New Year, New Career, New Location, New Life?
Happy New Year! My name is Clara and I’m the founder of C Bar Design. I’m a website designer, military spouse, runner, crocheter, and yoga enthusiast. I’m not typically one for New Year’s Resolutions, but I do love the idea of new beginnings and fresh starts. Welcome to my circle!
2025 came quickly and shows promise of a wild adventure. My husband and I spent some much needed time at home with our families over the holidays and we’re feeling refreshed and ready to tackle the year ahead. In reflecting on the year we had, I almost can’t believe we’re flipping the page to a new one. Out of nostalgia, I wrote a little recap of my year…for posterity and to officially introduce myself, my life, and my business to the internet!
January
My husband, Wyatt (well…I guess…boyfriend at the time) and I started off the year apart. He started his military career late in 2023, and we knew 2024 was the year we’d get married and officially start a life together. One of the first days of the year, we reunited at his graduation from basic training, but only for a weekend. He had to start school in Florida, while I returned to Texas.
February
I turned 27 and dove deep at work. I gave it my all and even traveled to Las Vegas to train new employees. Once I returned, my friend CRAE and I planned only the best Super Bowl watch experience - food, drinks, and friendship as we watched Taylor Swift’s boyfriend bring it home. I traveled to visit Wyatt in Florida where we explored his new city and decided we would elope. But there was a catch - Wyatt wanted to surprise me with the details. I bought a dress but…the rest was a mystery.
March
Stevie Nicks and Billy Joel started us off right. Wyatt flew home on a Tuesday, had “the conversation” with my dad, and proposed. We celebrated by getting a marriage license. We got married on Friday, March 15th, which just so happened to be our 2.5 year anniversary! We were planning a super small outdoor ceremony, but the weather didn’t agree. My parents opened their home and we got married in my childhood living room. I will cherish that day forever. Super major shoutout to CRAE for helping plan and getting me where I needed to go and for decorating our apartment. While all this was happening, I was giving it my all at work. Wyatt had to leave and I gave a major presentation. I did everything I could to keep my two lives separate.
April
The total solar eclipse!!! CRAE and I celebrated at the Perot Science Museum, which was one of the best plans we’ve ever made. Something about watching the city of Dallas go dark, while looking at the sun through special solar eclipse glasses, drinking Mambo Taxis from Mi Cocina created a special core memory. I also chopped off my hair and attended my husband’s grandfather’s funeral in Minnesota.
May
May brought challenges, particularly in the form of losing my job, and subsequently a portion of my identity. After giving the company everything I had for almost four years (I was laid off just two weeks short of my four year workiversary), surviving six layoffs before mine, and separating my work life from my personal life, it was still not enough. Corporate America caught up to me and I went through the grieving process, as many Americans did this year. And yet, life went on. I started the process to change my last name, I house sat for my parents as they traveled to Spain, and I dove into a running routine to keep me sane during the unending job applications, rejections, and full ghosts.
June
Because I knew I’d be moving for my husband’s career, my job search was nontraditional, but nevertheless, I refused to stop. My mother-in-law and I drove to Pensacola for one of Wyatt’s graduations and I became grateful for my hobbies to keep me busy. I struggled with fueling my body, however. The depression didn’t present itself as it has in the past, but over-working out and under-eating became my own personal hell. Crochet became my outlet and I worked to balance a routine while job searching and doom-scrolling on LinkedIn.
July
Wyatt came home and we celebrated Fourth of July with fireworks and Hamilton. I finished a major crochet project and learned new stitches just for funsies. CRAE and I went to see Deborah Harkness and my love for reading was reignited. The Olympics began, and I watched it as much as humanly possible. CRAE and I both made decisions to leave Dallas, which meant our time together became a dwindling commodity. Her birthday gave us an excuse for Medieval Times, one of our favorites.
August
Texas is hot. Especially when you have to move. Wyatt came home for a couple of days and we started the long, arduous process of moving all of our belongings into storage. Our lease was up in September and we planned for me to stay with my parents for a short while because we were supposed to move to a duty station in November. CRAE and I spent many days at the other’s apartment trying to encourage each other to pack and use our time to our advantage. The night before the movers came, Wyatt found out his training had been extended past November. We changed the plans. I moved out of our apartment and everything went to storage.
September
My parents graciously welcomed me home with open arms and I found solace running in the neighborhood I grew up in. I started feeling more myself than I had in years and was grateful for home-cooked meals with my family. I made dog-friendly cupcakes for Jasper, celebrating his 7th birthday. I visited Wyatt in Florida and spoiled him with cake and a handmade Superman pillow for his birthday. He took me dolphin watching and we celebrated our anniversary - 3 years together and 6 months of marriage. Towards the end of the month, a seed was planted to start a website design business.
October
I spent almost every morning running/walking over 5 miles, partially with my parents. I ran/walked White Rock Lake and set a new PR for 9.5 miles and knew I wanted to keep challenging myself. Wyatt and I attended our first Navy Ball and bought a new car. We found out we’re going to be stationed OCONUS (outside the continental US) and we celebrated while also scrambling to change our plans. I got serious about fueling my body for the runs I was attempting and a visit to an old friend solidified that website design was my new calling. We spent the weekend talking business strategy and logistics. I spent an insane amount of time on Squarespace, exploring, watching how-to videos, learning everything I possibly could. I ended the month feeling like God was pushing me forward and everything was falling into place.
November
I made my first TikTok and moved to Florida! Wyatt graduated from yet another school and I settled into a routine in our new city. Nutrition became our main focus and I continued to work hard to build my business, setting a goal for full launch on January 2025. We ended the month home in Dallas for Thanksgiving and family traditions.
December
I realized that the most beautiful marriage moments can be found in the mundane and my greatest piece of advice is marrying someone that you can drive 10 hours with and still not be tired of. As well as one who will walk aimlessly around a park on a Sunday morning as you run like a crazy woman. I ran a 10K and subsequently cried because if you told me a year ago that I’d be running 6.2 miles on a random Sunday, I never would have believed you. We ended the month (and the year) back home with family again. This holiday season felt more special, knowing that we may not be able to come home and be with family nearly as frequently once we move.
Ending 2024 I feel like I know myself better than I ever have before. I know what’s important to me and I feel inspiration in my career for the first time in an embarrassingly long time. The beautiful part of entrepreneurship is that you get to make the rules. I’ve decided that part of the passion I have for work comes from who I am in my personal life as well. Contrary to my past experience, my career is deeply intertwined with myself, my life, and my values. While I value independence and self-sufficiency, there’s also a large part of me that loves connecting to people, constantly learning from others. It’s a large reason why a customer-centric career makes so much sense to me, and I’m sincerely looking forward to learning more about you and your business needs.
What comes next? We have an outline, but knowing all the circumstances of our life, the outline is a rough draft that will change at least five times before we can even start. This year more is going to change than is going to stay the same, by a large margin. I’m new to military life, but I’ve learned that living in the moment, adapting, having a million backup plans, and being self-sufficient are all things that are needed for success.
I’m looking forward to the adventures that lie ahead, almost as much as I’m looking forward to getting to know each and every one of you. I want to know what you’re looking forward to, what you’re leaving behind, and what brings you to me (and maybe what your favorite book is and which sports teams excite you).