Happy new year!
I’m writing this a few days into January, after returning from an incredible three-week trip to Hawaii, Korea, and Japan. The journey was filled with amazing food and creative inspiration—the perfect way to close out the year. 💛
This past year was full of unexpected twists and turns, and I have to say, the end of the year looked nothing like what I expected at the start. Despite the surprises, I’m very grateful for how things turned out and feel energized for the new year.
But first, let’s do a quick recap.
☀️ HIGHLIGHTS
Here are three big milestones I’m proud of:
1. Launched My Wholesale Shop on Faire 🛍️ [Feb ‘24]
After years of selling paper products on my website, I focused on expanding into wholesale. In 2023, I took an online course on wholesale, redesigned and repackaged my products to be retail-friendly, and migrated my website from Squarespace to Shopify. In early 2024, I launched my wholesale shop on Faire and started receiving orders from gift stores and surf shops across California. It’s been thrilling to see my items in stores, and I plan to expand my line in 2025.
2. Landed My Dream Job ✨ [Jun ‘24]
In 2023, I left my job to become a full-time artist, giving myself a year to experiment. By early 2024, I realized that working for myself wasn’t what I had imagined. The anxiety, stress over client work, and isolation of solopreneurship were tough. I missed the camaraderie of a team. So I started job hunting in March and by June I landed a role I love as a Design Program Manager at Airbnb. Six months in, I’m thrilled to share that it’s been the perfect fit, and I feel incredibly lucky.
3. Attended Adobe MAX 👯♀️ [Oct ‘24]
During my job search, I lost my enthusiasm for art and creativity. I honestly thought I was ready to close that chapter. Then in August, Adobe invited me to their annual creative conference and it reignited my creative spark. I dusted off my sketchbook, designed stickers, and reconnected with my artist friends. The event pulled me into a supportive community of talented creators again, and it was exactly what I needed to reignite my passion.
🍎 LESSONS LEARNED
Here are three lessons from this year:
1. It’s Okay to Let Go of Dreams 💭
Quitting my job to pursue art full-time was a long-held dream. But the reality was harder than expected—financial instability and isolation were significant challenges. I realized that I value a steady paycheck and team camaraderie. It took time, but I’ve come to terms with letting go of that dream, and I’m okay with it.
2. When One Door Closes, Another Opens 🚪
Ending my full-time artist journey felt devastating, but it opened new opportunities. I took up hobbies like pickleball and boxing, and delved into content creation. My focus shifted from being just an artist to a digital creator, exploring various mediums across writing, drawing, video, and podcasts (more on that soon!!!). I’m excited to see what I create in 2025.
3. Appreciate Your Inner Circle 🫶
Despite the highlights, I struggled with depression and anxiety this year. Making the decision to return to corporate life was challenging, but my close friends and family supported me through it. They listened, prepped me for interviews, lifted my spirits, and celebrated my wins. I’m forever grateful for them and was reminded how important it is to cherish my inner circle.
🙋🏻♀️ PERSONAL UPDATES
Here are three exciting things that happened outside of my business:
1. Wes and I traveled to Africa and Türkiye for our honeymoon. 🦁🦍🦒
2. We visited Hawaii, Seoul, Kyoto, and Tokyo for an end-of-year wind-down trip. 🌺🇰🇷🗼
3. I attended several live shows and saw some of our favorite artists including Lauv, Honne, Lawrence, Usher, and T-Pain. 🎶
🔮 LOOKING FORWARD
Finally, here are a few things I’m looking forward to in 2025…
1. Learning 3D 👩💻 (already started mini series on IG!)
2. Drinking matcha 🍵 (got some tea powder from Japan I’m excited to try!)
3. Improving my storytelling skills 📖
4. Racing my first Half Ironman 💪
If you made it this far thanks so much for reading and supporting me on this journey.
Hope your year is off to a great start and here’s to more creative projects in 2025! 🙌
Cheers,
Chie
P.S. Did you like this “Year in Review” format? I created a free PDF template so you can do your own annual reflection too! Simply click on this link for a digital download. 📝
