A Year of Clarity, Growth, and Choosing What Matters

“I’m stepping into the new year with a steadier pace, a clearer voice, and space to create work that feels deeply aligned.”

As this year comes to a close, I find myself sitting in a quieter place than I expected.

Not tired in the way I’ve been in years past — not emptied or wrung out — but steady. Grounded. Present. And that feels like something worth pausing to honour.

This has been my busiest season to date.

More sessions, more projects, more moving pieces than ever before. And yet, somehow, this is the first winter where I don’t feel completely spent by the end of it. Instead, I feel clear.

Over the past year, I published more than 80 journal entries between Little Joys and Okanagan Wine Photography — not because I felt pressure to “show up,” but because I finally gave myself permission to slow down and tell the story behind the work. To reflect, to process, and to share the why instead of just the what.

That shift changed everything.

I stopped chasing what I thought I should be creating and started leaning into what felt honest. I stopped trying to mould my work into someone else’s version of success and instead focused on refining my own. I let myself follow the quiet pull toward warmth, intimacy, and storytelling — toward work that feels lived-in rather than polished for perfection.

This year wasn’t just about output. It was about clarity.

I separated my work intentionally, giving space for Little Joys to hold family, connection, and the fleeting beauty of everyday moments — and allowing Okanagan Wine Photography to stand on its own as a celebration of craft, place, and story. That separation created room to breathe, and more importantly, room to grow with intention.

I learned that growth doesn’t always look like more. Sometimes it looks like alignment.

There were moments this year when I felt unseen. Moments where I questioned whether the quiet work mattered. But instead of shrinking, I kept showing up — documenting, refining, listening. And slowly, something shifted. The work deepened. The connections strengthened. The vision sharpened.

This season also reminded me how powerful community can be. The encouragement, the messages, the shared excitement — all of it mattered more than you probably know. So if you’ve ever taken the time to comment, share, book a session, or simply tell me that something I created resonated with you… thank you. Truly.

As I look toward 2026, I’m stepping forward with clarity instead of urgency. With intention instead of comparison. With a deeper trust in my voice and the stories I’m meant to tell.

Here’s to growth that feels grounded.

To create with heart.

To choose work that feels like home.

And to all of you who have walked alongside me — thank you.

With gratitude,

Deanna