The other day, I was laying in bed, awake, feeling my baby (now at 34 weeks gestation) moving inside of my belly. Even when she wakes me up, I’m so grateful for the honor of not only being able to carry her, but to be her mother.
This holiday season is a special one; it’s the last one with just my husband James and me. And I thought it was only fitting to share my personal and professional year-end review with you, as I personally enter not only a new year, but a new chapter of my life, after a challenging, stretching 2022 full of tons of identity shifts and moments of growth.
Maybe like me, 2022 has been challenging in more ways than one for you. Or maybe it’s been smooth sailing…
Regardless, for those of us who are driven and used to always looking ahead, it’s important to look back at this time and really let all of the lessons and learnings sink in…and make a decision about what we want to let go of as we enter the New Year.
That’s what this is about, and I’m excited and honored to share my biggest challenges, lessons, desires and achievements with you…
(By the way, I recently shared our free 40-page I Heart My Life New Year’s Workbook with our community. It’s a great way to take stock of what you’ve achieved in 2022, what you want to let go of, and what you want to lean into and reach in 2023.
If you’re interested in getting this guide, just click this link and fill out this short survey and then you’ll get the link on the final page.
Now, let’s dive into the year-end review…
Biggest Lessons Learned:
Sometimes you have to just let life do it for you
Years ago, I had a client tell me that “life did it for her”…things like opening up business opportunities to moving somewhere she least expected to the difficult moments that led her down a different path; boy can I resonate with that this year! So much felt out of my control, and I just had to “let life do it for me”, release and trust. And I know it’s turning out better than I could have ever orchestrated.
You don’t have to try so hard
This lesson came after getting pregnant on the first try. (No joke!) It was such a lesson in not only that my body knows what to do (and is a miracle in itself), but that I don’t have to try so hard. You can see our pregnancy announcement here.
Your lessons will keep coming back around until you actually get them
Oh this was a doozy, but so needed. We had something happen in our business that happened previously (I’ll share when I’m ready) and I finally got the (painful) lesson and learned to pivot and make some big changes. Trust me when I say, if you can get the lesson the first time, do so! Otherwise, it will come back around and probably scream at you even louder when it does!
Favorite Moments:
Moving into the home we built in Austin at the beginning of the year
Owning a home has been a big dream of my mine for as long as I can remember. Although I never expected to be living in Texas, the fact that we get to own a home that we designed and built as our first home, is a dream come true. And it’s come together so beautifully.
Getting all of the RH furniture that I ordered — especially the lighting
Back in 2014, I wrote a desires list as I was getting my business off the ground. As one of my coaches told me, “money needs a purpose” so I made sure to clearly define what that purpose was and amongst other things, I wrote out that I wanted all RH furniture. And that dream has come true! You can also see my recent home walkthrough here.
Meeting my daughter in a dream
The truth is, although I knew I wanted to be a mother, I didn’t know if I wanted to actually be pregnant. In fact, I was terrified of what it would mean for my ambition and the work I do in the world. But after a friend recommended that I read the book Spirit Babies, everything changed, and I ended up meeting my daughter (and future son) in a dream. I shared more about that experience here in this episode of the IHML Show.
Pretty much every moment in Bora Bora
This doesn’t need much of an explanation! I’ve been dreaming about Bora Bora for years. In fact, I’ve been corresponding with the team at the Four Seasons there for about 3+ years! Finally, in 2022, we got the chance to go there and host a retreat for some incredible clients. My husband and I went a few days early and stayed after the retreat. We were there for a total of 12 blissful days. If you get the chance to go, DO IT. It’s worth every penny and the long flight!
Our second ultrasound
Although the first ultrasound was incredible, during the second one, we had to try to get the baby to turn over so the technician could get the measurements she needed. So after 45 minutes of me doing jumping jacks and trying to get her to move, they told me to go get some snacks and come back in an hour. While we were waiting, James played the song “My Girl” in the car, and I completely lost it in the most beautiful way. I’ll never forget that moment.
Telling my in-laws and (my parents a month later) that we were expecting a baby
When we were in England this summer, we told James’s parents that we were expecting at The Ritz Hotel (where we got married). They were shocked! We gave them this sweet card from the baby. We did the same with my parents about a month later.
Psst! Check out the reel of this here. It’s my most viewed reel ever with 92K views and counting!
What I’m Most Proud of:
Staying in discomfort.
There have been many moments this year that have had me on my knees. I’ve been in tears more times than I can count. But I’ve stayed with it. I haven’t emotionally bypassed.
Pouring Into Friendships
This year, I started a peer mastermind which meant I got to connect with some incredible like-minded women and support one another in our dreams. I also poured into my relationships in Austin (one of the main reasons why we moved to this city).
Trimming the Fat
No, I don’t mean losing weight, I mean letting go of anything (and anyone) I didn’t need or want in my life. At some point, things felt really complicated – especially in my business. We spent a lot of time streamlining, reducing costs, and simplifying overall, and it feels so good.
Asking for Help
This year was full of vulnerability, and that meant asking for help. I asked for help from my parents, friends and my husband in more ways than I can count. This was emotional, life (especially with being pregnant for the first time) as well as business help.
Difficult Conversations
I was the queen of difficult convos this year! Whether it was with clients, parents, friends, James and even a level of raw honesty with myself, I went there. It was so empowering to speak my truth and it helped me reach a new level of alignment and happiness.
Getting Organized for Baby
My mom and dad threw me a gorgeous baby shower this fall, so in addition to getting organized with all of the baby items we needed, I’m proud of myself for being super organized with the IHML Show podcast. I’ve basically batched all episodes between now and June 2023. That’s a huge win!
I must admit, I’m not one of those people who’s planning to take an extended period off from work – my company isn’t set up in that way at the moment due to all of the transitions – but I’m feeling super organized and able to complete my weekly work in just a few hours per week which is BIG for me.
Tuning into my True Mastery
One of the shifts that helped me immensely this year was asking myself this simple question:
“If I had $20 million dollars in the bank, what would I do? What decision would I make? What path would I take?”
So often, we’re making decisions from a place of fear and doubt (or lack) instead of desire. I’m not doing that anymore! I’m doing the things that bring me joy that are aligned with my purpose and what I’m great at — not what I can do.
What I’m Choosing to Leave in 2022:
- The idea that I know better than the Universe
- Overworking
- Lack mindset (in terms of time and needing to move quickly)
- Trying to do everything on my own
- Trying to do everything at once
There you have it! My 2022 review!
Remember, you can get clear on some of these items (plus much more) by downloading our complimentary New Year’s Guide. All you have to do is fill out this quick 1-minute survey and you’ll get the link on the final page.
Thank you for being a part of our community this year. I’m grateful to have the opportunity to connect with you and look forward to seeing you thrive in 2023 and beyond!
