Well, what better way to wrap up the year than one final blog entry for 2024? I’ll be honest, this year, I didn’t write a lot, which happened for a couple of reasons. There were some really good highs this year and some not-so-fun lows. But as always, we came out stronger, smarter, and ready for the new year.

Fearless – my word for 2024. I originally picked fearless as a daily reminder to combat the unnecessary fear and anxiety I feel daily. Just like how in the bible “be not afraid” is said 365 times, the reminder of being fearless sat with me every day.

Little did I know just how fearless I would be in 2024… let’s do a little recap.

At the beginning of the year, I got to marry my best friend in the entire world. It was simply the most beautiful and perfect day of our lives. It was a day I had prayed about for a while. In the dead of winter, it was a gloomy 60 degrees, which was perfect for photos and me because I refused to wear a coat over my dress. There was no stress, at least on my end, thank you to everyone who saved the day in all the ways I still don’t know. I woke up after a great night of sleep, shocker I know. Got ready at my parents’ house with all my best friends/bridesmaids alongside me. The ceremony was perfect and there wasn’t a dry eye in the room, and the reception was a dance party all night long. It was truly the best day of my life.

Then the obvious next step was moving out of my apartment and into my home with my husband. With the help of a moving van and some friends, my husband quickly learned just how much stuff I owned. We began our new life together and made this once bachelor-ish pad the perfect home.

This summer was probably the hardest yet most fruitful time for me. I had a career I loved but the trajectory changed. I spent the summer months at home, traveling, and figuring out what was next. I had somewhat of an identity crisis as I had invested everything I had into my previous position and I wasn’t sure what to do next. I spent a lot of time in solitude for those few months, but I truly believe the timing could not have been more perfect – maybe even divine intervention.

During my time off from work, I was able to comfort a friend who needed someone to be there for her in a difficult time. I traveled and visited one of my best friends who had recently moved to Florida, because what other opportunity would I potentially have? I went to lunches with my grandma, coffee dates with my sister, and spent countless hours fixing up our house. I learned to reassess my priorities and regain the confidence that was momentarily knocked down. (More to come on this in a future post.)

Through it all, I believed God had a plan for my life, and I trusted Him and practiced fearlessness. 

I found out I actually enjoy cooking this year! One of my newfound favorites is what I like to call “Crock Pot Sunday”. I searched Pinterest for a new recipe and we tried it and see if we should add it to the rotation. My husband and I also traveled a ton this year, going to all ends of the country to visit family and friends, something that we love to do. 

So, to the girl who was fearless, all in all, 2024 was a beautiful year. There were moments of fear, where I had to remind myself to take a breath and stay in the moment. I am so grateful to have had another year filled with so many great memories, tons of weddings, lots of road trips, and endless laughter and love. Time to bottle this one up on the shelf and make space for 2025, I have a good feeling about it.

See you in the new year!
Payton