an indigo year: And lessons I'll take into 2025
A look back at 2024, and lessons I've learned worth taking into the new year
Hey Indigoer,
As we close out 2024, I’ve been reflecting on the moments, lessons, and highlights that made this year truly unforgettable. It’s been a year of living fully, exploring NYC, traveling, and leaning into what makes life feel effortlessly elevated.
an indigo day…
Moving to NYC has undoubtedly been a great thing for my business. Being able to connect with brands in person, attend events and also just get to create content on the sidewalk with friends is something I never had the opportunity to do in Atlanta. I also think living in NYC has challenged me with my closet (a whole new season to dress for and a way of life to consider). This has allowed me to have more fun with my closet and also create content I just never did before.
Never in my 13 years of blogging did I have a reason to put on a winter coat, scarf and gloves. And now I feel like an expert in sharing these style tips with you which has been really fun to experiment with. It takes just one New York City winter season to force you to figure your shit out FAST.
I also hosted a couple of in-store events to meet Indigoers IRL alongside my blogging bestie, Charmed by Camille. It’s so fun to get to finally meet the people outside of my DM’s and get to give them a hug and say thank you for being a part of the community. It really means so much to me.
In the spring I headed to Salt Lake City to speak at an influencing conference with Collective Voice. I absolutely loved this opportunity and hope to do more of this in the future. While I may have hosted a blogging conference for nearly a decade, it was nice to be a speaker at one instead of being the organizer!
I also launched my Substack (this email is from Substack!) this fall which has honestly given me more inspiration to write. I found myself focused on SEO friendly blog posts only and was feeling uninspired to write from the heart or off the cuff. Substack is exactly that, a place to write and not worry about SEO. I’m so glad you’re here! You can browse all my Substack posts here.
A lesson I learned this year with my business was to also have more fun off the cuff. Sharing more videos of putting outfits together that aren’t *perfectly* edited or have the best lighting or angles. It’s about creating helpful and fun content with you all and I found that to be more fun and freeing.
The Blog Societies…
In 2024, I gave The Blog Societies a major makeover. It was needed, and so fun. This community is for influencers and bloggers looking to connect with one another, attend monthly workshops and calls to learn something new. While this revived me when the new look went live, the last few months I have found myself not sticking to my routine and schedule with the business. I am planning on getting my routine back in 2025 with TBS. This business always makes me feel really fulfilled as I love to chat all things blogging with anyone and everyone.
A lesson I am definitely taking into 2025 is that I need a little more structure when it comes to this business. While my daily tasks in Asana are helpful, I need to figure out something that’s more concrete.
Travel Highlights…
Travel is always such an important part of how I spend my time and money. I value it deeply and always prioritize it as much as possible. And this year I visited old favorites like Paris to see Taylor Swift in the spring and to just eat and shop again in the fall with a whole other group of friends.
But I also checked off a few new spots like The Hamptons where I went on a trip with a new NYC friend and we had the best time. I even visited a European city on my list, Stockholm. I fell in love with the food and fashion there and still think about all the cardamom buns.
A lesson I learned this year with travel was to leave myself a bit more time on international return flights. I nearly missed my flight out of Stockholm and found myself in an expensive taxi pickle that I am not proud of. Seeing a new city also reinvigorated my love for solo travel. More weekend getaways alone to new cities in 2025 are in order.
Another lesson learned is that I don’t have to travel with my same crew. I took two trips with all new people in my life this year and they were some of my favorite memories. I think it’s safe to say my friends are all easy to travel with and saying yes to a trip with a new friend is going to always be worth it.
More Lessons Learned…
I can’t write this email without looking back at the lessons I learned this year. From lessons of living in NYC, to building friendships and more. Here are a few notable lessons I learned in 2024 that I’ll be bringing into 2025.
Do more spontaneous things. I had a few friends randomly ask to go to very random concerts or trips this year and they ended up being the most fun ever. I would consider myself a fairly spontaneous person as it is, and I’m usually down to do just about anything if my calendar is open. Saying yes really does open the door to more fun things and I leaned into that in 2024 with my move to NYC.
Take Amtrak! I took my first Amtrak trip this year to Boston and it was so easy and such a delight. There’s a lot of great little places to visit around New York that I need to take advantage of.
Farmers market produce is superior, and it’s a good activity. I actually am just now getting back from the grocery store in Atlanta as I type this and instantly thought to myself as I needed basil for a dish this week, man I wish I had the farmer’s market to go to. Sure some things are pricier than at the store, but some are SUCH a good deal, like all the great herbs. I took advantage of there being one so close to me a lot this year and I’m so glad I did. Not only was it a great way to get some groceries, but it brought me joy. It was a nice little activity to do to put on an outfit, take a walk to the market and walk around to browse. It felt a lot like self care, and sometimes I’d go with a friend too which made it that much more fun.
A walking city really does bring me great joy. Officially having a full year of living in a walking city under my belt really has showed me that it’s a form of self-care and also inspiration. And I may need to invest in some insoles….
Embracing the journey. Between travel hiccups and also living in a city where you can literally just let the day unfold however it may, embracing the journey is something I always strive to do. I consider myself to be a smidge delusional and part of it is yes, I have minimal responsibilities (no kids, no 9-5 desk job), which makes it easier. But I learned this year that it should be my superpower. I can do anything, I can make any journey fun and memorable, it’s all about embracing it and having a positive outlook. Romanticizing your life in a way, or in my world, just having an indigo day.
What’s a lesson you learned in 2024 that you plan to bring into the new year?
Hope you have a lovely holiday!
xx Jessica