Here’s to the new year! What a great year it has been for me. New avenues arise, new opportunities present itself and this is for those who don’t know what time it is. It is time to make a move! Anything you ever wanted to do, act upon or just say. This is your time to do it. I’ve always hated the line ‘new year, new me.’ But the concept is a realistic one and I guess you need to consider significant times of the year as a refreshing point in your life. So go ahead and use this new year as a fresh start! Seize everything that comes your way, because you deserve it. (Fact. Even if you don’t feel like you do). You deserve it!

I wanted to take a moment to reflect on the year, the sucess it has been and the things I hope to take into this new year. Some of these things include: 

Talk Less. Do More.

I let fear get the best of me for most of my life and now I’m at this point where I was like to myself;

 “Natalie, stop talking and get doing. You talk about all your crazy ideas, what you waiting for!?”

This is where fear played its biggest role and almost got the best of me. Ive let a lot of great ideas pass and not acted quickly enough. I’ve always been one to come up with wild ideas yet never put them into action because of overthinking, scared to put it out because of the response and the overall fear of the unknown. The unknown can waste time. Thankfully I got over it & started Archihoot and other little ventures that I now taking seriously & Boy! was it easy!? Glad I’ve done it.  Finally.

Oh the doors that have opened.

You better go through. Don’t wait now.

I’m really grateful for the qualities my family have instilled in. The importance of  knowing your worth. My mum has always Made this a known attribute and of course with the hustle and bustle of life, this attribute can very lost or forgotten. You can let it slip but as long as you always remember it can be so useful at serious points in your life: Jumping straight into work after masters was a great experience and I really appreciate it as it showed me what I don’t want to do. Thankfully I’m now in a role I love and can gain a lot from. Yet it took a lot of gut, opinions to override and control over your life, to say I’m not happy and I need to move now. Sometimes you just know you are not getting your worth.

There is never the right time to move on or let it go. This teams up with fear and can have you in a real depressing state. You know nobody said going and I am directly speaking to those in the world of design and architecture, nobody said what it would be like. You’re never prepared even if you do a placement year. The set Route, isn’t always the best route. So find your avenue and enjoy it! 

Talk About Networking

Subconsciously this has been it. This year has brought on so many connections, so many skill in communicating I didn’t know I have. Attend socials you wouldn’t normally do or go to, really openings and presents opportunities you didn’t even know existed. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve always been one to get on it, have a laugh and start conversations but it’s quite amazing when you step out your normal social settings and enter you’re not so common ones, how enlightening it can be. So I say do it, you won’t know if the event or people are not for you till you try. Get out there and get networking.

Set goals. 

Nothing Major Just Realistic.

No one can doubt your route. Shit. It’s yours. There’s no right or wrong way to go about things so long as it is right for you. I am fortunate enough to have a great support system that advise and guide me. Should you not, speak to people who can relate. It’s so surprising that you can take a different route and still end up at the same place. Make goals and aim for them. It my take longer but stick to it and kill it!

You Are You. Use it.

In all these points the overall key denominator is YOU. Nobody can tell you what to do like yourself. Haha. Sometimes you don’t always get it right, sometimes it goes terribly wrong but at the end of the day only you can make it better. Do you! Use your skills sets, personality, charm. Whatever the hell you have that makes you who you are and you shine! 

Photographs are from a recent trip to a few museums around london. I recommend it to clear your mind, have fun and step out comfort zones, aswel as practice the photography skills. It’s always insightful to go see what’s out there in the art world. These are from White Cube Museum & Newport Street Gallery, London. Check them out!

Your Archihooter,

Natalie