It's time, friends. Time for the last newsletter of the year. I know time is just a construct, but whether we like to admit it or not, we need the meaning that counting down days brings us. We need a reminder that life is precious.

I want to share with you some of my biggest takeaways from 2023 and what I'm looking forward to - and predicting for 2024. I also want to leave you with a little reminder about what it's all about. So, let's dive in! Enough blither-blathering.

My last unpopular take of 2023

The way we show up on the Internet tends to be a bit two-dimensional. There, I said it! What a weight off. Phew. Whether it’s in our inboxes, on someone’s email list, in a course launch, on Instagram, LinkedIn, or our own blogs, we like to put ourselves in neat little boxes.

We lose a little bit of ourselves in trying to become all-knowing professionals, gurus, vulnerable job seekers, tunnel-visioned question-askers - whatever role we choose to play when we show up on Google, we rarely leave room for our whole selves. For the multitudes of lives contained within us.

As we end this year, my ask of you is to think beyond, to share beyond, your professional goals. Reflect beyond your professional successes. Our work lives are brilliant and needed, but we are SO much more than what we do for work. And I don't think anyone needs more reminding of this than the freelance and entrepreneurial community.

I'll go first. This year was brilliant, work-wise, but what I remember most is not going to be the countless hours I spent at this desk, in this chair that desperately needs replacing.

What I'll remember most from this year was waking up at 5:00 am on top of a mountain in Italy and shivering my ass off so I could see the sunrise over the Dolomites.

The piercing silence sweeping through the mountain range, the only sound the breathing of my friend Joe next to me, the only memory I have of him a smile and a wave at the end of a video of that brilliant sunrise.

I'll remember the bone-tiredness of moving homes in late February, the heat choking me in a hostel bathroom in Venice as my stomach roiled, and paddling through the peaceful Chesapeake Bay, joyfully at home again with wide, wide water.

I'll remember the heaviness in my heart as I listened to my second cousins attest to what a wonderful man my grandfather's oldest brother had been, not a dry eye left in the house. I'll remember the ordinaryness of my extraordinary life, the countless days looking out this window into my beautiful garden, cuddling with the dog on the couch, and doing chores. Being human.

I'll remember getting my feet soaking wet in the D.C. rain to be turned away at a museum that was already at capacity.

I'll remember my boyfriend getting down on one knee as the lights sparkled across Lake Como and feeling a sense of overwhelming love. I'll remember the way wars have torn us apart, politics have torn us apart, and the helplessness I feel to stop any of it.

What will you remember?

I beg you to remember that this being human only happens once. Every day is a gift. And what a miracle that we get to love and be loved and be here, together, now.

2023 in Work: Lessons from Freelancing this Year

Okay, onwards to what you wanted to hear. For me, 2023 was a big growth year, but I know it wasn't like that for everyone. I incorporated my LLC (Camille Prairie Copywriting and Creative Solutions) and it'll take effect on January 1st. I hope to grow into a team this year. I've had more than one 5k month. I've learned so much from so many people.

Here are the biggest lessons I'm taking with me into 2024:

• Firing a client doesn't have to be a big drama. Sometimes, a client can be great, but maybe they're constraining your growth. Maybe their budget doesn't fit the rate you've grown into. Maybe you're ready for a new opportunity. There doesn't have to be some horrible thing they do to you for you to part ways. Be honest with them about what would be enough for you to stay, have realistic expectations, and then get to client searching(maybe do this part before you fire that client). Cutting people helps you grow.

• People's reactions to your rates, terms, etc. doesn't mean you're being unreasonable. Sometimes people will not accept your rates at face value. Sometimes people will not value your time. People will nickel and dime you. People will try and widen the scope of work without paying for it. They are trying to do business. You should too. You're not doing yourself favors by being complacent. Being a pushover is a great way to go bankrupt.

• Practice makes better. This is already one of my favorite sayings. I got to see it in action for myself this year. It can feel like prospective clients expect you to be perfect going into a job, and while you shouldn't need a lot of coaching, it's also okay if your first attempt isn't perfect. You're human. Doing jobs is the best way to keep getting better at what you do.

• There will be highs and lows. Don't give up. Highs come; lows come. Neither stays. Be prepared for both.

• Consistency yields results. I finally got traction on LinkedIn after years of nothing. Thanks to a few months of consistent posting combined with posting relatable material. And it feels good.

• Eventually, you'll have to take a risk to grow. This is where I'm at right now. It's no longer tenable for me to keep trying to grow my business and take on so much client work. I know hiring people will help me have more time to take on clients, but I keep having that nagging thought, " what if there are no more clients? It could happen. But I'll never know if I don't free up my time and find out. Which brings me to my final lesson. It's okay to make mistakes.

Predictions for 2024: AI, Authenticity, and SEO

• AI will continue to be a big question, not an answer. I have clients who are turning away from AI - it's just making things harder. I have clients toying with it, ultimately unsure. And frankly, it's still a big question for me too.

• Authenticity will continue to reign supreme. Okay, I know SEMrush predicted this first, but I support it. In the years following COVID-19, we're more disconnected from each other than ever. I think we crave human connection, particularly as we often use social media to fill that void. Any semblance of personalization or authenticity will continue to be popular. This is why I got into copywriting. The driving force behind every career path I've ever had is human connection. When I write, I strive to give others what I most seek - the feeling of being seen.

• The gig economy will continue to dominate, but a lot of people will be left in the dust if they don't upskill. You probably could have told me this, but gig work is going nowhere. People need extra money, people need money, period, and people are sick of working in constraining jobs. However, I think the opportunities out there will continue to get harder to find while the market gets more saturated, leaving a lot of gig workers(and by this, I specifically mean creatives because I don't know a lot about Uber or Doordash) stuck with jobs below what they're worth. We may see a return of some gig workers to full-time last year - it's been happening this year, so I wouldn't be surprised if that continues. I think people who upskill soon will be set, specifically speaking to writing.

• SEO goes nowhere. The December core update sucks! SEO is trash! What is SEO, even? The mass hysteria against SEO has been loud recently. Look, I get it - ranking on Google is much, much harder than it was in 2015 or even 2020. But everyone seems to be missing one point: people still want to do it. SEO goes nowhere, and frankly, business probably goes to people who understand AI.

• Same with blog posts. "No one will read them anymore!" Yes, they will. Just because Bard and whatnot have come out - I truly cannot be bothered to learn the names of all of the AIs - does not mean people won't read blog posts. Will listicles matter as much? eh. It would be nice to get an AI answer to something like, "How far away is the nearest metro stop?" But for some more in-depth educational content or if someone's trying to decide what to buy, blogs aren't going anywhere. It's the year of authenticity, y'all. People want to connect with you before they buy your thing. Not Bard.

• Remote work and flexibility at work continue to rise. I've been writing about this trend in HR a lot and in the studies I've been perusing, employees commonly cite flexibility at work as one of the main deciders of whether or not they take a job. People's priorities have shifted, and nothing is going back to the way it was.

Final Thoughts and Takeaways

I'd love to hear your thoughts on how your year was and a word on your 2024. Feel free to use the contact form below to reach me. I care about and read all of your emails. Some of mine are "peace, focus, and clarity."

As Mary Oliver asks us, "What is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?"

Happy Holidays. May you be happy, healthy, peaceful, and well this holiday season.