I have mixed emotions about leaving 2019 behind. It was a great year on so many levels both personally and professionally, but it was also a year filled with more “hustle” and less “self-care” than I’d like to admit.
My word for 2019 was CREATE, and that I did. My big goal for the year was to write a book, and I accomplished that goal with over a month to spare. Writing Innovative Income for Music Therapists was anything but easy, though, and when I reflect on the past year, the difficulty of that process is at the forefront.
I slacked on other goal areas, like creating a consistent meal plan and workout routine, because I was so hyperfocused on writing (in addition to my other non-negotioable work and personal responsibilities). The truth is, I just wasn’t committed to those goals in the way that I was committed to writing the book, and as a result, my overall wellness suffered.
I got up early and stayed up late to fit writing into my schedule, and the lack of sleep led to constant exhaustion in the last half of the year. That led to more stress than I’ve experienced in a long time, which is something I definitely want to leave in the past as we enter 2020.
I do want to carry with me into the New Year all the wonderful things that happened in 2019, including:
- Celebrating my husband’s 10th “Agent of the Year” title for both AAA Insurance and Meemic
- Our annual winter vacation to beautiful Marco Island
- Playing several big solo gigs
- A glorious week on the Big Island of Hawaii
- Hiring a new full-time music therapist at Music Therapy Connections
- Visiting Canada for the first time
- My son starting 1st grade and my daughter starting full-time pre-K
- Purchasing a building with my husband
- Finishing Innovative Income for Music Therapists and pre-launching to an incredibly responsive audience
- Hiring another new full-time music therapist at MTC
And now, on to my word for 2020: OPTIMIZE. I came up with this particular word on October 21, which I remember only because I created a new note on my phone so that I wouldn’t forget ;) I knew it was the perfect word to use as my anchor in the New Year, because I had already started letting it guide me this past fall and was already seeing the positive effects.
In 2020, I want to optimize my life in small ways: auto-ordering necessities from Amazon, batch-preparing lunches for the entire week, fine-tuning my email sequences, solidifying an after-school routine for my kids, and the list goes on.
I also want to optimize my life in big ways: further streamlining my workflow for both MTC and L&L, making the best use of my teams to even better serve our clients and customers, and ensuring that the decisions I make and actions I take each day are in the best interest of my family and my own well-being.
Those are all my intentions for the New Year, but I am not setting any major goals the way I did last year. This year, my plan is to improve the things I am already doing rather than pursue new projects. I want to feel more ease, flow, and enjoyment in 2020 — like I am living my optimal life.
What is YOUR word for 2020? Do you have any big goals or New Year’s resolutions? I would love to hear them. Share in the comments or connect with me on Instagram. Wishing you a Happy New Year and many amazing things to come in 2020!
