Yes, Christmas is coming, and the turkey – and possibly us, if we don’t watch the Christmas party canapés – are getting fat! And being the silly season, it is extremely tempting to just let things slide and say to ourselves ‘it’s fine – I’ll think about the hard stuff in January. A little bit of laxity won’t hurt – it’s Christmas after all! Now where’s that champagne…’
This is my last blog prior to the holiday break – and yes, I am actually taking a break! Like many of us, I am looking forward to the opportunity to spend some uninterrupted time with my family over the Christmas and holiday period.
Many of us are quick to praise others and celebrate their achievements, but slow to give ourselves the chance to stop and celebrate the moments which matter in our own lives – whether they are personal or business related. As we approach the end of 2017, why don’t you give yourselves the best gift of all – a well-earned rest and a look at what you have achieved throughout the year?
Don’t look to others to provide a Twelve Days of Christmas – look back over each month of the year that was and pull out 12 things that you feel were personal ‘this is where I changed the game’ moments. Try and do this without checking back over your calendar or checking in on your business plan or last P&L report. Get present, sit with your thoughts and consider those ‘high five’ moments – one (or more) for each month of 2017. Then go ahead and raise a glass of champagne to you – whether you make that real glasses or virtual ones is up to you!
For me, 2017 was not without its awesome highs and ‘give me strength’ challenges. As always, I set the bar as high as I possibly could and that brought with it frustration and tears but ultimately enormous rewards. There was an awesome happy dance moment when my second book “Its Who You Know” became a bestseller and 2017 created some incredible opportunities to speak to new audiences both in Australia and overseas as well as the chance to work with a number of new corporate clients.
On a personal front, my 12 year old daughter finished Junior School and I survived the last few weeks of term with the usual tween schoolyard bickering and the juggling of endless party celebrations. My eldest got through another year of High School with a smile of his face, a successful rugby season under his belt and loving (or not) the early starts of rowing regattas. And my youngest managed to get to four Grand Finals and come away runner up each time! This was also the first full year of my hubby, Jason, and I being in the business together – and we also survived! Yes we had our tears, fights and frustrations with each other but we have found our groove and wouldn’t change it for the world. Our little personal tribe of five has done ok this year and we even ticked off a bucket list trip of mine to Borneo.
2017 was made all the more awesome because of the network of people around me – the tribe of LBDGroup women who live and breathe connection, collaborating and sharing insight for each others success and my personal network of 12 – you know who you are! It is ultimately these people and the depth of connection that exists that is worth fifteen partridges in pear trees.
Have a safe, happy and joyous Christmas and holiday season. Enjoy the gift of your achievements. Raise that glass. And take a deep breath before you surge on towards 2018.
