Mars 6 years, 3 months ago-
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What were your greatest lessons, blessings and set-backs in 2017?
Answer the journaling questions below and lets learn from each other’s lessons!
1. What am I most proud of from this past year?
2. What business or personal successes am I celebrating?
3. What were my biggest set-backs, challenges or disappointments?
4. What did I learn from my biggest challenges this year?
5. What are you most excited about for 2018?
6. If you were to give yourself a ONE word theme for 2018, what is your word? (My 2017 word was “Relationships)
7. What habit, pattern, belief system or mindset are you letting go of?- What am I most proud of from this past year?
I’m most proud of the progress I have made in creating my book, course, workbook and coaching practice.
- What business or personal successes am I celebrating?
My workbook is the glue that will hold my book, course and coaching practice together… providing guided practice to my learners in how to structure and plan out their own courses, based on instructional design best practices.
Creating the workbook has been a challenge because it requires making something that is very complex, very clear, simple and easy for others to implement. It’s a long term process that I’ve been working on for my entire professional life of over 40 years.
It’s been a challenge to get clear on the exact products and services to offer in my business, and then, to actually create them.
I am very thankful and happy to have mostly completed this step now.
3. What were my biggest set-backs, challenges or disappointments?
After working really hard to create a dynamic, interactive elearning product, I discovered that something I wanted to include would present a security risk. It’s not really a set back, this is the kind of thing one WANTS to find out before actually launching.
I will redo the resources in question in a different way. It’s an important lesson: sometimes we have to let go of some high tech bells and whistles in favor of other things.
I also faced a long, frustrating SSL mess due to a “free” (HA!) certificate that was put on one of my sites. I did learn a lot about SSL.. and decided to move to better hosting.
- What did I learn from my biggest challenges this year?
Problems and challenges are opportunities to learn something new. (I already knew that as a general life principle, but saw some specific applications of it in the tech space this past year).
- What are you most excited about for 2018?
Getting my products and services launched and starting to make money, and make a difference on a global scale.
- If you were to give yourself a ONE word theme for 2018, what is your word?
My word for 2018 is “Revenue”. This will be the year that I start charging for, and making money from, my products and services.
7. What habit, pattern, belief system or mindset are you letting go of?
I’ve struggled (and somewhat continue to struggle) with the feeling that it’s wrong to charge money for my services. I have always felt that if I have something of value to offer that people need, then I should give it to them for free.
Additionally, the types of things that I am here to share are things that until recently, had no actual place in the economic system. (It’s like being a video game designer in 1850).
But that is changing now and it’s time to step out on the world stage and do my thing, and make a good income from doing it.
So for 2018 my word is “revenue” and I am letting go of the belief system that says that I can’t or shouldn’t make money from doing things that help people by providing a service or product that I have to offer, that they need.
Great freaking questions!
1.What am I most proud of from this past year?
Ha! Of course… trying to do it alone. Being a lone wolf… thinking I can do better on my own… or that I need to in order to prove something. Ha! I put that into the sacrificial fire!!!<span class=”ac-designer-copy”>1.</span> What am I most proud of from this past year?
I am most proud of my conquering my fear of technology – still a bit wary, but I feel that in making videos and using the green screen, I am moving in the right direction with technology. It won’t be a speedy process, as I do still wonder if I’m using some tech effectively, but I’m not staying still. I’m moving forward.<br class=”ac-designer-copy” /><br class=”ac-designer-copy” /><span class=”ac-designer-copy”>2. </span>What business or personal successes am I celebrating?
My business successes that I’m celebrating aren’t actually to do with eCourses. I started a group on Facebook with 12 birthworkers of colour. The group is now, a year later, at 129. I have planned a Reproductive Justice retreat and booked two amazing midwives from each side of The Pond. The birthworkers are beginning to book it up. In the back of my mind I have a Birthworkers of Colour conference trying to come to the fore. I’ve now been asked twice, by birthworkers that I don’t know, if I would consider organising one. So that’s the confirmation/validation that I needed for that germ of an idea.
I’m also still celebrating my eCourse which has seen two women book courses. I need to up the advertising, but that’ll come in January.<br class=”ac-designer-copy” /><br class=”ac-designer-copy” /><span class=”ac-designer-copy”>3. </span>What were my biggest set-backs, challenges or disappointments?
Actually, my biggest challenge is riding the wave of my first eCourse success. I feel like I’ve come to a bit of a stop and I’m not sure why. So, I think that I’ll potter through the Christmas season and go in hard in January.
<br class=”ac-designer-copy” /><span class=”ac-designer-copy”>4. </span>What did I learn from my biggest challenges this year?
That I need this community to help me get through my blocks and hesitations. The encouragement is so amazing and so so valued and appreciated by me. <br class=”ac-designer-copy” /><br class=”ac-designer-copy” /><span class=”ac-designer-copy”>5. </span>What are you most excited about for 2018?
Finding my mountain mojo again. Creating at least ONE fully paying eCourse. I have two in mind, the one that I’ve started and the one that I’ve talked about, namely Loving the Multiple Mamas and Cultural Competency.<br class=”ac-designer-copy” /><br class=”ac-designer-copy” /><span class=”ac-designer-copy”>6. </span>If you were to give yourself a ONE word theme for 2018, what is your word? (<span class=”ac-designer-copy”>My 2017 word was “Relationships)</span>
Cheating and using two words… sorry… though if you say it quickly, it can sound like one. FIERCE JOY<br class=”ac-designer-copy” /><br class=”ac-designer-copy” /><span class=”ac-designer-copy”>7. </span>What habit, pattern, belief system or mindset are you letting go of?
I’m letting go of fear of success.
<h2> Here are the beginning of my holiday musings…</h2>
What am I most proud of from this past year?
I have gone a year without dairy, gluten, sugar and about 7 months without alcohol and I have been swimming in the cold ocean waters almost everyday for the last 6-months. My body is transforming and I continue to get stronger, healthier, leaner and more fit. I am becoming the athlete that I have always envisioned in my mind. I feel so proud about these lifestyle changes.
What business or personal successes am I celebrating?
I feel like I have “arrived” as an entrepreneur. I’ve got the dream studio, ocean front home, a band of brothers who are my teammates, soulmates and bromates. I am finally playing pro golf for real. I love my life with my wife and son and dog. I am creating things I believe in and am getting paid extremely well as a coach and consultant. I feel there was an arrival this last year and the decade+ month to month early stage entrepreneurship is a story from my past. I am so grateful and excited about the people I’m working with and the things I’m working on. I see a very exciting vision for the future unfolding and you are all a part of it. Thank you!
3. What were my biggest set-backs, challenges or disappointments?
I thought our membership would have wayyy more people in it by now and way more courses launched. I see why this isn’t the case and I truly believe 2018 will be a year of rapid growth for the business…. especially after the first quarter when we’ve got our new tech partners in place (yup, that’s coming).
The other thing that slowed progress down was Andy and I spending 3-months working towards building our own software, only to realize that wasn’t what we wanted to do with our lives. That chewed up a quarter of the year. It was a good lesson. He and I have also been rearranging our business partnership, which ate up a lot of mental, emotional bandwidth. We are both excited for what lies ahead now.
4. What did I learn from my biggest challenges this year?
Patience, divine timing and just keep taking baby steps forward. There are times when the results are obvious in the outer world. Like in 2016, we built the Great eCourse Adventure. The work we were doing was super obvious. Whereas, on the surface, it doesn’t look like A LOT was done (in comparison to last year), however there was so much that moved and changed under the surface and behind the scenes. There were also a lot of new relationships that were made.
5. What are you most excited about for 2018?
Believe it or not, I have started building my own social media network called, “Experience Community” (EC²). I am really freaking excited about it. The idea came after announcing that I’d be deleting my Facebook account. I’ll be launching a beta group in January and you’ll all be a part of that.
I am also really excited about our new tech partners. We are going to make building courses so much easier and more fun for all of you. There is a new way of doing things and it’s coming. That should be happening around March(ish). So in teh meantime, don’t worry about tech. Just build all your videos, handouts and media. The tech will come and trust me, you’re going to be stoked when this partnership is announced and the new product available.
6. If you were to give yourself a ONE word theme for 2018, what is your word?
My word for 2018 is JOY. I want to feel joy through all I do. This means I will need to get out of my head and tap more into my feeling body. I look forward to putting this to practice and to making choices that align me with my highest joy.
What habit, pattern, belief system or mindset are you letting go of?
I am letting go of shame. I am choosing to live fully expressed in who I am, free from the energy of shame. It is something I have had to do a lot of healing work around in my life and I am letting that go fully this year.
While I took a much needed break from hanging out on the mountain for the last half of the year, I’ve kept tabs on what’s been happening. Felt sort of like the 10,000 ft drone view. LOL
Looking forward to getting back to course creation in the new year with a feeling of much greater depth. Not that the material has changed any. I have.
What were your greatest lessons, blessings and set-backs in 2017?
Answer the journaling questions below and lets learn from each other’s lessons!
1.What am I most proud of from this past year?
Being part of a small cat rescue having their best fundraising event ever, when they needed it most.
2.What business or personal successes am I celebrating?
Staying sane.
3.What were my biggest set-backs, challenges or disappointments?
2017 felt like The Year of the Battle – running the the gamut from technology to people to processes to traditions.
4.What did I learn from my biggest challenges this year?
Stand up for what I believe in and don’t drink the kool-aid.
5.What are you most excited about for 2018?
It’s not 2017. The world is my oyster, as is 2018.
6.If you were to give yourself a ONE word theme for 2018, what is your word?
Usually not my gig to pick a word or theme for the year. But I’ll play so choose the word “Disrupt.”
7.What habit, pattern, belief system or mindset are you letting go of?
Believing I’m not ready.
@lorrainewatson, wonderful to see you here. I had you on my list of people to check in with before the end of the year. I just checked out your website and I love how you’ve evolved it from the work you did with @andyfreist It looks so great.
I’m looking forward to seeing what you create from all of the intention of “DISRUPT.” Powerful, mischevious word to take on for next year. I love it.
Answer the journaling questions below and lets learn from each other’s lessons!
<span class=”ac-designer-copy”>1.</span> What am I most proud of from this past year?
I am, without a doubt, most proud of recovering from my second severe disc herniation in as many years back in January, and still managing to summit and ski from 5 peaks in 8 days. Mt. Olive 3130, Mt. St. Nicholas 2970, Mt. Gordon 3203, Mt. Niblock 2 976 & Mt. Nestor 2 948 in April (Mt. Nestor attached). <br class=”ac-designer-copy” /><br class=”ac-designer-copy” /><span class=”ac-designer-copy”>2. </span>What business or personal successes am I celebrating?
The completion of the 2nd of 3 in-house negotiation programs in Germany, and the anticipation of a sold out open negotiation program here in Malmö, Sweden set for January/February. I feel gratitude for having the chance to affect the negotiation results of these high calibre people, making a difference in their business and personal negotiations.<br class=”ac-designer-copy” /><br class=”ac-designer-copy” /><span class=”ac-designer-copy”>3. </span>What were my biggest set-backs, challenges or disappointments?
Biggest set-back has been that my automated negotiation cases/games have not been completed by the developer on time for my open program. Only 1/4 of them will go live.
Biggest challenge has been maintaining good life-work balance….with delivery demands, with selling demands, a branding process, and this e-course process, keeping good discipline on my intensive conditioning for my next ski mountaineering trip in January, keeping up with my karate training, while at the same time being a good father and husband!
Biggest disappointment – don’t have so many of those this year…well, maybe one. A client who’s managers actively brainstormed with their people to tackle some key issues at end of October, have not yet communicated back to their teams how ideas will be implemented.<br class=”ac-designer-copy” /><br class=”ac-designer-copy” /><span class=”ac-designer-copy”>4. </span>What did I learn from my biggest challenges this year?
I have learned a new level of patience, and have been building my skill and ability to let go.<br class=”ac-designer-copy” /><br class=”ac-designer-copy” /><span class=”ac-designer-copy”>5. </span>What are you most excited about for 2018?
Fusing two websites, and going ‘outward’ with our branding process with the process here tandem. I look forward to building up the conversation and see where any purely e-course elements will take me.<br class=”ac-designer-copy” /><br class=”ac-designer-copy” /><span class=”ac-designer-copy”>6. </span>If you were to give yourself a ONE word theme for 2018, what is your word? (<span class=”ac-designer-copy”>My 2017 word was “Relationships)</span>
“Category”
<span class=”ac-designer-copy”>7. </span>What habit, pattern, belief system or mindset are you letting go of?
I am letting go of the ‘alone’ part. I have engaged potential partners, and collaborations, and I am extending my ecosystem so as to be able to better manage our digital transformation while creating a new awareness of who we are and what we do.
….That said, one of the greatest surprises of the year, watch finding this place. Its right up my alley with the mountain theme, and EVERYTHING here is making sense. I look forward to getting back to it now that our next program is filled, and the year is turning into new learning adventures! Thanks @Bradley Morris and @Andy Freist ! I repeat. You guys ROCK!
Thanks for the feedback @bradleytmorris. It’s taken a lot of work to get the website to where it is now, and of course it’s work in progress. Still some issues to work out. Along the principles of gamification, I tried to incorporate points of interaction so the visitor experience was more than reading.
What were your greatest lessons, blessings and set-backs in 2017?
Answer the journaling questions below and lets learn from each other’s lessons!
1. What am I most proud of from this past year?
Going back to school to complete my Master’s in Counselling Psychology after a 11 year break staying at home to raise kids. It was a pure miracle that I was allowed back in the same program and with full credit from courses 11 years old, and with being allowed to continue part time in a regularly full time program. Grace of God, and hard work.
2.What business or personal successes am I celebrating?
Getting on this mountain. I’ve been humming and hawing and stumbling around not knowing how I could build an ecourse. I just couldn’t bring myself to build and market something that was BORING (previous to discovering great ecourse adventure). So I’m very pleased to have found @bradleytmorris and Andy. They have given me hope that there is room for creativity, a little kooky acting, and some powerful transformations all in the same package.
3. What were my biggest set-backs, challenges or disappointments?
I’ve had some very challenging relationships in my personal life this year, and I’ve had my dreams burst of how things might have been with some family members.
4.What did I learn from my biggest challenges this year?
Forgiveness, although very difficult, is the only way to personal freedom.
5. What are you most excited about for 2018?
Continuing my Master’s, hopefully becoming more mature and understanding with those family members and by the Grace of God, launch my first “day trek” course, and earn some money!
6. If you were to give yourself a ONE word theme for 2018, what is your word?
I’ve mulled this over for a few days, and the word that just keeps coming back to me is “Savour: to enjoy food or an experience slowly, in order to enjoy it as much as possible.”
7. What habit, pattern, belief system or mindset are you letting go of?
Lack of trust in myself and my abilities, or to reframe, gain self-trust, and confidence.
What am I most proud of from this past year?
I’m still here – in this world, with my family, and here at GEA. My perseverance despite many challenges. My commitment to sticking things out even when it’s not the easiest thing to do. And the decision to try new things and see what happens – which has led to all kinds of new opportunities and experiences.
What business or personal successes am I celebrating?
I volunteered to give one wellness seminar, which morphed into several other speaking engagements. I’ve launched a website (under construction). I’ve created a mini-course and a podcast and a blog (all works in progress). I just completed Day 61 of my daily writing streak. That, and the fact that I function for myself and my family and the dog each and every day and manage to put dinner on the table every night. That last bit sounds so ordinary, and yet it really is quite extra-ordinary.
What were my biggest set-backs, challenges or disappointments?
Honestly, it feels like every day is a struggle. Raising four boys, working full time, and believing there’s something bigger within me that I want to prioritize and yet time is limited and I feel so torn.
What did I learn from my biggest challenges this year?
That I’m capable of pushing myself beyond my comfort zone. That others will come to stand beside me when I speak what I believe deep within my heart. That I can push through the hard times, and that I can fall back on others to help me through them.
What are you most excited about for 2018?
I’m just excited to see what will happen next. New hopes and new possibilities.
If you were to give yourself a ONE word theme for 2018, what is your word?
Daily. Daily habits, daily routines, daily struggles, daily cycles, and the fact that tomorrow is another day.
What habit, pattern, belief system or mindset are you letting go of?
Quick-fixes and Overall Plans. From now on, my only plan is to envision the next step and once I’ve done that to focus only on the very next one after that. It helps me stay focused on now, not worry so much about what’s coming, and then I feel gratified when I can look back and see my progress.
Amazing to read the reflections above!
Looking for other friends on the mountain to share their wisdom…
@Saramccann
@judyb
@bobbiejo
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