Happy Yew Year! How was your holiday?
I’ve asked that question several times this year and gotten answers that range from “lovely, we went to Mexico!” to “ugh, the whole family got a stomach bug.”
Now, I’m hoping your holidays were more of the former, but what if your holidays weren’t that great? What if you came into 2020 with mindset that just didn’t lend itself to “hitting the ground running?”
While I’m a big fan of the clean slate feeling a new year can offer, I also appreciate the sheer pressure it can add to each and every aspect of your life. What is, no doubt, intended to feel inspirational – endless emails from entrepreneurs sharing their wins, and advice on how to eat healthier, exercise more, make more money, be happier, have better sex etc. – can just as easily invoke feelings of inadequacy or compare-and-despair.
So, what’s a purpose driven creative entrepreneur and human to do?
Well, first of all, take a deep breath. In…….and…….out.
Now, let’s give the whole thing some perspective before we figure out what to do about it. It’s just another week in a year full of them. As long as you’re living and breathing you can set a new intention, turn something around, or let something that’s not working go.
So, from that better feeling place, let’s talk about what you can do right now to make 2020 all it can be.
1) Take an inventory of the past year
As creative entrepreneurs we tend to exaggerate our shortcomings and failures and blow right by our achievements. Carve out a little time for yourself (I love first thing in the morning) to write down all the things you achieved or took action towards last year. Celebrate all the good things you did, the risks you took, the new people you met, the failures you learned from, the comfort zones you stepped out of…all of it. Now look at the things you didn’t achieve and bring your curiosity (rather than inner critic) to it. Perhaps the timing wasn’t right? Maybe there was something else you figured out you needed to do first. Perhaps it wasn’t the right direction for you to take.
2) Decipher what’s true and what’s just a story you’re telling yourself
A new year doesn’t automatically mean you’re feeling up and at ‘em (though if you are, hurray!! Ride that wave). If self-doubt or feeling a bit lost are something you’re experiencing, get curious again. Why is that? Perhaps a project went off the rails, or a proposal you were banking on didn’t go your way. Maybe you had a rough time in a personal relationship. Whatever the source, it’s very easy to tell yourself stories that go along the lines of “I’m not good enough” to “I’ll never be as successful as so-and-so” or “I’ll never find the love I’m seeking”. But stories are just that – stories.
Get to the root of what’s true. Maybe the gig you had a bid on wasn’t the right one for you and not getting it was a blessing in disguise. Or perhaps the project that went off the rails happened for reasons within your control and could learn from next time. This is not about absolving ourselves of responsibility of learning from mistakes and doing better next time, but it is about letting ourselves off the emotional hook so we can move on.
3) Set a vision for what you want this year
No doubt you’re being told by all-and-sundry (yes, myself included!) about how setting goals can help you move forward, faster. But how do you do that if clear goals just aren’t available to you right now? It’s all good, we can back into this another way! Think instead of how you’d like to feel at the end of this year. Try this question to get your ideas flowing:
It’s one year from now and you and I are having lunch. You’re really happy with how this year has gone for you. What three things happened to make you so happy?
4) Align with your vision
OK, I know I only said 3 ways, but here’s a bonus for you! It’s all well and good setting a vision for yourself, but the magic only happens when you align (and stay in alignment) with that vision. No small task! That, my friends, is where mindset comes in. I literally have an arsenal of self-development/spiritual tools, from books (audio and old-school), a meditation app, my morning pages journaling practice, exercise etc. There’s no formula for what works, hence the arsenal. Developing practices to help you get, and stay, in alignment with the positive vision you’ve set for yourself might seem like a lot of work, but it’s time well-spent. Try adding one to your routine and see how things open up for you!
How about you? Where are you at as we start the new year? Feeling pumped, organized, and ready for anything. Amazing, keep going! Clear and getting there, step-by-step? Wonderful! In a place where you’re ready for real change? Awesome! Wherever you, are I’d love to support you. Here’s what’s coming up in January:
[FREE online workshop] How to get higher-paying clients in 2020!
One of the biggest myths I’m on a mission to bust is that being a creative means being broke and at the mercy of clients looking for the cheapest, fastest solution. When creatives gain clarity around the value of their skillset and develop a value proposition that resonates with their ideal clients, their businesses change monumentally.
If you’re looking to make big changes this year, and to start thinking about your business differently, I’d love you to join me for a FREE virtual workshop on January 24th at 12 p.m. EST.
During this free workshop, you’ll learn:
- What makes you stand out and how to position yourself uniquely in the marketplace
- Who your ideal clients are, what keeps them up at night, and how YOU are the solution
- Where you should be focusing your efforts to get you where you want to go
Are you ready to make monumental changes in your business? Save your spot here!
