One year ago I was just getting started. The summer of 2013 was when I decided to get back into speaking full time. Little did I imagine the changes I would find, and as I began exploring over the next few months I discovered a new world had evolved in my time “away.” There were things called “blogs” and “podcasts” and “social media”! Did I ever have a learning curve ahead of me. By last October 27th, my birthday, I was celebrating in Maui, and contemplating all the exciting things ahead.
So as I celebrated my birthday just this past Monday, I thought it would be appropriate to do an analysis of what went as planned and what didn’t and what was per expectations and what was way over expectations. Well, I guess you get the idea.
Following are the top 5 lessons I learned in this past year. Maybe these will help you too as you navigate this life of constant change.
Lesson #1: Everything will take much longer than you anticipate.
Lesson #2: The learning curve will be steeper than you imagined.
Lesson #3: You can’t do everything at once.
Lesson #4: You will get discouraged.
Lesson #5: You will succeed if you stay consistent with effort over time.
Favorite Books of the Year:
Fiction:
The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie: A Flavia de Luce Mystery, by Alan C. Bradley
Letters from Skye: A Novel, by Jessica Brockmole
Still Life (Chief Inspector Armand Gamache Mysteries, No. 1), by Louise Penny
Nutrition/Health/Faith:
Grain Brain: The Surprising Truth about Wheat, Carbs, and Sugar–Your Brain’s Silent Killers, by Dr. David Perlmutter
The Tapping Solution for Weight Loss & Body Confidence: A Woman’s Guide to Stressing Less, Weighing Less, and Loving More, by Jessica Ortner
The Tapping Solution: A Revolutionary System for Stress-Free Living, by Nick Ortner
What Happens When Women Pray, by Evelyn Christenson
Business:
The 12 Week Year: Get More Done in 12 Weeks than Others Do in 12 Months, by Brian P. Moran and Michael Lennington
Platform: Get Noticed in a Noisy World, by Michael Hyatt
The Elements of Style, Fourth Edition, by Strunk and White
Encouraging Word of the Week:
Proverbs 16:9 “A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord determines his steps.”
Proverbs 19:21 “Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.”