Lessons from 2020

It’s been a year of Zoom calls, sweat pants, isolation, face masks, more hand sanitiser than I thought I would ever use and for me, a million new houseplants. (It’s closer to 35, but I now live in a jungle).

After reviewing the year that’s been, these are the things I learned and take proudly into 2021 as my life lessons from 2020.

1. So maybe needed some quiet time…. 
 On 31st December 2019 at 11.59pm, I sat in my parents and prayed for a less chaotic 2020.  I’d been separated, travelled, had pneumonia, had bushfires within 10km from my family home – and geeezzzz… the Universe really delivered. 2020 was indeed quiet.  

The quiet of Melbourne – with the world’s longest and arguably strictest lockdown there was (seriously, it was longer than Wuhan) was extremely challenging but it was absolutely needed.

In the wake of now living in Australia, I decided during this year to have some real quiet time and figure out what I wanted. I didn’t send out emails as frequently. I didn’t do Facebook Lives. Having said that…

2. But just because I’ve been quiet doesn’t mean I’m not doing big things!
The Visibility Lab is now live. 
The majority of Book 2 is done. 
I’ve got some AMAZING new clients on my books and some amazing JV’s in 2021 coming out.
Did someone say Retreat? New locations. New collaborations. 
I was nominated for Entrepreneur of the Year 2020. 
A new staff member. You know… the normal stuff. 

I don’t know one entrepreneur who didn’t take advantage of this time successful to build and try something great.

3. Winning looked different in 2020 
We had to adjust the way we looked ‘success’ in 2020 during a global pandemic and change it. It was no longer based on ‘how many flights’ I was on, or awards I was nominated for, how many speaking engagements… I’m no longer the same person I was a year ago. I’ve upped my standards of how you will treat me and what I expect. I’ve achieved things that I used to work for. I push myself every single day to be better than yesterday.

4. Every woman I know is crushing it.
Just a fact. No need to elaborate.

5. Technology made this year a lot easier

Zoom, Facebook video chats, Facebook Messenger… all these incredible face to face video calling apps made things a lot easier. I was able to talk face to face with friends and family all over the globe, do speaking engagements and host webinars. Technology made this a lot easier for me and the majority of people I know.

6. North Face Jacket = Good. Professional Suit after 2pm = ITS REAL BAD.

If you are in Melbourne, this was your life for 250 days.

7. Habits are KING

At the start of lockdown, I read Atomic Habits and I made a list of NON-NEGOTIABLES that I needed to do. 10,000 steps. Vitamins. Protein vegetable smoothie. Exercises. Meditation. Leave the House. Empty my inbox. And each day I made sure I did them. Over the course of the year and the more frequently I repeated this- they became habits.. I haven’t been sick. I sleep better. I’m healthier. I’m happier.   Remember: Transformation isn’t a future event, it’s the sum of your present day activities.

(If you want a copy of my list – hit a reply and tell me and I’ll send you a pic if your interested. It’s a whiteboard on my fridge)

8. Time is simply a chapters in The Story of Your Life   
 We don’t get to skip chapters of the book cause we don’t like them. Some chapters are boring. Some are incredible. Some are monotonous and filled with hand sanitizer, masks and 250+ days stuck at home. Some are couch in PJ’s and scraping through.

But skipping these miserable days’ means we don’t have the opportunity to really appreciate the good. 

Also, I think we would be mad if we tried to skip to the end. 
 *Learned: Pillow Thoughts II

9. Trust. Your. Gut.  
I’ve never been screwed over by someone I didn’t have an off feeling about at first. 
Listen to your gut. 

10. Stop being vague about what you want  
If I can give you one piece of advice, it is simply this.

TELL PEOPLE WHAT YOU WANT – DON’T BE VAGUE. BE CLEAR AND DIRECT. 
 I need you to turn up for me.
I want to date you. 
 I want more money to perform this role. 
Being clear about what you want gets you results or gives you the ability to move on.

11. Say I Love You More

 “I love you” isn’t just for your romantic spouse or family. We should be saying I love you to our friends, the people we care about. Time is short – although 2020 has felt like 63 months. 

12. Women don’t owe you pretty 
 I, like a lot of other badass women read the book ‘Women Don’t Owe You Pretty’ – Florence Given. I’m just going to leave this here.

“You don’t owe prettiness to anyone. Not your boyfriend/spouse/partner, not to your co-workers, especially not random men in the streets. You don’t owe it to your mother, you don’t owe it to your children, you don’t owe it to eh civilization in general. Prettiness is not a ‘rent’ you pay for occupying a space marked ‘female.’ – Erin McKean.

13. Honour the space between ‘No Longer and Not Yet. 
I am in a really good space right now. I’m no longer married, but I’m not ready to be in a long term committed relationship. I’m no longer without responsibility, but I don’t feel like I’m ready to be a mother yet. I’m no longer able to speak or communicate with some people I think about every day, but I’m not ready to move on with my life completely without them. 

I’m not living my end life planned goal, but I am working towards it.

This time between NO LONGER and NOT YET, is kind of beautiful. It’s such a time of endless possibilities. Enjoy this time!!