Celebrating the wins of 2018 before 2019 begins

Celebrating the wins of 2018 before 2019 beginsCelebrating the wins of 2018 before 2019 beginsIts almost the end of 2018 I honestly cant believe how quickly the year flew by. Something Ive been doing for the past couple of years is stopping to reflect on the past year so that I can celebrate my wins, big and small. Its important to acknowledge and celebrate our accomplishments so that we dont forget about them.Its easy to focus on what we didnt achieve (and the New Years Resolutions we abandoned), but its a little harder to call out what wediddo. Taking the time to reflect like this might surprise you. You may have achieved more than you thought you did.Give yourself this chance to be proud of yourself so youre motivated to set new goals for 2019.Ive created aworksheetto help you do just that on your ownMake a Long ListSit down and make a list of everything you accomplished this year. It can be something as big as running a marathon and something as small as getting your annual physi cal. Anything that made you happy and moved you forward in life is considered a win. You might have to wrack your brain a little, but it will feel good to go through this exercise.Identify Where Things Fell ShortWhile its imperative to celebrate your accomplishments, its also important to learn from your mistakes or failings. Were there things you set out to do in 2018 that never happened? Why didnt they happen? Perhaps you need to set the same goal for 2018, or perhaps that goal isnt something youre really willing or able to meet. Getting clear onwhyyou werent able to achieve something is key to moving forward.Treat YourselfAllow yourself to treat yourself for everything you accomplished in 2018. It can be something very small, but do something nice for yourself. I think the treat yourself movement has gotten slightly out of hand, but its also good to reward yourself for good behavior and meeting goals. Make koranvers the treat still fits within your budget, thoughSet Goals for 201 9Use your 2018 wins to inform your goals for 2019. Do you want to build on your successes from this year? Do you want to take things in a different direction?What Will Keep You Motivated?Figure out what will keep you motivated as the year goes on. The New Year shine wears off fast Is it keeping your goals list printed and taped up on the wall where you can see it? It is setting a weekly check-in with yourself to see how youre doing? Is it designating an accountability buddy who will keep you on track? Decide what the best approach is for you so that you keep moving forwardMy 2018 WinsSince I want you to go through this exercise, I need to walk the walk I filled out the worksheet myself, but here are the wins that really stand out.I Took My Business Full-TimeOn January 1, 2018, I welches officially a full-time business owner, having left my day job at the end of December. It was a terrifying leap, but one that I felt that I had to take. There have certainly been ups and downs through out the year, but I dont regret the move. Ive learned a lot about myself and my business, and I know that big changes are coming in 2019, too.I Got ICF CertifiedLast year, I received my first coaching certification throughCoachDiversity Institute. This year, I took the next step of getting certified by thezwischenstaatlich Coach Federation, as they are viewed as the authority on coaching certification. I am now both a Certified Professional Diversity Coach and an Associate Certified Coach.I Ran an Airbnb RentalWhen Dan and I were looking to buy a house last year, one of my big priorities was to find a house with a basement that we could rent out. I knew we could afford our mortgage ourselves, but I also wanted to have a potential extra income source. We got lucky and found a house with a finished basement and its own entrance. Since we finished fixing it up in February, weve been running it as an Airbnb rental. Its actually been really successful We get guests from all over the worl d, either to visit the University of Maryland or DC. Next year, our county will be implementing some limitations to how often we can rent out the space during the year, but Im still optimistic about the extra income it will bring.I Went to the Dominican Republic with My FamilyI didnt have to actually do anything special for this to happen. My grandmother paid for our entire family to spend a week in the Dominican Republic at an all-inclusive resort. The only money Dan and I had to spend was on tipping all of the wonderful resort staff. But it was a great privilege to be able to spend a week relaxing with my immediate and extended family.I Had My First Big Paid Speaking GigIn June, I spoke on a financial literacy panel at theNCCWSLat University of Maryland. It just so happened that the director of the Womens Leadership Mentorship Program atRobert Morris Universitywas in the audience. She liked what I had to say, so she brought me to Pittsburgh to speak at her programs orientation. I t was my first well-paid speaking gig, and they also covered travel costs It inspired me to prioritizespeakingas part of my business model, and Im excited to see what 2019 brings.My Business Won An AwardI won the Women Empowerment Entrepreneur of the Year Award from theDC Womens Business Centerthis year I nominated myself, but had no expectations of winning. It was a great surprise to be chosen for the award I was also a finalist for theWomens Information NetworksEntrepreneurship for Good award in December.I Hired a Financial PlannerI may be a financial coach, but Im not a certified financial planner, so I wanted to get a little extra help managing my money. Especially after this year, when I took a pay cut by quitting my job, I wanted to make sure Dan and I were staying on the right track financially. We hired my friend, Jessie Hill, to advise us on our retirement savings, and also to buy life insurance. Youre better off locking in life insurance when youre young and healthy, so we wanted to get on top of that now.My Business Made a ProfitThey say that most businesses dont make a profit within the first year. Ive been running my business for almost 3 years, but this is the first year that its full-time. I certainly didnt make as much as I would like to (I want to replace my old salary and then some), but I made a profit, even after all of my expenses. Ill call that a winI Got MarriedYou may have noticed, based on my wedding-heavy content, that I got married this year As you also may have noticed, I didnt love the planning process, so Im glad to finally be married. The wedding itself was beautiful and it was wonderful to have most of the people we love all in one place.I Went to ThailandBefore my honeymoon, I had never actually traveled to Asia. Id heard wonderful things about Thailand for years and always wanted to make the trip. Dan and I decided to take the leap and go to Thailand for nearly 3 weeks for our honeymoon. It was an amazing experience that was u nlike any other vacation Ive taken. It forced me to get out of my comfort zone in many ways, whether it was the language, the food, or the transportation.