Mhmm. It’s been a year.

For many, this year has brought big changes and new ways of working and living. And I’m sure we’re all ready to put 2020 behind us and have something to look forward to with the start of a new year.

Maybe you’ve started a side hustle of your own, or know someone who has. Whether it’s a new passion project, job or just a new year—with the holidays coming up, I thought I’d curate some gift ideas to inspire us to keep living, dreaming and taking on whatever life throws our way… in 2020 and beyond.

This is a favorite gift of mine. I have a pair on my desk right now as I’m typing this.

Making decisions is hard. Especially when you’re the boss of your own company or household. Have a laugh and some help addressing life's tough decisions with a roll of the dice! Two 6-sided dice—one that says "fuck" on all sides, and the other with words like "yeah" and "no"—combine to give you the answers you've been looking for.

You may be thinking, “A Yeti made the list, really?” YES. I am a YETI fanatic. I have four or five and am always happy to receive more of them. It’s a must for me as I drink coffee or tea all day while I work long hours and am a notoriously slow-sipper. This magical vessel keeps my coffee iced cold ALL. DAY. LONG. And frankly, I can’t live without it.

Now, the magslider lid is a MUST for me so my drinks don’t spill in my car—cause YES, you will always see my YETI on-the-go…tagging along with me on photoshoots, errands, you name it.

Now if you know me from my own side hustle, Ink+Ash, you already know I’m a full-time stationery addict. And I have probably tried (and own) almost every planner and notebook out there, and can absolutely say that my favorite of all time—you will not see me without one—are the spiral notebooks and the yearly spiral linen task planners or recently launched 6-month spiral linen task planners by Appointed. But honestly, all their products are beautiful (and functional).

I know I’ve already got mine ordered for 2021 and I’m currently obsessed with their newest linen cover in Hunter Green. Oh yea, and did I mention you can get them custom monogrammed for a personal touch! Yep, run, don’t walk.

Ok, having a calendar to plan out your productivity is great. But what about your vision for yourself? What are your goals for the new year? And before you start planning out where you’re going, you have to know where you’ve been.

One of my favorite life coaches— Joanne Portia (@gofitjo)— has put together this downloadable end of the year retrospective to help you inventory all of your accomplishments, identify focus areas and clarify your intentions for 2021.

I personally just bought this for myself and can’t wait to include it in my end of year ritual to help me create a clear vision for myself as I enter another year.

Every so often, when I need a little more divine intervention I’ll book a zoom call with my go-to astrologer, Sandy Rueve who does custom readings using your natal chart. You can ask specific questions or just hear what the stars have to say. This makes a fun gift for the start of a new year or trip around the sun.

If you’re a freelance designer, this is a MUST READ. Not only is it packed with fluff-free business advice, but it’s also beautifully designed and will teach you everything you need to know about starting your own business, charging for your work and promoting yourself.

Now this one is a very special product that I had the privilege to help create when I worked at Blue Daring—a bad-ass branding and strategy company in Chicago.

If you’ve got a brilliant idea for a new product, business or side hustle but need help clarifying your vision, See it to Life offers an interactive card deck with a series of prompts, reflections and activities to help get that idea out of your head and into the world.

I always recommend my clients get their logo on an embosser for DIY branding on a budget. You can use this to create custom stationery or branded packaging on the fly! It is a must-have for a side hustler and would make a great gift for someone just starting out.

I always order mine from Wilshire Graphic Press through their Etsy shop.

As someone who has juggled a full-time creative career and side hustle and now solo self-runs two small businesses while moonlighting as a photographer and filmmaker—I always seem to be short on time, struggling to balance work, life and all the things in-between. And while we can’t buy more time, the thing that has been a life-saver for me are subscriptions.

My favorites are for what I call the 4 M’s: music, massage, meals, and mental health.

I truly believe that nothing gets a business or idea off the ground faster and better than a strong brand.

Custom branding can be a big investment for a side hustler or small business, which is why gifting a brand service can be really helpful. But more than a gift, it’s an investment in yourself or someone you believe in.

It’s also why I offer more affordable branding services: like brand coaching packages, self-guided courses and downloadable guides. Just in time for the holidays, I’ve added gift cards to the Ash Branding Co. shop that can be used towards branding services or mini photoshoots, 1:1 coaching and future courses or products.

Having a side hustle or running a small business is hard work. And 2020 certainly didn’t make it any easier.

But I’m looking forward to the holiday season and I hope these gift ideas will be encouraging and uplifting as we make our way towards a bright, new year come 2021.