I’m always amazed by how long and exhausting certain months of the year can feel, but when it all comes to a close, it appears to have gone in a flash. Once we wrap our year end sales & bookkeeping meetings, I typically take a week or so off in order to reflect on all that the highs and lows that took place. Regardless of which one outweighs the other, I try to focus on what I’m grateful for and energize myself (on the surface at least) to take on another trip around the sun. This year, due to certain work circumstances, I had to dig deep into the self reflection pool and revise my boundaries and standards a bit earlier than normal. As a result, I headed into our busiest and final season of the year with my new goals and intentions. Setting them earlier has made the holidays a lot less stressful and has me more excited than terrified about maintaining them in the new year.

Since becoming a business owner, wife, and mother, the roles I play in life have multiplied more times than I can count. Over the past decade, I’ve often felt like I’m surviving more than thriving. As we prepare to launch a new business, one that will encompass various dreams of mine, I need to be in a thriving state; otherwise it could result in a final breaking point for me. Little did I know that having an entire staff bail on our existing business just before the holiday season would be exactly what I needed to begin making all the right moves.

Instead of feeling defeated and giving up, I turned that defeat into drive. A drive to understand the sides of my business that I never paid much attention to. One that meant setting boundaries instead of apologizing for other peoples bad moods, lack of empathy, and opinions of me when they aren’t justified. I read various business management guides, listened to several episodes of Holding Space by Dr. Cassidy Freitas, and lunched with women whom I admire in order to listen, learn, and takeaway methods that will enable me to become the best version of myself.

As we enter a new decade, I plan to continue the work I’ve started on myself and am more confident than ever. That’s the result of asking for help when it was needed. I’ve learned not to fake emotions so others judge me less and how important it is to follow through on the plans I include others in. I’m practicing meditation more to maintain my focus and make sure that my daily decisions align with what I want and need in life. For the first time, in a long time, I’m excited about every single aspect of what the future, or at least the part that I can control, holds for myself, my family, and my business.

Cheers to 2020!