2021 Year-end Goals Check-in

This year has been great for me. As I reflect on the year, I am amazed and extremely grateful for everything I experienced and accomplished. It was significantly different from the past years. One major change was that we went through the whole year as a family of three and were responsible for caring for a little human.
 
In this blog post, we will reflect on this year, and I will share my 2021 retrospective with you. 
 
How to intentionally reflect on your past year
I would like to invite you to join me as I reflect on my experiences this year. The following five steps will guide you through the process of holistic and intentional reflection.

1. Block an hour of uninterrupted focus time, find a quiet space, get comfortable and put yourself in a reflective mindset
2. Remind yourself of the goals you planned to accomplish this past year
3. Write down what worked well and celebrate your accomplishments
4. Reflect on the things that did not go as planned and document the lessons you learned from the lowlights
5. Dream of what you want to do, experience, and be in the new year

 
MC's Journey - 2021 Retrospective
Reflecting on this year, I cannot believe all that has happened in my life and at work. My theme for 2021 was "go big and explore new things." Thinking of what would make me proud at the end of the year, I wrote that "I would be proud that I navigated motherhood, work, and my business like a champ." It feels great to know that they both came true in unexpected ways, and I learned a lot of lessons on the way.
 
Goals: What were the top five things I planned to accomplish in 2021?
Every year, I write down a list of goals that I want to accomplish in different areas of my life. Looking back now, I probably had too many things that I wanted to achieve in a year with major life changes.

• Family: Rock motherhood and build memories
• Professional: Find work that fulfills me and has significant impact
• Personal: Prioritize self-care
• Finances: Grow my finances by finding new sources of income, invest in properties
• Business: Create my e-book, relaunch my blog and YouTube channel

 
Highlights: What went well?

• Juggling full-time work while caring for a baby: I went back to work after my maternity leave in February with a then 3.5-month-old baby. This year, we both found our rhythm and got work done
• Launching a big program at work: I had the opportunity to design and lead a program that was aligned with my passion and had a tremendous impact
• Going on our first family vacation: in October, we went on our first road trip in almost two years and had a lot of fun
• Investing in property: we took steps toward building long-term wealth
• Adjusting to life in a pandemic: living through year 2 of a global pandemic that affected every aspect of our lives

 
Lowlights: What did not go as planned?

• Not relaunching my YouTube channel and E-book: I planned to go back to creating videos in October and launch my first e-book, but it was not possible with everything else going on in my life
• Working long hours: I poured myself into work, and that resulted in me putting in many hours that I could have spent resting
• Finding time for myself and other passion projects: with everything I was juggling this year, I struggled to find time for self-care and to do things that energized me
• Neglecting my health: there were times this year where I did not prioritize things that made me feel good physically
• Unable to see our Family: due to the pandemic, we have not been able to spend time with our extended family

 
Lessons Learned: What did I learn in 2021?
It is crucial for me to reflect on what I learned from experiences that did not go as planned. Some of the lessons I learned include:

• Acknowledging that things had changed: I acted as if my life was still the same. I had to accept that motherhood changed things significantly
• Learning not to fill my "plate" too much: I planned to do too many things at once with extremely limited time
• Accepting that having to deprioritize a goal is not failing: Realizing that I cannot do everything I had planned made me feel very sad
• Asking for help when I need it: I learned the hard way, as I was almost burned out, that I needed to leverage my support system more
• Celebrating the small wins: there were so many things that I took for granted because I thought they were easy for me. I learned that all the small wins summed up to even bigger accomplishments

 
What will I be doing differently in 2022?
I like to take action based on the lessons I learned to increase my chances of success in the new year.

• Establishing new routines: in the past two years, a lot has changed in my life, and I need to adjust my daily, weekly, and monthly routines accordingly.
• Creating a more robust support community: for all the great things that I plan to accomplish in 2022, I will need to be able to offload some of my relationships
• Making more time for myself and my passion projects: In 2021, I focused on adjusting to being a working mum and didn't get to do some of the things I really enjoy doing. I am excited to restart some things that have been on pause.

 
Final Thoughts
I am very proud of myself this year. It has been a very busy and intense year. I am taking the next three weeks off to recharge, celebrate Christmas with my family, and prepare for an amazing year ahead.
My first 2022 blog post will be published on January 11.
 
A special note to you
Thank you very much for being part of my journey this year. Writing these blog posts is very important to me. It is one way that I stay connected to my community and the people I really care about. Take care of yourself and see you in 2022!