After entertaining what felt like a constant stream of visitors over Christmas and New Year, we’ve had a delightfully slow start to 2015. The house was full of good friends and chaos on the 1st, so in a break from tradition I decided to wait a few days before reflecting on 2014 and sharing my hopes for the year ahead.
As it’s become something of an annual ritual, you can read my previous posts here before diving into the words and pictures below.
Looking back…
2014 was a huge turning point for me professionally. Although I’ve been self-employed for almost three years, I feel as if I only truly made the decision to strike out on my own around 12 months ago. Since then, work has been wonderfully varied and exhilarating.
During the summer, I travelled across the country to attend numerous celebrations as an associate writer for The Wedding Reporter, working tirelessly to produce what I believe is some of my best writing to date. Surviving my first real season as a wedding supplier alongside the demands of the school holidays felt like a huge achievement. The experience deepened my passion for weddings and strengthened my dedication to Emma’s business.
Since the start of the new academic year in September, I’ve been focussing on copywriting projects and social media management, primarily for small, independent wedding businesses. I’ve worked with some truly inspiring individuals and I’ve been incredibly proud of the words I’ve produced on their behalf.
Alongside this, I’ve also taken a few tentative steps towards creating a modest stream of revenue here on Love Audrey. As readers, you played an integral part in the opportunities I worked hard to create for myself in 2014, and for that I am deeply grateful. 
As a family, our first full year in Bristol featured many adventures. We explored more of our new city and made plenty of memories. With two broken bones {my toe and Jesse’s arm}, multiple trips to A&E and the odd stomach bug, I can’t say they were all good, but I guess that’s real life!
The children are definitely much more settled than they were this time last year. They’re both growing up fast, and as their very distinctive personalities continue to evolve, I find myself enjoying time spent with them more than anything else.
It feels like holidays were few and far between for us in 2014, but Mr. LA and I did manage a weekend away in Paris to celebrate ten years together.
We also enjoyed a blissfully sunny stay at my parent’s house in Dorset towards the end of July as well as another, much colder visit back in October. You can read about them both here. A Bristol staycation also provided some much needed R&R at the end of the hectic six week summer holiday. We may not have made it overseas, but the children certainly had plenty of beach time in 2014! 
Looking forward…
At the beginning of 2014, I resolved to push myself far beyond the confines of my comfort zone in order to move forward creatively and professionally. This decision created a year that was often overwhelming and occasionally terrifying, but one that was also filled with challenging and rewarding projects that have helped me truly find my feet as a freelance writer. I’m aiming for more of the same in 2015.
At work and at home, I feel I’m entering the new year with a clear idea of my goals and intentions. I realised recently that striving to achieve someone else’s standard of success is an easy way to ensure you’ll always feel as if you’re failing. Establishing my own definition of what it means to be successful has given me a renewed sense of purpose and it’s this that I want to guide me through the coming months. In a little over a week, Love Audrey will be relaunching with a brand new look. I’m excited and nervous in equal measure. My hope is that you’ll love it as much as I do.
Finally, I’m determined to create more in 2015, to read often, and write the things that are in my heart as well as on my mind. I want to remember that being too busy to do the things I love means I need to address my priorities rather than find more hours in the day. I hope to satisfy my wanderlust this year, plan an adventure and travel further afield with my family. I want to see old friends and make new ones too.
How about you? What are your hopes and dreams for 2015?
Love Audrey xxx
A fantastic post, and I certainly agree about what achieving success means. It takes a certain amount of confidence to create a definition that you’re comfortable with and strive for that. Happy New Year to you all and I hope 2015 treats you well.
Thank you lovely! You’re right, it takes confidence, but this only increases as you work towards goals and ambitions that are the right fit for you as an individual. That’s what I’m finding so far anyway!
I have a feeling 2015 is going to be an amazing year for you. I look forward to following it all on your blog 🙂 xxx
Happy New Year lovely lady. You deserve continued success and happiness in 2015, you work so hard for it!
Thank you! You’ve definitely got an exciting year ahead. Can’t wait to ‘virtually’ meet the new arrival! xxx
What a lovely post – good luck in 2015 and I’m looking forward to the new site. I’m scaling professional ambitions for myself right back for the first few months – my husband has a huge deadline and so I’m not going to take on much (if any) freelance / self employed work and focus on my 2 days employment and the house & family. We also have some big birthdays & anniversaries in 2015! So I’ll define personal success for myself (thanks for the idea!) as staying smiling through the first part of the year and celebrating the rest.
That sounds like a fabulous definition of success if you ask me, Fiona! Best of luck for the year ahead. xxx
Thank you for sharing your year with us! Your’s is one of the most uplifting blogs I read & I always look forward to your next post.
Best of luck to you in the new year– your hard work is an inspiration & I hope you & your family continue to be blessed by it. 🙂
Thank you for being such a loyal reader and always leaving such lovely, uplifting comments Rmb! Happy new year to you too xxx
This is a lively post. You have certainly achieved a great deal in the last year with foundations layer for an equally productive 2015. I love how your blog captures so many memories- it will be such a treat for your children to look back on as they got older. I keep thinking of starting a blog, with that as a primary reason. It might make me document all the cherished moments that I think will be imprinted on my mind forever….however after just 5 (almost 6) as a parent I know that as we create more memories, some fade.
My goals for the year:
1. The cliche – getting fit and healthy (to include getting better at netball, yoga at least once a week and doing local ‘fun’ run….as well as eating better)
2. Channel Sali Hughes and look after my skin; proper cleanse (no wipes) every night and drink lots of water
3. be better organised- no more dashing around looking for reading books and spellings before school run and going back to meal planning (this also helps with number 1)
4. Read more. I miss working in London for many reasons, reading on the commute is one (today’s Observer is still unread on kitchen table…not much hope for an actual book!)
5. More nights out with my husband
6. Telling my children ‘in 5 minutes’ less ( this should be achieved by number 3)
….so I’m hoping to be perfect in 2015
Thank you Leeanne, I’ve been thinking about memory keeping a lot recently. This blog is a great start, but I must print more photos!
Your goals sound great, but I hope you’ll remember to give yourself a break sometimes. None of us are perfect, and I certainly tell my kids ‘in 5 minutes’ much more often than I should. Let’s just think of it as teaching them patience! 😉
Happy New Year xxx
I should add proof reading on my list of goals. Whilst it is lively I meant *lovely*.
Such a big year for you. I have really enjoyed reading about your adventures and delighted in you beautiful photographs. 2014 was a year of finding direction for me. I leapt into a new course of study, started a new job and increased my circle of friends- finally making a commitment to my new city. 2015 will be consolidation. With 18 months of study left to do and my blog and creative projects to build and feed.
Happy New Year
Thank you for your kind words Nicole. It certainly sounds like 2014 was a busy year for you! Best of luck for 2015. I wish you all the best for your blog, study and creative projects! xxx
Hope I am not too late to wish you happy 2015 !! Beautiful memories you have from 2014 and after reading your thoughts about 2015, I am too thinking about my plans! The Paris Picture is awesome 🙂