Hindsight 2020: Part One
Remember the fire and gusto I started 2019 with? How I was blogging regularly, sending monthly updates to my mailing list and consistently achieving on a daily basis? No?
Because it didn't last long. By May I was distracted. Accepting additional projects meant I struggled to stick to my original schedule. A month or so working flat out to bring these to fruition and my plans were all but abandoned, leaving me - you guessed it - a mess. I didn't recover for the remainder of the year. I pottered about, did bits and pieces but my drive was muted. I became increasingly down and dispassionate.
It took moving house to realise that I was on the verge of sinking into depression again. They say hindsight is 2020 and I can attest that its true. Newfound clarity accompanied the change of address and in this fresh new space I can now see plenty of opportunity.
A change is as good as a rest and 2020 brings change aplenty! Having shipped ourselves further north than the tiny market town we had resided in for the last year and half, theres not only the new house, new neighbours and new area to get used to. I also got a part time job, so theres new work and new colleagues too.
To make the most of this change; the fresh start of a new year in locale - Manchester, UK - I need to take stock of the year prior. In 2019 I had the Maker's Yearbook to guide me through this process. This year I repurposed the pertinent content and adjusted it to suit me.
Last year I realised I wanted my blog to become a tool that empowered people to do what I do; to strike out on their own and be self sufficient. In that spirit I wanted to share this process with you over the next few posts.
However, I want to make it clear that I highly recommend purchasing the Makers Yearbook and a 'Makers Momentum Club' membership. For a start the planner is beautiful - with assorted page layouts for specific purposes - and the online membership provides additional resources and a social group of likeminded souls to keep you on track. These notes are but a drip in their ocean. Now let us begin.
Looking back
The Highs
First we must acknowledge our big successes of the previous year. This is important because is far too easy to discredit ourselves or feel we're not doing enough. A simple list of 2019's best bits is a great way to remember what we got out of all our hard work. Mine included assisting on the Diva Magazine Anniversary cover shoot and applying to a mentorship programme. I didn't get it, but putting myself out there was a big step!
The Lows
Where there are highs, there will also be lows and these need their own list. Now these aren't failures - you only fail if you stop trying - but rather, the lessons you learned the hard way. The harshest for me was realising I was doing myself out of potential opportunities by lacking confidence. I was offered an introduction to a prominent Drag Race contestant and hesitated so much that I missed my shot. It was a brutal wake up call. If I don't have confidence in my abilities, how can I expect others too? Ouch.
Big Realisations
Over the course of our work, we will have several epiphanies about how we conduct ourselves. These realisations can provide new insight into why and how we do what we do. For me, one key incident yielded two major insights.
After sending a promotional package to a blogger/reviewer, I didn't hear anything back; I was heartbroken (yeah this went on my 'low' list as well, hah). It was someone I had followed for a long time and I had created a custom version of an existing product especially for them. The lack of response sucked but the fact of the matter was they didn't owe me anything. I sent a gift and the item failed to resonate with them.
Firstly, this taught me that I had misunderstood the positioning of my brand; who it is for. This is something I have to study up on and spend some real time delving into if I hope to see success in 2020. Secondly I realised I should spend less time trying to impress strangers, and focus on the people who are already actively supporting me. Outreach can come later, first I gotta pay my dues to the people already onboard.
Is it really that easy? Yes. You cast your mind back and you write it down. These exercises may not seem like much but the guidance they offer is invaluable when planning the year ahead. It is through completing the written work that we sift through all the bullshit in our heads and realise what is important. This is just the very start. In my next post we will get stuck right in, examining 2019 in more detail and extrapolating the key info we need to make 2020 a roaring success.
Until then, thank you so much for sticking with me.
Much love,
Tiffany xo