Reflection - A Look My Year that was -2017

2017 was crazy year. Although to be honest I feel like i have been writing that at the end of every year for the last couple. It really has been a wild ride. 

Since starting at the Beautiful You Coaching Academy in 2016, parts of my life have changed so much. I've accomplished so much in my fist year of business. Has been all sunshine and rainbows though? Of course not. Am I fully booked out with clients right now? No. Does this mean that last year wasn't successful for me? Hell No! Lets face it, we all dream of making big bucks in our first few years of business (You see the marketing all over Facebook about how easy it is) but the reality for most of us is that it takes time. As all good things should. Which is why I wanted to look back on my year and share with you what it really looks like to be building a business for yourself. 

2017 has really been a foundation building year for me. I finished my Equine Assisted Learning Practitioner training at the end of 2016 andI became a Certified Beautiful You Coach shortly after. I joined the incredible Jade Mckenzie's Mastermind and I got to connect with some truly inspiring women while creating a solid base for my business. I really like the fact that I now have strong systems in place and a really clear idea about where I am going with my business. I have learnt a great deal and I hope to continue to learn, improve and grow. 

I got to attend some amazing events this year. I kicked the year off listening to Danielle La Port speak, attended sister circles and completed circle training myself with Sora Surya No. Talk about a highlight (and she is coming back in Feb!). I held my own circles and classes (although only a few). I gave my first talk at the Inspired Women's event in Melbourne with my fellow mastermind girls. I attend the Beautiful You Melbourne Inspiration Day and see the next wave of coaches coming through. I met and connect with people I admired. Attend one of Julie Parker's Goddess Circles on my birthday. I had an article publish in Inspired Coach and interviewed for the first edition of Soulful Living Magazine. I got to work with my first EAL clients. 

I dug deep on a personal level too. I worked on myself. What was holding me back and some of the stories that i told myself. I cried. A lot. I doubted that I could ever pull anything worth while off and I showed up any way. I voiced the things I didn't want to say incase they were true or was afraid people would judge me on. I reached out for support. And I kept showing up. Again and Again and Again. Even though some times it felt super fucking hard and I might only have done one small thing for my business. I physically lost my voice for a week. 

The biggest challenge for me this year has been getting my EAL offerings off the ground. I didn't have horses when I started training or a place to keep them, so a lot of my year was spent finding them and a place for me and my family to live. Now we are living on a small acrerage just outside Melbourne with our two horses Poppy and Takoda. My first EAL herd members. It is still an adjustment for all of us, but it has been so exciting to start practicing this way of working with people. I'm so passionate about it and every session is different. You can read a bit more of that journey here and here.

Highlights from 2017:

Being able to offer EAL sessions

Although it took most of the year to get off the ground, holding my first EAL sessions felt like such an accomplishment. Seeing all of the wonderful learnings my clients got from their sessions was so satisfying. It only served to re-enforce how powerful this work is and how wonderful it is. 

Wondering what Equine Assisted Learning is? Click Here. 

 Attending Circle Training with Sora  

Not only did I get to connect with some amazing soul sisters, but I helped me to keep going deeper with my own self development. Of course I learnt skills to hold womens circles, but the training felt so much deeper than that. It was a truly beautiful experience (despite the fact I was  super sick for the week).

Having my article publish in inspired Coach magazine.

This was a goal I had set with my coaching buddy when I was studying at Beautiful You. I didn't know if I had anything worth while to share when I set that goal and to see my article there about something I am so passionate about was amazing. 

Working with some amazing coaches

You can't do everything on your own. You need support and cheerleaders. I was lucky enough to work with some incredible coaches this year. Jade Mckenzie, Tracey Spencer, Sora Surya No, Lucy Taylor and Amy Mackenzie to name a few. Plus the support i've had from the ladies in my mastermind, fellow Beautiful You Coaches, EPI Practitioners and the women who are in some of the communities I am in such as Solopreuner Society and Beautiful Business Builders. Finding supportive communities and women has been a true highlight and just makes the journey that much more enjoyable. 

Challenges from 2017:

Doing the inner work

While I wish it could all just be about business, I wouldn't be a very good Life Coach if I didn't spend at least some of my time going deeper. Looking at what holds me back, what stories I tell myself and what areas of growth I need to work on. It is a never ending journey of course and there are always lessons to be learned. The big themes I had this year was around worth and my voice. Like I said I actually physically lost my voice for over a week this year and I found that I had blocks around writing, as well as sharing my knowledge. I have felt in the past that some else was more qualified than I am on any given topic or I am not experienced enough. To sit with that and recognise it for what it is, a story my ego tells me, created a big shift for me. 

Staying in my own lane

Another on going challenge for me. It is easier to look at what others are doing and judge our own journey by theirs. They have heaps of clients, making money, running workshops, writing blog post, manifesting crazy amazing stuff like a boss, killing it on social media, getting books published etc etc etc. Sometimes I just need to step back from social media. I need to remind myself that it is all happening as it's suppose to. That what I am doing takes time and can't be rushed. Focusing in on what I am doing and as Julie Parker always says "stay in your own lane!!"

Writing a list of all the things I did this year was really helpful. It let me see exactly how much I had actually done in the year. I really recommend doing this, because it can be easy to forget all of the things you did. 

Balance and me time

Balancing growing a new business with part time work and being a mum to a toddler. Not always easy. I'm still learning how to balance it all and squeeze in some time for myself (any else feel like the only time they get to "get out of the house" is to go to work?). Booking in some selfceare time ( and it doesn't have to cost anything) has been really important. Making sure I am present with my daughter and husband has been really important. Hopefully I'll get the hang of it one day (maybe?) but it is definitely a challenge. 

Learnings From 2017

Having strong Business Foundations is important

Doing the ground work isn't very glamorous . However it can save you a lot of time and make things more streamlined. Plus if you are anything like me, trying to balance multiple things, making life easier is the way to go. Getting clear on what you want to achieve short term and the big vision. Making sure you actually make time to sit down and do things! It's so easy to just watch Netflix, but doing a little bit each day helps. 

Learn to Trust and Surrender

I'm a super impatient person by nature. I want stuff to materialise yesterday. This year the universe has been kicking my arse a bit so that I have no other option but to surrender. That has been a big learning, because when I have let go and just surrendered that's when the better option has shown up. Now this doesn't mean I am passive in my life, I spend a lot of time getting really focused on what I want and taking the actions steps. However at some point you just need to hand it over to the universe and trust. I'm still doing that. My business feels at the end of 2017 are like a long haul flight. I've done the first leg, I'm tired and just want to get to my destination. However much I wish things would go faster I still have to wait at the airport to board my flight and do that leg of the journey. So what can else can you do but trust and surrender. Then surrender some more ( and maybe look for the airport bar or book store). 

Find Support

Not just in business but in life. Mothers groups, gym, masterminds, business what ever it is, look for the people who get it. Who are going to cheer you on and support you. Who can help you see things differently without making you feel like everything you are doing is wrong. Or can send you cat videos when you are having a shitty day. Find those people. What really highlighted this for me was attending the women's circle training. When women support and connect it is powerful and healing stuff. Finding like minded communities, women, friends and working with a coach - those supports were a game changer for me. 

So there you have it. 2017. What a crazy amazing, challenging Year.