Ten years of women naming and focusing on what matters most.
Ten years of growing slowly, and prioritizing relationships and what lasts longer than us.
Ten years of saying no to perfectionism and yes to progress.
Ten years of implementing life-giving habits and achieving goals and dreams.
Ten years of women doing those things they've always wanted to do.
That is WORTH CELEBRATING, friends! You are worth celebrating! As we reflect back as a team on the last ten years, we thought it might be fun to share a little personal reflection here, too. Here's a look back at where Team Cultivate was ten years ago, and a few of the things that have changed since then!
As you can probably guess, neither of those goals came to fruition. Instead, I started a business, painted full time for three years, moved across the country by myself, met my husband two weeks later, and accepted my position at Cultivate the day before our wedding. What has this taught me? That choosing what matters most sometimes means taking unsettling leaps of faith. Saying "yes!" to pursuing what set my heart on fire also meant saying "no" to the promise of stability and comfort. In doing so, I've found myself more content, confident, and fulfilled than ever.
From Emily, our Content Lead: In 2011, I was two years into working at Southern Weddings Magazine, Cultivate's former sister company! I had just gotten engaged to my high school sweetheart and we were excitedly planning our 2012 wedding. I was traveling around the South for SW projects and learning so much about writing, wedding planning, and styling for photo shoots! I did not yet have an Instagram account, but Twitter was a thing.
Now, I still work for Cultivate (yahoo!), will celebrate ten years of marriage with my favorite man next year, and we have three precious kiddos! Still learning, too :)
From Irene, our E-Commerce Lead: In 2011, I was finishing up my medical school prerequisites at The University of Texas in Austin with the goal of becoming a non-surgical sports orthopedist. I was teaching MCAT prep classes for Kaplan and my now-husband was a student in one of my classes! What has changed? My career trajectory (!), moving cities, becoming a wife and a mom, and going to sleep before my 20-year-old self would have left the house most nights. What hasn't changed? Wanting to do the things worth doing and do them well, while having as much fun as possible along the way.
From Kaylee, our Director of Business Development: In 2011, I was 17 and had just moved back to the United States from England to start my junior year of high school at a new school (and yes, was late to get my driver's permit—tragic!). We moved a lot growing up—learning to adapt to new schools and find new friends became the norm for me. Along the way, I feel like I lost a lot of who I was created to be by adapting to different environments so often.
Fast forward to today—I'm so grateful that my PowerSheets have helped me rediscover what fires me up and believe that I can actually do the things I've always wanted to do. 17 year old me probably wouldn't have been able to recognize me today!
From Marissa, our Partnerships Lead: In 2011, I was traveling around the country alongside my husband for his professional baseball career. We were in our mid-twenties, living out of our suitcases, and enjoying every day as an adventure. By day, I was helping produce Southern Weddings Volume 3—one of my favorite issues! By night, I was watching more baseball games than I can count at some of the greatest baseball parks across America. While my life has continued to be an adventure every day, we've added two darling children to our family, and recently just moved back to our home state of Alabama after nearly a decade away. Though my address, job title, and hair color have changed quite a bit over the years, my love for helping women celebrate what matters most has not.
From Meg, our Marketing Analyst: In 2011, I was 23 and digging into the first two years of starting a coffee house. I had decided to stay put in my hometown and felt a tug toward cultivating a vibrant small town community. I had a goal to start a monthly book club—and that group ended up meeting (and reading/chatting) for a few years!
In addition to learning a little more about us, we hope this inspires you to look back at your last ten years! What has changed for you since then? What mattered then, and what matters now? What was a goal you were working on, or a goal you've achieved in the last ten years? We'd love to hear!!
Get ready for the 2022 PowerSheets Collection launch on October 6th! We've refreshed every aspect of 2022 PowerSheets and we cannot WAIT for you to see them! The 2022 PowerSheets Cover Reveal starts right here on September 14. Mark your calendar!
Emily Thomas
If you are ready to get unstuck, say goodbye to wasted days, and feel your life adding up to something more—you are in the right place! The Cultivate What Matters Podcast will help you uncover what truly matters in your life and give you the tools to start acting like it today. Whether you're feeling overwhelmed, lacking motivation, or simply looking for a little joy and delight, you'll find exactly what you need right here. We are so excited to walk alongside you!
Get access to premium content to help you stay on top of your goals all year long!