The months are seriously going by faster and faster each month! November? How are you here ALREADY?!

– Shoot everything in manual mode. Check, check. It actually seems a little unfair that I  put this on the list because I pretty much knew I would check this one off. But it has been SO great to be rockin’ everything in manual again. It was like a bike, once I got back on it was smooth riding. 

– Master my flash. I was def using my flash a lot more this month because I was shooting a lot of details indoor in the evening. However, I know that this is something I can ALWAYS be working on.

– Focus on what I have vs what I don’t: :) It is amazing how much my mood changed when I focused on me and all the good I have. Great things started coming my way. My inbox was filled with client requests. My calendar was booked with sessions. I shot for A Perfect Event and was published in not only Debi Lilly’s e-mag but also Glossed & Found.com. Thank you … I know it was all the positive thinking from the Secret.

– Explore one new neighborhood in Chicago: Eekk.. Fail. Big Time. My workload was so hectic, I was happy to fit in a little stroll around River North. Maybe in the spring. Ha…because now that 40 degree weather is here, I will be camped up in my living room.

– Incorporate books into most of my sessions. A great idea but it seems like this is going to be something that I need to work into my over all business plan for 2013. 

As my hectic month winds down, I have a zillion and one things I want to accomplish in the off-season. Here are a few things for next month that I am hoping to cross off.

– Work on one personal photography project: I spend so much time creating work for my clients, that I haven’t created images for me. I loved shooting my seniors the last couple months, so I am going to organize an editorial fashion shoot just for the fun of shooting.

– Cook two dinners a week: I admit it. There are days that go by were Phil and I are digging in the freezer and cabinets looking for something to eat. Since we are often on different schedules, I haven’t been the best girlfriend and preparing nice, home-cooked meals. I’m putting those Pinterest recipes to use this month.

– Spend time with one friend I haven’t seen in a long time: My birthday made me realize that I have so many amazing friends and many of those great friends and I hardly see each other. I need to plan a date with them before the craziness of the holidays hits.

– Post at least one personal blog post a week: I follow a lot of photographers. I follow their blogs. Their FB. Their tweets. And trust, me I love oodling over their work, but I truly adore their blog posts that are personal. The ones that let me learn about them outside of their photography. So…I am going to sneak in some more personal blog posts so my clients “know” me better too.

Here is to a month of being very thankful. xo.