2014 Future Letter | Sincerely, Jackie Letterpress Wedding Invitations

Over-planning. Some people love it, but I’m not a fan.

You see – I did not plan for many of the things that happened in 2013. I did not start the year saying “I’m going to close Believe Notes; open a new business; create an entire new website and brand; hire a lawyer, accountant, and business advisor; shift to letterpress and fine printing; and gain 10 pounds (who ever plans for that?!)”.

But it all happened. And it happened successfully (except for those 10 pounds).

One of the main reasons why I think I was so successful in 2013 is because I did not spell out each step and action I wanted to take along the way. Instead, I had a fundamental belief – to be good – in how I wanted to get there, and I followed my intern compass along the way. I allowed myself to be flexible and roll with whatever came my way so long as I felt good and true in each decision I made, and each road I took.

My 2014 future letter is daunting. There are some huge things that are coming down the road that I am both excited and terrified of. In fact, the biggest things are things I am not comfortable sharing (yet), so my letter is going to be even more broad than years past. A lot of what is coming down the road is big, scary, and exciting; and while I cannot predict exactly how they’ll turn out, I do know that I want to be good in how I handle them.

So, without further introduction, here is my 2014 future letter:

Dear Jackie,

            You did it. Right now it’s December 2014 and you’re looking around at a life that is so completely different from 365 days ago that you can’t help but feel emotional. It’s OK to cry, it’s OK to hug every single person around you, and it’s OK to be happy, excited, and grateful. It’s also OK to be a little sad and exhausted. Change is never easy, no matter how amazing it is. You have permission to just take it all in right now and to just be. In fact, you should sit and share a whiskey with your husband, since he is pretty amazing and his year was just as incredible as yours.
           This year has been, hands-down, one of the most intense years you’ve had. It was also the year that everything fell into place. You spent the first half of the year greasing the machine, but then, all of a sudden, all the gears clicked – and what a glorious clicking sound it was.
          Sincerely, Jackie was actually profitable this year. Hooray! All of the investment and financial risks that you put into Sincerely, Jackie were worth it. I know it was hard for you, because if there is one thing you hate, it’s taking financial risks, but it was worth it. You invested in your business, in your life, in your passion, and it’s allowed you to be able to flourish beyond your dreams. You have become more passionate about creating fine, heirloom invitations. You almost can’t imagine what took you so long to take the leap. Your invitation collections still make your heart flutter, and you’re excited to add to it through the years. You’ve also collaborated with the very people that have inspired you over the years, and you’ve learned that, in this tight knit community of wedding professionals, you’re all more than colleagues. You’re friends.
           On the home front you’ve had a lot going on, too. You’re closer to family than you have been in years, which is exactly what your heart and soul needed. Even Miss Juliet is excited to be spending more time with her favorite people. You’ve counted on your friends and family to help support you through lots of transition, which they’ve been happy to help, and were also just as excited about everything as you were. To thank them, you and Mike hosted the biggest party you’ve ever thrown - which may or may not have involved a deep-fried turkey, a handy fire extinguisher, and lots of YouTube videos.
           Through all that has happened over the past 12 months, you’ve been good. There were times you wanted to be mean, to be ugly; but you didn’t do it, you were always good. You were good to the people who were bad to you; you were good to yourself when you felt a little low; you were good to yourself when you felt amazing; you were good to your friends and family who helped you along the way; you were good to your clients who made your passion possible; and you were good to the people who have all made your business and life such an amazing journey. You did it. You did it.

Sincerely,
Future