This business mum had an amazing year!

A few posts ago, I encouraged you to review 2015 before you start planning a fantastically confident 2016.

Today, while waiting for my daughter getting her hair cut, I walked my talk and decided to review my 2015, using the questions I had suggested as your foundation.

Here then is my personal and honest perspective of my 2015. When I look at this review, the achievements, the successes, the learnings, WOW, this business mum had an amazing year.  When I realise HEY, THAT’S ME, quite honestly, I’m in awe of what I’ve achieved. Like many mums (in business), I don’t always acknowledge the full extent of what I have done.

When you do your 2015 review, please GIVE YOURSELF FULL CREDIT. You are amazing. I know you are. You know it too. Deep down you do. Give yourself permission to be proud of you.

What 2015 goals did I achieve?

• I kicked off 2015 with an amazing global online conference with speakers from around the world all sharing their thoughts and innermost secrets on what it takes to be a confident mother. I had NO idea what sort of impact this event would have. Interviewing Dame Sarah Storey was incredible. I was excited before the interview but it turned out she truly was the epitome of my picture of The Confident Mother. She blew me away. My respect for her increased ten-fold.Organising a three week online conference with all the interviews live is no mean feat. Based on others’ reactions, I do not give myself enough credit for the achievement. For me, it was relatively straightforward – I’ve been running webinars and managing online meetings for years. Nurturing relationships to persuade elite athletes and government ministers to be interviewed was simply about being honest, genuine and polite. It never occurred to me that I couldn’t do it or that I needed to have special training, so I just did it. (And of course I’m doing it all again in 2016!)
• The book – what an achievement. I mean that in so many ways. Finishing the book required balls of steel! But I did it. Dame Sarah Storey agreed to write the foreword, and she loved it. (So much so she was tweeting before Christmas telling people to buy a copy for a mum they knew). I couldn’t have done it without the guidance and insight of Alison Jones.
• The launch party was the culmination of many weeks of hard work (researching, writing, transcribing, editing etc) and it was amazing to celebrate my achievement with family, friends and fans, was amazing.
• Nominated to run as NCT President. This wasn’t a goal at the beginning of the year. It was something that just happened. There was an election; there was an opportunity. I went for it. I loved the campaign and the support was incredible. Sadly I didn’t win however I know that NCT is in steady hands.
• I joined the fabulous Birds on the Blog. What an honour. I love being one of the Birds. My weekly post comes out on a Friday morning.
• My clients … I have worked with some AMAZING clients. I have been blown away by their passion, their creativity, their drive, their ambition, their courage … I am now watching some of them grow and flourish from the sidelines. Some of my clients really have felt the fear and done it anyway! From photography to dog walking, from happiness to skin products, from event organising to project management.
• Collaborating on a new Confidence in the Workplace podcast with Pitman Training. The first episode has been recorded (Going Back to Work after Maternity Leave or Career Break) but is not yet live.
• Launching two different ways of working with me, The Confident Mother Experience and The Confidence Oasis.

What was my biggest success?

I have had such an amazing year that it was difficult to pick my biggest success. I don’t set goals as such at the beginning of the year. I have my vision – I know what I want to be, do, feel and have by the end of the year but quite honestly I had NO IDEA that I would publish a successful book. There was no inkling before August that I would be nominated for NCT President. I didn’t know that I would become a regular panelist on BBC Radio Kent.

My biggest success is something intangible. It’s about giving myself permission to be me. To do what I am the very best at. To identify what is special and unique about the way that I work with women. To finally recognise that I don’t have to worry about whether to focus on women or mothers. It’s about working with women who are mothers. I don’t have to fret over whether I’m helping you to feel more confident in life or health or family or career. It has taken me a long time (months if not years) to realise that I am not offering you a process or a system. I am sharing my philosophy. I am presenting you a way of creating that feeling of confidence by balancing five different elements: work | wellness | contribution | family and the feminine.

Seriously, the hours I have ‘wasted’ worrying and wondering whether I am doing the right thing or following the best path. And when I say ‘wasted’ …. it’s not. I see the time spent as an investment. Despite working with a fabulous amazing coach, my ‘need’ to stay corporate, to wear a suit, to be smart and sophisticated, to work hard …. prevented me from embracing what and who I really am. For so many years, I had been putting up barriers and boundaries to protect the scared teenager inside. No wonder then that it took a while to dismantle the blocks and boulders in my way. If I can do that, anyone can.

Now I really do know WHO I am, WHAT I can do, and WHO I can serve. Now I am simply unstoppable.

What didn’t go to plan?

So much didn’t go to plan. So much wasn’t planned. There was no big plan at the beginning of the year. Well actually there was, but many of my plans fell by the wayside once I started to figure out who and what I really am. I didn’t yet launch my confident mother business mastermind … I am really excited about finally kicking it off in Spring 2016 now that I have found the perfect Kentish countryside venue. I wrote previously about the pre-launch of The Confident Mother Experience, what I learned from that, and how that helped me to create Clear Confidence.

My running most definitely didn’t go to plan. I picked up a groin injury in December 2014 and it was several months before I could run again putting paid to my London Marathon goal.

I have not yet visited Morocco, New York or Oprah Winfrey’s couch.

What do I need to do more of? Or less of?

I need to feel the fear more often. Push my boundaries. Take myself out of my comfort zone. The vision I created at a recent workshop is BIG. So big it’s scary but I also know it’s achievable. Put this date in your diary: 17 September 2016. Mark my words – next year, the International Confident Mother Day live! will be THE event to attend.

I need to spend more time with my family. When you have learned, as a child, that in order to be loved, you need to work hard, it’s difficult to accept that work doesn’t need to be difficult. I don’t need to ‘punish’ myself by working harder, longer, faster. I absolutely love, love, love the work that I do. I really have found work that is effortless effort. I love watching my clients find their identity and build their confidence.

I need to work less and be present more. I need to walk my talk and nurture my own wellness.

What have I learned about myself?

I have learned that simplicity is powerful. That life and work is so much easier when I am focussed on just one thing. I have learned how to be patient. I already knew that I was determined, driven and an action taker. I have learned that I am a good enough mother, a good enough breastfeeding counsellor, a good enough runner, a good enough runner and a bloody fantastic coach. This business mum had an amazing year, and 2016 will be even better!

Feeling inspired? Want to take action?

Join me and the fabulous Fi for an online Vision workshop on Wednesday 6 January. I promise – no pitches, no products for sale. Just good old-fashioned inspiration and action-taking!