“You can only connect the dots looking backwards so you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future” and this quote from Steve Jobs couldn’t be more pertinent for us now.

You’ve probably had your year-end review at work or are in the throws of it or planning it (I hope!) but have you done YOUR Year End Review?  Taken a look at the year as a whole, reflected on what’s happened through the lens of lessons, messages and ‘dots’ to take in to your future, into 2021?

I hosted 2 calls this week with separate mentoring groups and walked each group through this special exercise which takes about 30 minutes.

Here are a few of the questions for you to ask yourself and I promise you, every single woman was moved by the experience, by looking at the year more holistically.

So, deep breath, pen and notepad at the ready…

• What were you planning this time last year, December 2019?
• Thinking of 2020, what are the most significant developments in your personal life?
• How has our locked down world most impacted you?
• What new skills have you learned?
• What challenges did you overcome?
• What about your professional life, what are the most significant developments for you?
• What were 2 highs AND 2 lows from your 2020 and what are the lessons?
• What was your best decision this year?
• How are you different from a year ago?
• What does this tell you?

You get the idea – joining the dots, noticing the lessons, thinking more broadly gives you a much clearer, bigger picture of your year.  Then, trusting that the dots will somehow connect in your 2021.

So few people take the time to reflect like this and I encourage you to give yourself the gift of some time to do this for yourself.

Signing off now for our year-end low-key festivities, Snowy and I are faced with the tough, tough decision to let one of our precious hounds – Pharaoh – go today.  He’s had cancerous growths coming back and back despite 3 operations and now, it’s time.

This will be one of the highs AND lows of our 2020.  Having more time and more fun with him and now having to let him go.

HRH The Queen said “Grief is the price you pay for love” and I’d pay it every day of the week to hang out with Pharaoh.  Found wandering the streets of Maidstone, skinny and scared in 2010, his life with us since has all been about soft bedding, warm spots of sunshine and loads of grub.  Simple pleasures…   

Pharaoh – so named because he’s part Saluki, bred for chasing gazelles in the desert.  Hence he’s always felt the cold and loves his onesie.  Don’t we all though!