The New Year is finally upon us, and so many people are ready to throw out all that was 2020. Most of the year truly was a dumpster fire, yet it’s not likely that all of this past years issues will magically disappear at the stroke of midnight. 2021 has just as much potential to be a disaster - or a lifting up out of the darkness - or anything in between. None of us really know what lies ahead, and I think that may be one of the biggest lessons of this past year. How to let go and live in the unknown.

A few nights ago I attended a Zoom yoga workshop. Through yoga flows, meditation, breath work, and journaling, we honored the past year’s experiences and prepared for the coming year. We did not do this through resolutions, but through reflection.

One of the journaling prompts was to look back at 2020 and make two lists––one of the things that were difficult, that brought hardship and pain, and another list of the things that were good, that brought joy.

When I finished the exercise, I surprisingly realized that my “good” list was much longer that my “bad” one. For a moment I was perplexed, I mean this year was pretty awful. Yet, in the middle of unbearable hardships was a ton of light. A lot of really great things in my life manifested out of this dumpster fire.

One of the biggest things perhaps is the fact that I’m starting a business.

Some days it feels like I’ve barely made any progress on this journey, but when I look back at where I was with this idea a year ago, the progress is actually extraordinary. Petal + Ash (which was named Rebel Intimates for a very brief moment in time) now has a landing page, a blog, and a social media presence (are you following @petalandash yet on Instagram??). I’ve learned that fabric has way more to do with farming practices than most of us realize. I’ve connected with incredible people in the fashion, sustainability, and intimates sectors––and made some great new friends. My sketches will become a tangible product in the coming months, and then I’ll officially be in product development. And I formed an LLC, so you can officially call me a Boss Babe.

Slow and steady progress, over time, adds up to really big things.

If you’re looking for a way to reflect, I encourage you to do this writing prompt. I know we’ve all had very different experiences this past year, and some may have vastly disparate lists. No matter how your list may look, I think there’s a lot of strength and affirmation in doing this exercise. And not all “good” things have to be so big. Some things on my list were as simple as long, quiet walks in my Brooklyn neighborhood.

However you choose to usher in the New Year, I wish you peace, joy, and health in the year ahead.