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I’ve skipped the typical year-in-review posts for the past few years and created my own version inspired by Joanna Hennon. You can see 2020 here and 2021 here. This remains one of my favorite ways to reflect on the previous year.

So without further ado…

1. Saw a magic show. It was amazing!
2. Did the 2-mile walk for the Shamrock Shuffle. Ended up walking 6.5 miles that day. (this was my first walk post ankle injury, so to me, this was a BIG DEAL.)
3. Caught COVID along with grandma. Luckily it was a mild case, and we recovered quickly.
4. Hired a virtual assistant, which I had wanted to do for years. Her graphics are excellent. Just check out my Instagram.
5. Experienced some muscle strain in my right neck and shoulder and got into a routine of physical therapy and Chiro. Learned that stretching is really underrated.
6. Visited Prince: The Immersive Experience with my mom. We had a blast.
7. Went to my first Cubs baseball game, and they won! (Not saying I’m good luck, butttt…maybe?)
8. Did a few LEGO projects including this one.
9. Saw “All’s Well that Ends Well” at the Chicago Shakespeare theatre. (thanks, Karen!)
10. Shared some money tips in this interview.
11. Shared my career journey with Ms. Tech. 
12. Took a Bar Method class.  Didn’t mind it, but I didn’t like it as much as I thought I should.
13. Got into old fashioneds. In love with this Chicago bar that makes Dr. Pepper and Cream soda flavored ones.
14. Saw Six the Musical – so good.  The soundtrack is amazeballs. If you have the opportunity to see it, I highly recommend it.
15. Went to the Museum of Ice Cream. Delicious.
16. Got sister locks. 
17. Accepted into the Microsoft Creator program. This has been a great way to get my content in front of a new audience and earn a little advertising money each month.
18. Went to Dance for Life (thanks Jennifer!).
19. Saw my first ever movie in the park.  It was “In the Heights.” So good.
20. Took an improv class.
21. Tried oysters. Not a fan.
22. Got a Cheese-It-Spotlight in my gurl Saya's newsletter.
23. Quoted as a side hustle expert in a Next Advisor article.
24. Did some more interviews with Canvas Rebel and Subkit.
25. Celebrated 300 issues and 6 years of #jesspicks!
26. Read 18 books.  The goal was 24.  A few faves: Gilded, Hidden Pictures, The Plot, Chill & Prosper.
27. Turned 41 and celebrated at this amazing dinner theatre experience.
28. Celebrated 11 years since I started my blog, which started me down the path of entrepreneurship.
29. Spoke to some college students about my career journey and the lessons learned.
30. Led an #IamRemarkable workshop for a women’s ERG.
31. Attended a friend’s Death Lunch which was not as morbid as it sounded.  But it was great to be there to support a friend in getting her legal paperwork (think wills and powers of attorneys) together.  So glad the Adulting Kit exists so I can start planning my own.
32. Tried restorative yoga. Loved it so much. Learned a few things.
33. Heard that GoDaddy Bookkeeping was retiring. Had to find another system for bookkeeping. (Now it seems Freely is retiring, so here we go again?)
34. Launched a Side Hustle in a Day beta offering and worked with a few clients. Had a great response.
35. Was a guest at 40 Cups of Coffee and talked about side hustle tips. 
36. Learned that my Sacred Money Archetype is a Nurturer, and am excited to learn more about that next year. What's yours?
37. Participated in Lizzy’s Christmas Party for the third year in a row and had over 1000 folks sign up for my Tips for Starting a Curated Newsletter Course.  
38. Went to BeMoved dance class (almost) every week. So crucial for my mental health.
39. Had several happy hours and fun outings with friends.
40. Passed the 2,000 subscriber mark for #jesspicks!

All in all, in 2022, I created more bits of white space in my life and allowed myself to enjoy those moments of serendipity and spontaneity. Looking forward to doing more of that in 2023.

What's something you did, experienced, or appreciated in 2022?