for knowing your value. You're not a clearance item at Target (though Target is life).
33. Taking time for yourself isn't selfish – it's essential maintenance for your awesome machine (that's you!).
34. At 34, I'm still figuring it out – and that's perfectly okay. Life's more fun when you embrace the chaos and keep your sense of humor intact.

As I step into my 34th year, I'm grateful for every lesson, every mistake, every victory, and every moment that's brought me here. Here's to another year of adventures, growth, inappropriate amounts of caffeine, and choosing joy whenever possible. May your coffee or Celsius be strong, your wifi signal stronger, and your self-love game the strongest. 🎉
With Love,
Your favorite curly-headed, Old Bay-obsessed, perpetually caffeinated photographer who's just trying to make it all work while keeping it real (and really goofy) one day at a time. ✨
P.S. If you made it to the end of this post, you deserve a cookie. Or some Old Bay. Or both? Both is good.