Let's Talk About 2016
/“New work, goals achieved and everyday accomplishments all happen in a flash. Months of work and here you are, looking like you didn’t break a sweat. But what about acknowledgment and celebration? Look at the goals you reached and let it sink in that what was once an idea is now a reality.
You CREATED something from nothing. You! A persistent genius!
Incorporating reflection & celebration is essential to a business owner’s life. It helps prevent burnout, aids in staying present and most importantly, it gives the rare opportunity”
A few days ago I was working on my 2016 overview and 2017 planning. I was met pretty early on in the exercise with the prompt, "How did you celebrate your achievements?" I couldn't think of anything specific. Was paying my rent and monthly expenses enough celebration? Not at all.
The world around me felt like it was spinning too quickly to celebrate. Or maybe I felt like there was too much to do to acknowledge the tremendous accomplishments. So now, as I do with my clients, I will model good business owner behavior and celebrate what has happened, even if only to look back on it with admiration a decade from now.
My website
Oh, this website. What a dream come to life.
Moving forward with ideas, without being paralyzed by perfection, makes for a lot of success. I was without this tool for the first two years of my business and I grew and thrived because I exceeded expectations. But I have to say that this site feels pretty close to perfect and that's a great feeling.
This site was a 2016 resolution to come into the world six months later. I honed my skills, I wrote out what I wanted, and got comfortable with my dream. It felt (feels) so good. I was in good hands with my good friend, Chelsey as the designer (here is more of her amazing work) The site was celebrated on the website TypeWolf (a really big deal!) and the branding will be put to use for many years to come.
Promotion
With the website came recognition. I was ready for the site and I was ready to talk about what I do to the world. These were my pieces:
An interview about what I do and why
A podcast in which I talk about... everything
Another quick blog post I wrote about goal planning
New clients + workload
I got busy! And I learned while doing it. I figured out how much work I could handle on my own and when to say no (or quit). I learned how to manage more contractors and more complicated projects. I learned that everyone needs something a little bit different and that’s a really good thing. I worked out my systems so I could be better at my job and that system included staying put, which brings me to…
My office! I moved into an office!
In October I looked at my business with a fine-tooth comb. Something wasn't right. I was tired, felt overworked, and barely had time for myself. I had to figure out where I was spinning my wheels. I realized that I needed to make myself accessible without compromising important work concentrations hours. It took time, but I found the perfect space. My clients are happy to come to me and I am so much better at my job now. Just two months in and my exhaustion is almost non-existent.
Does simply making it to 2017 count as and accomplishment?
I think it does. Cheers!
