2020: a personal and positive spin on last year

Hello there! I know that for many 2020 has been a tough year, either because close ones were ill or because of the changes caused by the lockdown(s). The sociopolitical situation wasn’t exactly ideal either, though at least it enabled conversations about systemic racism to take place. On the whole, I fortunately wasn’t too personally affected by most of the negatives of 2020 (and I do realise this is part of being privileged). However, even if you were, this blog post is an invitation to reflect on your wins and lessons from 2020.

After all, our thoughts influence our feelings and then our actions and results. So we can choose to think helpful thoughts, even when our circumstances change. So read on for my wins, lessons and what I’m grateful for, and have a think about the positives that came from 2020 for you too!

Wins from 2020

I’ve listed these in no particular order, with the lessons that came with them:

• I set up my Etsy shop and made several sales. => People can’t buy from me if I don’t set up a place for them to do so.
• I dabbled with print-on-demand merchandise, then “shelved” it. => Trying things by doing them is how to identify if they fit.
• More generally, I tried lots of new things and figured out where I want to go by doing.
• I gave up the fight to breastfeed (more on that here). => Sometimes giving up is the freeing solution!
• I quit my PhD. => It’s not worth pursuing something that I’m really no longer interested in.
• I took courses* to figure out what my niche is and how to make money in my business. => Investing in courses and following through with their guidance brings a lot of growth. 😊

(* Note: this blog post contains Start a Mom Blog*, SWEAT* and Amazon* affiliate links. If you click a link marked with an asterisk and make a purchase, I may earn a commission at no cost to you. Thank you for supporting my work! Another way to support me is to join my membership, wink wink nudge nudge.)

• We got into a mostly good routine with Baby J. => Baby J and I thrive on a well-planned, but flexible routine.
• I got into a groove where I post regularly on this blog. => I enjoy posting regularly on my blog and it all builds on itself.
• I did most of the BBG postpartum workouts*. => I can stick with a fitness program, even with a small baby! 😊
• More generally, I adapted exercise to the season of life I’m in (currently yoga and walking). => Fitness / exercise can be gentle and adapted to where I’m / we’re at right now.
• I turned 30 and didn’t freak out. => 30 is just a number, but I’m happy with where I’m at right now.
• I did things that seemed very professional (and potentially scary), like setting up a sales page in ThriveCart. => I can do these things! I don’t need to wait for anyone’s permission.
• I extended my PhD maternity leave to spend more time with Baby J and on my business. => I can trust myself to choose what is best.
• I reached out to people to be my beta coaching clients. => Doing the brave thing yields the most results.
• I picked a niche that is narrower than “everything I’m interested in”. 😊 => “Niching down” can actually be freeing and inspiring.
• I read all of the Pretty Little Liars* books. 😊 => It’s okay to read things for fun (I studied literature once upon a time and resisted reading “fluffy” books for a while…)
• I kept in touch with some close friends. => It’s rewarding and worthwhile to put effort into relationships, even when I’m feeling lazy.
• I showed up to journaling calls on Saturdays (with friends I made inside PGSD). => It’s lovely and inspiring to be part of a community of like-minded women (and a few men haha).
• I shared my weekly review every week in my Facebook community. => My weekly review (and the accountability of sharing it) helps me keep the momentum going (join my membership here for weekly inspiration + accountability on your goals!).
• I showed up on Instagram Stories with videos of me. => Often things seem scary, but nothing bad happens.
• We tidied and decorated the house for Christmas. => Tidy spaces are a lot more relaxing and joyful.
• I changed my goal for the year from 14 different goals to one “impossible goal“. => Focusing on one goal led me to grow a lot more than choosing 14 smaller goals.
• I got into a good morning routine after being tired during my first trimester. => I thrive on routines. 😊
• I let go of a lot of “shoulds”. => Focusing on what I should have done isn’t helpful; letting go and adapting the plan is. 😊
• Generally, I feel wiser: accepting things as they are and being proactive with what I can do. => Focusing on my own thoughts and actions allows me to escape the pessimism that was common in 2020.

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Examples of things I did that were growth-minded

• I shared videos of myself on Instagram Stories, accepting that they would be awkward at first, but that it’s a skill I can improve + it fosters a connection with my audience.
• I did market research and asked people to be my beta coaching clients, even though I had never coached anyone before.
• I took leaps of faith and invested in things like ThriveCart and Etsy ads.

Failures from 2020

Like with the wins, I’ve identified and shared lessons from my 2020 “failures”:

• I didn’t reach my impossible goal of £50,000 (you can read more about that here). => I grew a lot in the process and set a solid foundation for 2021. I also started a snowball effect, with more sales in December than the rest of the year!
• I didn’t book any (paying) coaching clients. => I didn’t have clarity myself on what I was offering, so I didn’t “sell” my coaching services enough / properly. I’m going to be working on improving this! 😊
• I didn’t get much success with print-on-demand products. => It wasn’t the right time for print-on-demand products for me. I might get back into the idea of “merch” later on though, but in a way that is more targeted to my niche.
• Not all my relationships were as positive as I would have liked. => My thoughts create my feelings and my actions and then my results. It’s worth taking a step back and thinking about how I contribute to the situation.
• I struggled to take time off until the Christmas holidays. => Nothing terrible happens if I take time off. I return refreshed and excited about my work.
• I stayed up late more often than planned. => I need to make sure I’m getting enough “fun” time or I’ll self-sabotage in the evening. This could include playing video games Saturday afternoon.
• I let getting pregnant again throw me for more than a month. => It is what it is. But maybe next time (?), I could try not pressuring myself and not having the same expectations of myself as I would without the nausea, tiredness, adaptation period, etc..
• I was impatient to move into our new house while it was being renovated (we bought it last January and moved in July). => I can make the most of the circumstances I’m in by focusing on my thoughts, feelings and actions.

Things to forgive and let go of

• People not always being kind.
• People not showing affection in the way that I want.
• The house renovation taking so long and feeling “stuck”.
• Taking a while to figure out my niche.
• Not getting close to reaching my impossible goal.
• Not being looked after the way I would have liked after giving birth.

Mainly I need to let go of not making “enough” money. But this was the way things were supposed to be and now I can relate to others in similar situations and help them!

Things to be grateful for from 2020

• Baby J is mostly healthy and happy – and a lot of that comes down to efforts I’ve made.
• We’ve moved into our own home, which is getting more beautiful as we go along.
• I have time to work on my business.
• I enjoy a lot of the things I do: my morning routine, blogging and creating products.
• I’ve learnt a lot: directly about business, but also about following through with my plans.
• I’ve adapted my exercise plans to where I’m at and my body is doing well.
• Nobody close to me got COVID.
• I used the lockdown(s) productively rather than stressing out.
• I’m learning to cut myself some slack and focus on clean rest in the evenings and on Saturdays.
• I bought a beautiful new computer*, that is great for gaming and working, and is a symbol of this new chapter: my thirties and focusing on my business.
• I got into a good routine with my weekly schedule, which includes time for productivity and self-care.
• I joined PGSD and I invested time and effort into the lessons and taking part in the community.

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Final pep talk about 2020

I grew a lot! I defined my blog and business while raising a baby into a healthy toddler. I learnt to manage my time and attention better than ever before. I’ve set in place a snowball effect in my business where things get better and better! I’m also learning to show up bravely and it feels scary and good at the same time. Bring on 2021! 😊

I hope you found this look back on 2020 interesting and that it inspired you to reflect on some of your wins and lessons from the past year. If you want to make 2021 your most productive and happiest year yet, check out my freebie guide to three ways you may secretly be sabotaging your success… and how to follow through with your plans instead. Pop your email below to get immediate access!