Episode 156: An End of Year Review: A Look at the Good and the Hard of 2020

If you’re like most of the world, you’re likely spending this week reflecting on 2020. While it wasn’t the year we expected when we entered it, we were able to slow down, and focus on what matters while pruning the things that don’t. 2020 has shifted our culture. It has shown us a common definition of success: look at your community, relationships, and goals. I’m ready to normalize what we’ve gone through. Let’s not demonize 2020. Join me as I share my heartfelt reflections on 2020 in this episode of The Brand Strategy Podcast. Let’s stop normalizing business and the pursuit of more. The Bad of 2020 – Facing Challenges I want to look back on this year and see how it challenged me personally and professionally. This year brought up so many challenges that many of us never saw coming. One challenge I consistently dealt with was not being in charge of situations. I had to ultimately learn that although I’m not in control of certain circumstances in my life, I am in control of how I respond to those circumstances. This was also a year that forced me to be introspective, which led me to believe that all of the challenges I faced in 2020 had a purpose. Whether they were allowing me to grow or look deeper at the life I wanted, they made an impact in a way that made me a better person. As a reminder: 2020 wasn’t happening to me, it was happening for me. The Good of 2020 While I faced challenges in 2020, I also learned a lot about myself and my business. From both a business perspective and a personal perspective, I began to look at my values and how they’re impacting my decisions. I also learned to embrace growth through introspective work, conversations with my therapist, and so much more. This year was a year that I focused on my personal growth. Additionally, I began to keep a looser grip on things in my life and business. While I love perfection (2W1), I decided that 2020 was the year to not worry about things going according to plan. Finally, I learned to embrace the idea of cultivating resilience. As humans, when we encounter hard things, we get back up. That’s resilience. If you started out the beginning of this year with a ton of goals, but haven’t achieved them, remember how much you’ve gone through and how resilient you are. You’ve got this. Resilience is a huge accomplishment that deserves to be celebrated. Catch the Show Notes The Not So Fun of 2020 (3:45)1. Facing Tough Challenges2. Learning I’m Not in Control3. Be More Introspective The Good of 2020 (7:35)1. Return to Your Values2. Embracing Growth3. Keep a Loose Grip RESOURCES MENTIONED Rising Strong by Brene Brown FOLLOW ALONG Brand Strategy Podcast