2020 What A Year...
My Top 10 Lessons Of 2020
Hi all,
Hope you had a Merry Christmas despite the current circumstances. 2020 has been a tough year for everyone, this isn’t a diary entry so I’m not going to share all the bad and good things that has happened to me. However, I do want to share a few important lessons I learnt and it would be great to hear yours too.
Bet On Yourself and Sell Yourself! Don’t let imposter syndrome ever win. You’re missing out on great opportunities because you’re not speaking up or promoting yourself. At first, I was scared to self-promote but when I started putting myself out there and ‘building in public’ everything changed for me. There are people that need your service, knowledge and expertise who won’t know about you until you put yourself out there!
Be Adaptable & Teachable - This year has shown us that we must be adaptable to change as change is the only constant. Life is a continuing lesson and we have to keep learning new things, we don’t know what we don’t know. Keep an open mind and understand that you are a life long student who can learn from anyone.
Celebrate Life At Every Opportunity You Get - Life is so fickle and we’re all on a timer. When you are on your deathbed you’re not going to say “I wish I worked more hours,” you’re going to say “I wish I went to this country, I wish I spent more time with my family” etc, so make sure when the time does come you don’t have anything left on your wishlist, take every opportunity you get to enjoy life.
Have A Grateful Heart - Gratitude allows you to experience greater happiness. It helps us be more appreciative which leads to an improvement in our life, relationships, friendships etc. Gratitude has increased my optimism, I am more giving and care less about materialistic things. I’ve also noticed that showing gratitude has helped me get more social support and retain clients as they feel more appreciated.
Stay Consistent - I say it all the time, consistency compounds, as long as you’re one step closer to your goal that is all that matters. Small results lead to bigger results. People recognise when you’re consistent and they take it as a sign you are serious and committed. The only reason I’ve seen substantial growth this year is because I stayed consistent, one of my favourite sayings is “stick at it long enough to get lucky.” To me this means when you’re in it long enough opportunities start to find you.
Communicate - This is something I'm still working on, I try my hardest to avoid hard conversations but “if a conversation is hard it's probably the one worth having.” Speak up, share what’s on your mind and don’t be afraid to have uncomfortable conversations, if that’s in a relationship, at work or in business.
Focus On What Really Matters - This year has demonstrated what really matters and this will vary from person to person. For me this is my family, friends, health, happiness and the impact I make, all other things are bonuses. I am setting 2021 goals and focusing on the ones that are important to myself not the ones that will look great to others.
Protect Your Peace and Prioritise Your Mental Health - Find ways to take care of yourself. This year I started therapy and it was one of the best decisions I made. It was great speaking to a professional who did not know me, I was able to speak freely with no biases. My favourite thing was learning about myself, why I do things the way I do and how I can unlearn bad habits that don’t serve me well.
The Internet Is a Blessing - Make the most out of it! The internet is a blessing for many reasons, for me my number 1 is networking and building key relationships. I used to think it was awkward starting conversations with strangers, however you can build amazing relationships with people via the internet. Imagine how many people out there share the same values and passions that you are yet to meet. Networking helps you to escape from the echo chamber you’re in. It helps to expand your mindset and your understanding of the world. Life is full of nuance, therefore when you network your knowledge bank naturally grows.
Success Is On The Other Side Of Your Comfort Zone - This has to be my most important lesson, naturally I am fairly introverted and I won’t do half of the things I currently do. However, I know what level of success I want to achieve and what comes with it. To become the best version of yourself you must leave behind the old you. Personally, I had to get comfortable speaking in public, behind the camera, self-promotion and trying new things. Most things can be learnt, the more you do it the easier it becomes and the better you get in time.
Remember you can’t get better until you get started!
Your support has been appreciated this year, click the button below for a thank you present!
See you all in the New Year!