The BE Project | Mikalena and “Growth”
Every year, The BE Project invites people into my studio to pause, reflect, and choose a word that will guide the next chapter of their lives. It is not about perfection or reinvention overnight. It is about honesty. Courage. Becoming.
When Mikalena stepped in front of my camera, she spoke with excitement and curiosity about her word for the year: “Growth.” It was a word that had been echoing in her mind for months, tied to possibility, career momentum, and the sense that something bigger was unfolding in her life .
The BE Project exists because I believe that we are all evolving and every person deserves to see themselves as art while they are becoming the person they are meant to be.
Why She Chose “Growth”
Mikalena explained that the word kept resurfacing throughout the year because she could see how much room there was for her to expand, both personally and professionally . Instead of setting traditional resolutions, she decided to anchor herself to a theme she could live inside.
At work, she has moved quickly into new roles and responsibilities, and that rapid change made her realize just how much opportunity still lies ahead. Growth is not about chasing perfection for her. It is about fully leaning into what is possible.
“No more New Year’s resolutions. My theme is growth this year.”
What She Is Working Toward This Year
One of Mikalena’s big goals is travel. She shared her desire to explore internationally, something that feels symbolic of the wider world she is opening herself up to .
This year is about saying yes to experiences that stretch her comfort zone and invite new perspectives, both inside her career and beyond it.
What Grounds Her
As she navigates change and momentum, Mikalena is learning how to slow her mind when stress creeps in.
She spoke candidly about realizing she has ADHD and finally understanding why certain tasks feel so overwhelming, while high-pressure situations are where she thrives . Recognizing this pattern has given her language for something she has always felt, and compassion for the ways her brain works.
Instead of fighting herself, she is beginning to meet those moments with curiosity and grace.
What She Is Learning About Herself
Mikalena is discovering that growth does not always look like pushing harder.
Sometimes it looks like acceptance.
She shared that this chapter of her life feels like learning how to embrace what is instead of constantly battling it, letting go of perfectionism, and choosing to ride the wave rather than exhaust herself trying to control it .
“If I just embrace it and let go, I can ride the wave.”
Photographing “Growth”
In the studio, growth felt expansive. Open. Curious.
There was a softness in Mikalena’s posture paired with determination in her expression, the kind that comes from someone who is learning how to honor both her ambition and her humanity.
It was the embodiment of a woman standing at the beginning of a new chapter and trusting herself enough to step into it.
A Final Reflection
Mikalena’s story reminds us that becoming is rarely neat.
It is learning how to move forward while still giving yourself room to breathe.
It is choosing compassion in the middle of ambition.
It is trusting that growth can feel gentle too.
What word would you choose for this season of your life?
What are you stepping into this year?
Get added to the waitlist for The BE Project at Beautiful Evolutions Photography in Burleson, Texas.
The BE Project is a black-and-white portrait series by Beautiful Evolutions Photography honoring growth, courage, and the beauty of becoming.
