Do These 3 Things to Make This Your Best Year Yet
We are a week into 2020 and I feel like the whole “goal setting” conversation is getting quieter. So naturally here I am to talk about it some more 😂
Today I want to chat about 2019’s wins and struggles, what I’m working toward in 2020, and of course come at you with some tangible takeaways by sharing 3 things you can do to set yourself up for the best 2020 ever (I don’t care that we’re already a few days into the year - you can do any or all of these things TODAY people! January 1 is cool but it’s not magical - it’s not the only day of the year you can implement setting and working toward new goals ya know?)
2019 has come and gone but here it is in a nutshell:
If I had to choose one word to describe 2019 it would be: WILD. I dropped out of grad school and left the secure job that I’d been at for 10 years to pursue my online business full time. I feel like 2019 was a year of extreme emotional ups and downs. I spent a lot of time working through things internally and I think that comes with the territory of being a new business owner. There were times when I was SO FREAKING PROUD of myself for making my dream a reality and there were other times where I felt like a total fraud and wondered who decided it was okay for me to be a business owner.
I feel like that leads us perfectly into chatting about 2019 struggles:
Overall, I would say 2019 was pretty jam packed with growing pains. I started pursuing Hustle Sanely full time in January 2019 so January-February was an exciting time. I was on a high of being my own boss and feeling on top of the world for being blessed enough to go full throttle after my dream.
March-April were filled with insecure thoughts like “UM WHAT DID I JUST DO???” Can I actually pull this whole business owning thing off? What do I do if my business isn’t around anymore in 10 years?
May-August was positively neutral - I felt like I was getting used to my new routine of being a business owner - I got to wake up everyday and feel confident and fulfilled in what I was doing.
When September hit, I started hardcore struggling with anxiety. This is when I realized that I was pursuing too many things at once in my business. I was doing ALL the things and on the fast track to burn out. September was a lot of feeling like “if I can just get to next week I will be ahead of the game and not feel so overwhelmed.”
Only that whole getting ahead thing didn’t happen (and won’t ever happen - I should do a whole post on how I feel about getting ahead…) and by the time November rolled around I was completely overwhelmed, burnt out, and ready to trade my entrepreneurship journey in for a 9-5.
Here’s the thing though: from the world’s standards, my business was thriving. Income was climbing every month. Client and customer feedback was incredibly positive. I really did love that I was pursuing my dream. But then why the heck was I so ready to quit?
Because I was spread way too thin. I had my hands in too many buckets and I wasn’t grounded in my purpose because I was trying to do all the things. When we try to do everything, we actually accomplish nothing well, you know?
In hindsight, I’m thankful for experiencing these tough to navigate feelings because it made me:
#1 A better coach because now I knew what kind of burnt out and overwhelmed feelings my clients were experiencing
#2 A better business owner because I knew what direction I wanted to go and can now allocate my energy accordingly
#3 WAY more in tune with what I actually want to do with Hustle Sanely
#4 A better wife/friend/family member because I’m able to show up for my life without being internally bogged down with wondering where I was going
Wanna know something? I actually took the time in December to go through my 3-day clarity series. Because I knew I needed to STOP, ASSESS, and PIVOT. The clarity series is a 3-day video email series that I created last summer to help people get clear on their dreams. I used it to help me get my dreams focused and not so widespread, if that makes sense.
So whether you have NO idea what you want to pursue or you feel like you need to get more focused on what path you’ve chosen to pursue - the clarity series was made for you. And it’s free. Just sign up here and I’ll pop in your inbox for the next 3 days with an email, a video, and a worksheet for you to complete each day.
I’ve experienced so much freedom from being clear on my mission and it really is my heart to help as many people as possible achieve that too!
Okay let’s jump into my 2019 wins:
So like I mentioned, my 2019 struggles were mostly mindset-based. A lot of my 2019 wins were....things that happened so it’s easier to say them as a list:
1. I surpassed the 6-figure mark in the first year of said business - which I am so insanely grateful for. Like I can’t even believe it really. A lot of people thought I was nuts for dropping out of school and not getting a “real” job but honestly I have no regrets - I am doing work that lights me up, makes an impact (y’all don’t know how good it feels to actually believe that now), AND makes a substantial income.
2. I started a podcast. SURPRISE, lol
3. I launched my first course.
4. I launched a merch shop where I sell tees that I’ve designed.
5. I went back to church.
6. I started going to therapy.
7. I figured out who my people are and poured into them and let them pour into me
8. I stopped worrying about competing with other people and instead focused on the lane that I am running in.
That brings us to 2020! What’s going over here this year?
Well my 2020 word is SURRENDER.
I’m going to share a little blurb from my IG caption about this word (which speaking of IG we are going to be hitting it hard over @hustlesanely this year with all things mindset, organization, and productivity):
When God put the word SURRENDER on my heart for 2020 I was honestly so annoyed. My initial reaction was, “Nope don’t want that word - it’s weak.” 🙅🏻♀️ Picture me standing there with my arms crossed, eyes rolling back, & exhaling my irritation loudly, lol.⠀⠀
But then I was reminded to FLIP THE SCRIPT. I spend a lot of my time helping my clients shift their perspectives. This time, I needed to shift my own.⠀
2019 was a WILD year (Full recap coming on the podcast on Tuesday btw). I dropped out of school, quit the safe job that I’d been at for 10 years to pursue Hustle Sanely full time, started going back to church after many years away, and started going to therapy.⠀
Something I talked about with my therapist was my need to have a tight grip on everything. When she looked at me and said it sounded like I really like to be in control of all parts of my life/business, it stung. Just for a second though. Then it prompted growth. Bc it pushed me to ask myself hard questions.⠀
Why was I spending so much energy clenching my fists so that nothing could get away from me? Scarcity mindset at its finest.⠀⠀
Why was I spending so much time swimming against the current? I was wearing myself out trying to get somewhere that wasn’t even where I was intending to go.⠀⠀
Here’s the thing about unhealthy control - it breaks us.⠀
I was reading an article that talked about what to do if you’re drowning. It can be tempting to flail your arms and kick with all your might to try and beat the current. But what you’re really supposed to do is take a deep breath and relax your body.⠀
AKA SURRENDER.⠀
You’re not giving up. Surrendering isn’t passive. It’s choosing to handle a situation with poise. It’s keeping your head in the game in a way that allows you to not burn out. It requires strength.⠀
Clenching your fists doesn’t only keep things in - it also keeps things out.⠀
WOOSH. When I realized that, I was actually able to start letting my fingers uncurl.
To surrender is to trust. It looks like keeping my head down, doing the work, and having faith in the process. And that’s exactly what I plan to do in 2020.
So that pretty much sums up my 2019 and gives you a good idea of where I’m heading in 2020! If you feel kind of all over the place and want a little bit of help getting intentional and setting yourself up for the best 2020 possible, I’ve got you girl - I put together:
3 things that you can do pretty much right now to set yourself up for the best 2020 possible:
Let go of what hasn’t worked in the past.
This one is tough but it’s so necessary. What are some things that have drained your energy but have not brought you closer to your goals or haven’t brought you joy in some way? It’s time for you to cut some ties, babe. The reason this can be so difficult sometimes is because what we know and the patterns we’ve created are comfortable. They’re familiar. Even if they’re draining the life out of us. Some examples of things you might need to let go of: The way you’re attempting to reach a goal (NOT the goal itself - just your method of reaching it), an unhealthy relationship, or a habit that is not good for you (like not getting enough sleep or frequenting the McDonald’s drive thru). Be willing to get real with yourself and figure out what isn’t working. Prune your life so that you’re setting yourself up to thrive in 2020.
Get clear on your goals.
I cannot harp on this enough. Like I said earlier, clarity brings freedom. Freedom is what allows us to operate from a place of abundance. If you don’t know what the heck you’re working toward then how do you plan to achieve it? I mean really. Not only that, but the emotional turmoil that vagueness or confusion creates is draining. And it ends up seeping into all areas of your life.Invest in yourself emotionally, physically, and spiritually.
GIRL LET ME SAY IT AGAIN - invest in your dang self. Taking care of yourself is not selfish. It allows you to show up as your BEST self for the people you love. I know for a fact my husband loves when I am getting good sleep, making the time to eat healthy foods, and keeping myself organized at work because then I’m better at being fully present with him when we’re spending quality time together. When we invest in ourselves, we operate from a place over overflow instead of from a place of lack. You’ve heard me (and 1,000 other people on Pinterest probably) say it but you legit cannot pour from an empty cup. It’s just not possible. 2020 will be your best year yet if you take the time to invest in yourself, girlfriend. I guarantee it.
If you want to listen to this conversation, make sure you head on over to episode 013 of The Hustle Sanely Podcast!
And I also wanted to share a little something I whipped up for you - if you need some help organizing your thoughts so you can choose a word for the year (it’s not too late, girl) you can download this worksheet to help. Just head on over to the FREE GOODS section of the site and you’ll find it waiting for you, babe!
