It’s ironic I claimed 2019 a ghost year after all that has happened. I feel more whole than any other year thus far. All the plans in the world can’t guarantee you the certainty you seek. Chasing certainty is a fool’s game but it’s the one I often default to. Except in 2019, I didn’t. I didn’t set goals as I have in the past. I wasn’t intentionally trying to be present either. I just…was I guess. Here’s my 2019 recap in living, style, & career.

Past yearly reviews: 2018 | 2017 | 2016

Living

Ran a half marathon

I was adamant about getting my health in a better place this year. I’d gone too long ignoring ailments completely in my control. The Root Cause Reset program with nutritionist Diane Teall Evans was a game-changer. I started kickboxing & training for a half-marathon soon after the program. My body was ready to handle the kind of exercise I hadn’t done since high school basketball.

Joel & I spent the summer training for the Sleeping Bear Dunes Half Marathon. He made a training schedule that synced with our calendars to ping us on miles for the week. He included hard hill & trail days I tried to get out of. I thanked him every mile for his rigorous schedule when it came to race day though. We supported one another at our different paces, changed eating habits, & talked about the race all summer. He even gifted me with an Apple Watch to track my miles! I don’t know what was better; finishing the race or doing it all with him. It was such a special time.

Paid off 50% of student loans

I can’t believe I’m even writing we paid off 50% of our debt this year! We wanted to pay off 33% so this was a huge accomplishment. Especially since it felt impossible in January – I was hourly at a print shop part-time & teaching one class as an adjunct professor (read: making very little money). When you commit to a dream, regardless of how illogical it seems with your current circumstances, a Higher Power helps you out. Not always, but often. If you don’t speak it, how does anyone know what you want?

I stumbled into a lucrative gig soon after (see Career below) that allowed us to pay off debt while maintaining our monthly overhead. It’s been eye-opening to talk through how we each see money & find a common plan that works for our differing spending habits. We had hard conversations that we discovered had little to do with money. Money is emotional.

We started loosely with Financial Peace University. I keep track of our wins on a private Instagram account & Joel keeps track of numbers on a spreadsheet. It’s important we each bring our personality to this challenge. Otherwise, it’s easy to feel resentful & unheard.

Hassan II Mosque, Casablanca, Morocco | 2019 Year in Review | Emily Bode

Travel

It was a big year of travel. I visited Austin, Seattle, & Atlanta for work. I needed to prove to myself I can be a savvy solo traveler. The perks weren’t bad either; immaculate hotel rooms with stunning city views, business class, everything at my fingertips.

We also went to Morocco & Spain for two weeks this Spring. It was our first time abroad made obvious with plenty of logistical mishaps. We had friends guide us & I’m forever grateful for their help. The trip was romantic. Being lost in the mountains of Spain with Joel was a dream. I will be inspired for years to come from all we experienced & observed.

Style

Capsule wardrobe-ish

I started 2019 with 150 pieces for 4 seasons, about 38 pieces/season. Soon after this accomplishment, I was bored as hell with capsule wardrobes. Especially after visiting Morocco & Spain where I was inundated with beautiful styles from a myriad of cultures. The style was vibrant, expressive, & hodgepodge. I adored it. It felt like LIFE. ENERGY.

Taking outfit photos & writing style posts takes a lot of time. Always looking put together & documenting it was good for my ego, & popular on social media, but I wanted to spend time elsewhere — like making money to pay off loans & travel more. My approach to blogging doesn’t make me money. haha.

Job transitions required different styles too. 2019 was back to the drawing board to discover a style more me. I’m still trying to figure it out which involves trying new things vs. a rigid structure. I want to bring personality into my wardrobe, not water it down. Getting dressed should be fun. Or overlooked to make room for something new. While also finding a balance with fast fashion. Such basic white bitch problems. lol.

Career

2019 Year in Review | Emily Bode | Photo by Leigh Ann Cobb

Design Professor at Grand Valley

It was my second year teaching design at GVSU this year. Spring semester I created an unorthodox exam for my students that they loved. The fall semester was a breeze as I had a lot of my systems in place from the prior year. I was in a groove. I loved seeing my students discover they were capable of pushing themselves to greater heights. Seeing them build confidence in their work & present projects eloquently remains one of my greatest joys.

Design lead on million-dollar+ tech startup events

In February I joined a San Francisco-based events team to aid in their design builds all over the world. I suppose million-dollar events don’t mean much at the corporate level but as a solo freelancer used to event budgets 30 times less than that, it was a big deal to me. Especially when it came to leading print orders totaling $70k+. You know those milestones when you’re like, “I’ve made it”? This was one of them for me. I was traveling to some of the newest & swankiest hotels to plan, curate, & create experiences for the tech industry. It was a wild ride with a kickass team of women who don’t take shit from anyone. It was an honor to work alongside each of them.

All I kept thinking was, if I never left the safe haven of the path everyone told me I should take 6 years ago, this would’ve never been possible. Take the chance, take the chance, take the chance.

Last year was about contentment. This year was about boundaries. I talk about it in detail here. Basically, it was high time I have an open dialogue with myself; why is this bothering me, how does this person or scenario make me feel, how can I heal from hurt to find joy again? Once I started prioritizing healthy internal conversations, I was able to have honest ones with others. It isn’t easy or fun, but it’s necessary for your well-being. To be able to look around at your life, be proud of it, & grateful for the support group who’s in it. I’m closer to that because of 2019. Not a goal I would’ve made for myself but one I must’ve needed.

Word of the year: 2018 Contentment | 2017 Growth | 2016 Celebration

2020 Outlook

I’d love to travel to Ireland or Maine, pay off more debt, get my dream Jeep, & be outdoors more than I am indoors next year. I hope you've had a wonderful 2019. Best wishes for 2020! Let's all honor what we need within in order to give graciously to others. xo, Em

2019 Year in Review