2019, you were good.
Every year, I get *VERY* emotional when I see another year pass, so fast. In a blink of an eye, we are a bit older, wiser, and happier, without even realizing it. Sometimes I feel we are so busy taking *all* in that I miss the little things and memories I’ve been accumulating raising two kiddos, as an entrepreneur, as a mama, as a wife, as a girlfriend, a daugther, a friend.
To be entirely transparent to you, who are reading this, I miss those days where everything wasn’t too complicated, with no social media, no hyper connectivity, and just living our day to day with others, right next to ME (and not thru a screen)
2019 was so far, my big year. professionally, personally, in every sense.
Today, I want to share with you 25 things I learned, struggled with and loved about this year that might help you.
- success comes with hard work.
2. I needed to be gentle with our planet.
I changed MANY things in 2019: reduced my waste, eliminated a bit more our plastic consumption, and did tiny changes at home that truly help our planet, and our kids.
3. Making lunch boxes every morning is my happy moment of the day.
Yes, Nico started first grade and I’m still making every single lunch box in the mornings. They release something in me, they sparkle joy, and I always think how he’s appreciating them, thinking of me when he’s away in school.
4. my blog became my priority.
at a point that I learned how to migrate to wordpress (from blogger), update my website security, put in place a new content strategy, increased my weekly posts to at least twice a week, check my google search console as my holy grail, and believing a lifestyle website has way more notoriety than a social media account I can’t control.
5. but I also became insta-stressed.
and no, not insta-babe, or insta-celebrity, or insta-famous. I became that girl that is crying because I don’t have enough likes on a post, I became a constant phone-obsessed wondering why my hashtags didn’t perform, why my home impressions weren’t that big, even though I plan everything carefully. Sometimes I feel it’s a nightmare to have worked as a brand strategist before Hey Maca, because I analyze numbers ALL-the-time. Instagram became a huge part of my business, but also my biggest stress. My biggest stress that I’m failing to brands that are partnering with our brand and don’t get the ROI they expect, despite the quality. It made me feel terrible many times, it made me doubt if I’m good enough many times and it made me realize MANY of us are in the same situation. Big changes will come next year, and I can’t-wait.
6. I kinda forgot how good Pilates is.
I started working out, for FUN. not to be less fat, cuter, hotter, skinnier. I did it FOR ME for the first time in my life and I loved it. Gosh, I missed you, Pilates.
7. I appreciate moments with no tech even more.
like our camping weekend with the kids to Mont Tremblant, our nights cooking our goodfood boxes following printed recipes like old times, our roadtrips with the kiddos, my week in Cartagena with my parents.
8. I’m almost 37 and I can’t deal with bullshit now.
I learned we all have different priorities, we come from different cultures, we are just not the same. but there’s something very important I took away this year: I can’t deal with bullshit.
9. It’s very hard to say goodbye.
As I become older, I realize that it is extremely hard for me to say goodbye to people in my life. I get very attached easily and I have such a hard time letting go.
10. Community over competition.
was everything this year.
11. I needed a team to see actual growth.
How come I didn’t do this before? how come I waited so long? 2019 taught me I needed a team to make things happen and that we can’t just do it all: have a blog, a social media presence, a shop, a product line, a studio, and do it all. I couldn’t and I’m thankful I did it this way.
12. I had to separate my personal relationship from my business ones.
Will never ever repeat the same mistake twice.
13. Crying in random days cured my soul.
Maybe I needed it. but crying in random moments helped me so much to overcome my fears.
14. I became serious about accounting and numbers.
Incorporated HeyMaca as a business in August, hired a real accountant and now I’m even more in control of my profit, expenses and my business goals (wow)
15. my husband.
I guess growing made me realize he’s the best thing that happened to me since I’m alive. I couldn’t do anything I do without him. Anything.
16. I don’t trust people that never smile.
Biggest takeaway this year.
17. Also, I don’t trust people that compliment you too much.
It is just not necessary, and sometimes, not even real.
18. I ate too much bacon and did many brunches.
Is this okay for me? am I gonna die soon?
19. I’m truly homesick and Venezuela became my obsession this year.
A year that drained me mentally, in a nutshell. Since January 23rd, my heart and mind are in my home country and I haven’t stopped reading the news every morning, waiting for the change we all dream of. I became way more vocal about it, I collected funds for people in need and I now know one day I’ll be back and will help to build back what we had.
20. I love creating products and having a shop.
I missed it. I had my first clothing line when I was living in Venezuela while finishing my Interior design school. Meeting Lucile has been a dream and having her on the team is also something I needed so much. It took us almost a year to plan, conceptualize and create our first collection, and it’s something we both needed SO badly. 2020 is our year (for the shop and products!)
21. It’s really hard for me to say “no”.
And I gotta learn in 2020 that every no will bring many happy, convinced and determined YES.
22. I’m a total mama bear.
Even though I travelled quite a few this year, I never stopped thinking how to be a better mom. How to stop using my cellphone too much when they are around, how to teach them calligraphy in spanish, how to show them the good in the world, and to express how much I love them.
23. Jealousy is your worst enemy.
I had to deal with many uncomfortable situations this year after Lucile and I launched the shop. Thankful that I keep it real. that I’m as human as YOU, who are reading this. and that I’m thankful for your support. I will forever be.
24. NO, I’m not an illustrator, and I didn’t design our products.
I don’t know how many times Lucile and I have explained this but, here we go again: Our shop project started many months back, with Lucile as a designer, illustrator and me, Maca, as the creative director, sales, marketing and blogger behind it.
25. I’m very nervous about big life changes.
Paying a studio rent by myself, finding new income strategies, launching new projects and evolving as a brand is something that freaks me OUT. A LOT. but also, motivates me to keep doing what I do.
Thank you, 2019. You were good to me.
