2024 Wrap Up

I'll be honest with you: this year was a bluurrrr.

I had no expectations for 2024 other than it was going to be a busy year - right away, there was so much to celebrate and plan for! Even in January, I remember looking at my calendar realizing that almost every week was going to be packed with some sort of adventure or event or celebration that was going to make the year pass by like that!

The busy-ness of this year made me realize another reason why I treasure making these end-of-the-year recap videos. Not only do I have a little movie of my life each year, but in the process of making my final product, I get to see how much has changed during the past year.

For a girl who likes structure and plans and certainty, change can be a little (read: a LOT) overwhelming. But there have (weirdly) been multiple people this year who have grabbed me by the shoulders and looked me in the eye and told me sincerely:

“Everything will be okay.”

I’m not exaggerating. This has happened more than I think is normal. So, I took this as a sign to make “everything will be okay” my mantra for the year.

I repeat this to myself when things seem to move too fast or there is a lot going on or I feel afraid of the future:

Last-minute traveling to and living in Las Vegas alone for two weeks to perform at the Super Bowl Halftime show with Usher? Everything will be okay.

Starting a new job that’s a little harder than I thought? Everything will be okay.

Managing working at multiple dance studios, leading multiple performance teams in Chicago, performing with multiple teams in the city, teaching my own adult classes, choreographing competition dances for high school and first dances for weddings? Everything will be busy but okay.

Visiting a nursing home to see my grandmother, asking her about her life, painting her nails? Everything will be okay.

Celebrating multiple bachelorette parties and weddings and housewarmings and baby showers? Everything will be more than okay. Seeing my friends fall in love with their own lives is something I will always make time for and never tire of seeing.

Getting engaged? OMG EVERYTHING IS AMAZING!

We never really know what the year ahead has in store for us – this used to worry me to a point of paralysis. I used to think about the future and be scared because I could not control it; I could not prepare for what was to come because I did not know.

Now, I look at the year ahead and know in my heart that no matter what kind of change, chaos, or challenges 2025 brings, everything will be okay. More than okay. Everything will be beautiful, and exactly how it's supposed to be. 🤍