How is it December 31st, 2019?

I am still sick but slowly recovering. Sadly, the cough that’s lingering means I can’t film or podcast BUT the girl can write, so write I shall. So grab a cup of tea! Join me for an end of the year letter of thanks to YOU and an update on things with the business and probably some rabbit trails and run-on sentences like this one! If any of you have ever read my blog, you’ll understand this is normal and has nothing to do with the flu.

Let’s start with going over where we’ve been this year. After all, you’re here for the journey. You invest monthly of your time and money. It’s important to me that I give you, My Faithful Board of Directors, a detailed update on all things Vesta Productions.

And yes, let’s start there.

Because of you guys, I had the courage and resources to start my LLC, officially making my space on the internet an actual, certified business with a nice little piece of paper from the State of Georgia to prove it.

I know I mentioned it in a couple of videos, but Vesta Productions was named after my great-grandmother whom I found out about only after doing some family tree research. I won’t bore you with the whole story but suffice it to say she was an amazing creative who died too young. For proof, I’ll link here her ImDB page – yes, my great grandmother was a screen-writer for silent films. Before she was married and then everything stopped because in 1917 a working wife was not a thing. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm7358591/

Her amazing life story of having all these amazing gifts and not being able to fully realize them inspired me to continue to pursue my passions and continue to learn and see where my talents could take me.

And that is where you come in – your support, financially and emotionally – has given me confidence and resources to keep moving forward and everyday I am grateful for you.

And what have we done, together, on the channel this year?

Well, we started the year with 5K subs and we are ending with over 12K between the two channels. It’s not meteoric growth and you won’t find anybody calling me to do an interview about how I grew overnight on YT, but I’m very proud of those numbers. We also saw the main channel surpass ONE MILLION VIEWS! I’m growing on YT exactly as I had hoped to and there’s an audience there that is faithful and consistent and honestly? Just a really good group of people. I have always been a fan of slow and steady wins the race, and my channel continues to move forward.

Yes, I had hoped to get to that elusive 10K mark on Jen Lefforge by the end of today but we are so close that I am calling it a win. And trust me, when that 10K mark hits (hopefully sometime in January) we will be celebrating together.

After much feedback from you guys, I started the new channel, Joyful Living, and it’s been such an amazing space! There I’ve been able to find freedom to talk about all the other things that aren’t Disney and I can’t tell you how much that’s helped me creatively to settle in. Each channel is developing it’s own distinct personality, and although many subscribers are involved on both, they also each have their own unique reach and it’s been extremely fulfilling for me to branch out. At times uncomfortable and sometimes terrifying, but still very fulfilling.

As I reflect on this last year, I am very determined to make 2020 a year of living well. For me, that means business health, physical health, and peace. There will be more on that in the coming weeks and the Joyful Living Channel will be filled with ideas and inspiration along that vein. But don’t worry, it will also be a year filled with Disney as I get ready for the 50th birthday celebration of a lifetime in July and YOU GUYS are going to help me plan it. I know, right? If you feel inspired, I welcome your ideas in the comments below. Because we need to get cracking on that.

I hope, as we enter into the last few hours of this decade, that you and those you hold dear are well. I hope your heart is at peace and yes, that you are finding joy. I hope you are finding magic and inspiration, that you are dreaming big, and that no matter what disappointments may have faced you in 2019 that you are continuing to move forward.

I’ll end this year with my new favorite quote which has significant meaning for me as I tackle some things from my past. It’s from French philosopher John-Paul Sartre:

“Freedom is what you do with what’s been done to you.”

May we all find freedom this year. And in the freedom, joy.

Happy New Year.

Jen