2016 - A Year In Review

Hey guys - remember me?  After a longer-than-usual hiatus from the blog, I'm back and just in time for New Years Eve.  As we prepare to bid 2016 adieu, there are definitely lots of mixed feelings in the world.  Despite the barrage of heartbreaking celebrity deaths and questionable political changes, I thoroughly enjoyed my year.  2016 was not without its rough points for me, but the majority was good and I finally feel as though I'm finding my groove personally, socially and professionally as well.  Without boring you with the emotional details (there will be more of that to come in the coming months - trust me) here is my year in review; some of the highlights and what make my 2016 one for the books.

Travel

This year I was so fortunate to visit cities from around the world; some old favourites and some for the first time. Brian and I were able to find a last minute travel deal that saw us jetting off to Paris, Brussels, Milan, Florence and Amsterdam in May.  While Paris will always have my heart and I will always be happy to go back, I was surprised by how much I thoroughly enjoyed Milan and Amsterdam!  Ladies, if you're looking to shop and basically re-build your entire wardrobe in one trip: go to Milan. This year we were also lucky enough to visit Chicago, Charleston, SC and New York City twice.

It's funny because it seems like a lot when you write it out on paper, but it's never enough.  Travel is something that just gets into your soul and the more you do it, the more you crave it.  Moving into the new year, I definitely hope to re-prioritize and arrange myself to be able to travel more.

Blog

This year is the first year that I can confidently say that I've been able to monetize the blog in a real way. I had taken paid contracts and sponsorships prior to 2016, but to be honest I really had no idea what I was doing and now that I look back, I had really undervalued myself and my work.  This year I developed a system, have a better idea of rates and what is fair for both parties and had the amazing opportunity to work with some incredible brands!  I hope that 2017 continues to bring more opportunities, and I plan to write more on how I monitored my content and systems I use to stay organized!

2016 was also the year that I feel as though I found my personal style.  Gone are the days of putting on a ridiculous outfit, going out to shoot and then changing into something completely different (guilty!)  This year I can confidently say that anything and everything that you see me wearing on LPN and Instagram, you would also see if we were to bump into each other on the street. Being more authentic feels good, and while I don't regret anything from the past because it helped me develop into who I am now, I'm happy to just be me - sans ridiculous outfit (seriously, wtf was I thinking?)

This year was also a year that I was able to meet so many more Toronto bloggers and feel privileged to be able to call them friends.  Blogging can be lonely, but finding people in the same industry with similar interests makes it so much more fun - and really helps with motivation and staying inspired!  My girl Eleni from Bijuleni wrote a great post about finding and making friends with other bloggers in your area. 

Where do we go from here?

This is interesting, because I feel like I want to do so many different things and take La Petite Noob to new and exciting places! That being said, I do know myself and I know that if I make a laundry list of different goals and resolutions that I end up getting overwhelmed and ultimately just don't do anything.  In the interest of keeping things simple and achievable, here is what I really want to focus on for 2017

• Video - this is the year it's going to happen!  As someone who can literally spend hours of their life in the Youtube rabbit hole, this is the year that I want to join and start creating my own content. While the thought of speaking on camera still gives me the chills, I feel like Snapchat and Instagram stories has really softened the blow and it's time to take it to the next level!
•  Honest writing - as much as I love clothes and outfits and love writing about them, I feel as though I want to go deeper. 2017 will hopefully bring about more honest blog posts, writing about how I'm feeling and what's really going on - not just about what I'm wearing.
• Travel Content - as much as I love traveling, and do so as much as I can, I've kind of gotten away from writing travel content for the blog.  This year I really want to focus on writing more about my travels and sharing city guides, tips and tricks that I find useful.

So that's it!  Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart for all of your support over the years.  I am truly grateful for every comment, email, like and interacting that I get from you.  Thank you for allowing me to continue doing what I love. Here's to a great 2017!

xo Joëlle

All photos by the incredible Carolyn of Pond's Ends Productions.  They were taken at the fabulous Rebeca of Wishbone and Clover's birthday party - definitely a highlight of 2016 for me!
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