Have you ever looked back at your year during Thanksgiving and really examined each month of the year?
It makes you realize just how much has happened and how much we have learned and grown. If you have been following along this year, you know that I believe in the power of PERSPECTIVE.
This Thankful for 2019 exercise provides us with perspective as we start a busy season, end a season, AND end a decade! I have listed what has happened for .eloise. design co in 2019.
I want you to take this simple PDF, print it, and do this exercise alone or with your family. You don’t have to flesh it out on paper like we did on social media and in this post. BUT you should be able to write a word or phrase for each month. Maybe one month was really hard and challenged you outside of your comfort zone (be thankful for that!). Or maybe you met someone incredible, got a new job, went on a much-needed vacation (be thankful for it!).
I want to see how incredible your year was (and yes, your year was incredible).
HERE IS OUR YEAR FLESHED OUT:
JANUARY:
The potential for opportunities - work when no one is looking
For my business, January is about a lot of work and meetings.
January can be a hard month because you don't see the returns for your hard work.
As I look back, I realize I am thankful for months like January. They teach us to work when no one is looking. They teach us that hard work and talking with others brings about opportunities. We may talk with 10 people and only 1 opportunity comes to fruition. I am always thankful for that one opportunity.
Months like January may be slow but I know I am always wishing for them later in the year!
FEBRUARY:
Celebrate the Small
February was fun! We introduced a series called #CelebrateTheSmall. It is something I always did by myself at the end of a long week. I would list all the things that I could celebrate. They could be small like working out 3 times in a week or getting a pedicure. Or they could be signing a contract to teach or speak somewhere. We get so caught up in the business of our days we seldom stop and #CelebrateTheSmall.
MARCH:
A New Website!
March was a busy month. Projects we had been working on since January started to finish and we felt accomplished.
Aaron and I also traveled for our 5 year anniversary and I didn't bring my laptop! This had not happened in 5 years! That trip would not have been possible without Kate Stewart and Katrina Langland. As I look back on March I am thankful for their hard work and talent. Katrina worked for 2 months on our new website and launched it in March while Kate handled all of our social media.
APRIL:
Online Course + Company Culture
In April, we focused our social media on Company Culture and promoting my online course - Personal Branding for Professionals.
I have seen how Personal Branding can affect Company Culture. What I mean by this is that I each person in a company contributes to the culture. When someone is more aware of themselves, their strengths, skills, passions, motivators, and weaknesses, they can communicate better. Not just on the job hunt but inside the job as they work with others. And once you have started to realize these things about yourself, you start to realize them about those you work with. The key is realizing and then appreciating. When we can appreciate others for their talents and differences, we judge and compare less. Its amazing what it starts to do to company culture.
MAY:
Not doing our careers alone.
As I look back on May, I remember being inspired by those around me.
I am thankful for those friends who were accomplishing professional goals and working hard for personal dreams. And I am thankful for relationships in our careers. Whether personal friendships, family relationships, business partners or professional acquaintances - if we look back on the greatest opportunities of the year - they all include people.
This is why I always say "Don't Do Your Career Alone!" and more importantly "Don't Do Your Life Alone."
It is going to take you showing up and being uncomfortable sometimes, but it will result in relationships that could change your career and life. That is the underlying reason for my career and business. Relationships.
JUNE:
Perspective
In June, I set out to interview 4 professionals of different industries, backgrounds, and locations in hopes of sharing perspective with all of you. I am thankful for the generosity of each of the 4 people shown in this post. They openly shared their stories and advice. I am thankful we can utilize social media, technology and the internet to learn from others and gain perspective. Go read the blog posts from last June. They will provide a dose of perspective especially when our own worlds become small.
JULY:
Brand Photography
I know this may seem strange but I am thankful for brand photography!
It has changed my business and created a wonderful relationship with Katrina.
Katrina and I met at The Bean Coffee Shop shortly after I started my business in 2015. Her love for photography was beginning and my business needed to connect with people authentically. We started working together in small ways through photography and now we work together offering brand photography and headshots to clients. I am thankful to be able to help others communicate who they are through Katrina's gift of photography.
AUGUST:
Relational Marketing
Back in August, I got to speak on Relational Marketing to a group of business owners. I was nervous it would be too much theory and not practical enough. But I pushed past the fear and spoke about it because it is one of the greatest contributors for my business's growth. When people know you, they can trust you. And when they trust you, they work with you and recommend you.
As we approach a season of heavy marketing and advertising, I encourage you to show up and connect with the people you already know. Our goal is to focus more on serving the customers and clients we already have, instead of always wanting new customers and clients. Its always a work in progress but I hope you will take on this goal with us!
SEPTEMBER:
Opportunity to Speak
As I look back on September, I am thankful for all the of you who allowed me to speak and teach. I love teaching and speaking but I wanted to use this year to improve. I challenged myself to speak at least 12 times (once a month). In August - September, I got to speak 12 times. I can't take credit for that - I am so thankful and grateful to those clients, friends and organizations who believed I could share something with them.
OCTOBER:
Working Remotely
In October, we shared 5 ways to be productive no matter where you work. (you should read the blog post!) I am thankful for my home office, 30-second commute, and the ability to work anywhere, anytime.
What are you thankful for related to your job/business?
NOVEMBER:
Those who show us how to serve and love - Aaron
We are thankful for our families and significant others who love and support us. I am very thankful for my husband, Aaron. The fall season is very busy for both of us. Even with teaching and coaching for 12 hours every day, he takes care of us so well. In small (laundry and dinners) and big (listening through business decisions) ways. He is such a servant and keeps me grounded. I am thankful to do life with someone who shows me how to love and serve others well.
I pray everyone has an Aaron in their life. And if you don't have one, be an Aaron for someone else.
DECEMBER:
An incredible and unexpected decade
Degrees, jobs, business, relationships, loss, babies, travel, moving, challenges, failures, successes, etc.
All of us can say these things happened to us this last decade. And look how we still standing and still living. This was an incredible decade because we got to live it. Here’s to the 2020’s!
DON’T FORGET TO DO THIS EXERCISE FOR YOURSELF!
DOWNLOAD THE CALENDAR PDF HERE
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