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SHE’S HERE! The last Goal Digger episode of 2023! You know what that means… I’m spilling the tea about what worked and what sucked this year, both in my business AND my personal life!
In this episode, you get a backstage pass to the highs, lows, and downright unforgettable moments of 2023.
Whether it’s celebrating victories or finding strength in setbacks, I’m covering it all! Let’s laugh, learn, and lift each other up as we say goodbye to 2023 and helllllloooo, 2024.
P.S. Below are some of the things that worked and some of the things that sucked – but be sure to click PLAY on one of the players above, because I cover even more in the episode than I could share in this blog!
What Worked in 2023
Claiming More “Me Time”: One of the biggest wins for me this year was learning how to prioritize self-care and claim more “me time.” It took some time, but I finally found a rhythm that allowed me to have Fridays as my sacred day, where I could focus on myself and recharge my batteries. This was made possible by getting part-time help and having someone come over for six hours, allowing me to fully immerse myself in self-care.
If self care is a goal of yours for 2024, I want you to grab a pen and paper or the notes app in your phone and ask yourself the following questions:
- To get your wheels turning, finish this sentence: I feel most relaxed when I’m __________ (activity). I prefer to do this at __________ (time of day).
- What is one way you can claim time whether it’s a sacred hour or a day, how can you focus on getting a little time for YOU?
- What can be an activity that signals to yourself to relax whether it’s a skincare routine, a meditation, a walk, journaling – what is something you can add to your routine to help you get more quiet with yourself.
Fostering Friendships: This time last year, I made it a goal to be intentional with my relationships this year, and it paid off. I put myself out there to make more local mom friends, texted people every day to check in, and prioritized little getaways with different groups of friends. It was a joy to see these friendships flourish and bring more connection and joy into my life.
If fostering more friendships is a goal of yours for 2024, here are some of my biggest tips from Episode 714: How To Actually Make And Keep Friends As A Busy Entrepreneur that you can start implementing right away:
- Be the person who reaches out
- Get a date on the calendar
- Get creative at how what connecting looks like
- Be present when you are together
- Set the next date when you’re together
- Commit and show up
Moving My Body: Last year, I struggled with finding a way to move my body that felt good and enjoyable. However, in 2023, I discovered what worked for me. I incorporated a Peloton treadmill into my routine, which allowed me to multitask and be productive while walking or running. I also focused on gentle strength workouts and attended hot yoga sculpt classes. These activities helped me feel strong and energized.
I’ve also loved building health INTO my life and routine. I’ve cold plunged EVERY single day since we moved into our house, as well as used my sauna and PEMF mat. It very much has just become a part of my lifestyle and daily routine!
Get 15% off my favorite biohacking products here.
Embracing Motherhood: While motherhood has its challenges, I found immense joy in parenting this year. My husband and I truly enjoyed watching our children grow and evolve. We celebrated their milestones, found joy in their everyday moments, and appreciated the gift of parenthood. It was a reminder to savor every season, even the hard ones, as they are fleeting.
If you are already or will become a parent in 2024, my words of advice for you are:
- Don’t isolate yourself in your experience, whether it’s joyful or really hard. Try to get other moms in your life so that you feel like you’re walking the journey together.
- Do your best Enjoy each season, the one constant is change.– there’s beauty in each stage, whether you have a newborn, toddler, elementary, middle, high schooler, or your kids are all grown – there’s something to love every step of the way. It’s easy for us to say “they grow up too fast” and although I totally feel that way sometimes, I also think it’s important to honor each stage and be grateful for each one!
Team Rhythm and Launching: In my business, we established a great team rhythm and had successful launches throughout the year. We found a relaxed ebb and flow, allowing us to optimize and strategize at a restful pace. Our launches were the best we’ve ever had, and it was exciting to see our courses and affiliate revenue thrive. We also implemented chat automation, which contributed significantly to our results.
If getting into the ‘rinse and repeat’ business model is a goal of yours in 2024, here are 3 things you should do:
- Look at what’s working – really do a deep dive on what went well and what didn’t (email open rates, social media stats, sales, etc.)
- Create a rhythm that allows for more ease and optimization in your offers.
- Get organized and track your progress – Listen to my recent episode 726: If You Want Bigger Results, You HAVE To Do This, about how to set up Google Analytics, measure your efforts, and use that data to make educated decisions moving forward.
What Sucked in 2023
Dealing with Change: The year started with a lot of change, including moving into a new house, experiencing transitions within my team, and adapting to new platforms and systems.
While these changes were ultimately positive, they initially left me feeling untethered and overwhelmed. Adjusting to new routines and learning new things took time and energy.
Social Media Content Challenges: I faced frustration with social media content trends. It seemed that the only content that performed well was focused on money, which I personally disliked creating.
It was disheartening to see that content about financial success overshadowed other valuable topics. In 2024, I hope for a shift in content trends that align more with my values and interests!
Health Diagnosis: This year, I received a health diagnosis of polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). According to the World Health Organization, PCOS affects an estimated 8–13% of reproductive-aged women and up to 70% of affected women remain undiagnosed worldwide.
While it provided some relief to know I’m not alone and to have an explanation for past struggles, I also felt anger that it wasn’t diagnosed earlier. However, I realized that many of the lifestyle changes I had already made aligned with managing PCOS symptoms. I am now working with healthcare professionals to develop a plan for better symptom management.
Desire for Privacy: Throughout the year, I found myself craving more privacy. As someone who has lived a public life, running a business in the public eye, I felt the need to step back and protect my personal space. This desire for privacy prompted me to reflect on the balance between sharing my journey and maintaining boundaries.
I talk more about this topic in Episode 723: Getting Personal: Juggling Mom and CEO Life – tune in here!
Reflecting on the highs and lows of 2023 has allowed me to appreciate the growth and lessons learned. While there were challenges, there were also significant wins and moments of joy.
As we move forward into the new year, I am grateful for the experiences that shaped me and excited for what lies ahead. Here’s to embracing the lessons of the past and stepping into a brighter future!
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Hi Jenna — Happy New Year!
I was never much of a podcast listener until recently, but I’ve been listening to a lot of your episodes over the past two months, and I find value in & learn from every episode; each one has been relatable in some way, even if only indirectly. I discovered you by good chance thanks to Arlan Hamilton’s Your First Million podcast interview with Amy Porterfield, and I’m so glad I did!
I was laid off in August and after spending nearly 25 years working in high-stress newsrooms have decided to start a business (web proofreading for small businesses.) I have NO idea how to get clients and am terrified of (and terrible at!) marketing myself, which is why I’m trying to learn from the folks like you and Arlan who are generous enough to share important info and break it down into small, digestible, less-scary pieces for people like me!
I am 47 with 3 kids (19, 17, 12) + an adolescent Cavachon named Paddington and was just diagnosed late with ADHD this summer, so my ears always perk up when I hear you mention something about your ADHD. I would love to be able to search through your huge mountain of content in your podcast episodes and blog posts to try to pinpoint more discussion tidbits on this but seem to be coming up short. Do you happen to have a place where one can easily access transcripts? For now, when I find an episode I want to revisit to take notes on, I’ve been doing them by hand, since the AI transcription tools have proven to be pretty inaccurate and are difficult to read most of the time.
In addition to the searchability element, my ADHD brain just digests information better when I’m listening AND reading. While I appreciate the summaries in your Show Notes, as you say, you truly need to listen to the whole thing to be sure not to miss all of the gems!
What really struck a chord for me in your year-end episode was mentioning the “weirdness” of your brain because that’s how I feel all the time. I don’t know anyone else who has voiced the thing about the one appointment basically taking up all of your time/focus/energy for the day because I am the exact same way, and it’s exhausting and frustrating. I have no idea why I’m like this or what to do about it other than try to honor it. I’ve been feeling lately like stuff like this is going to hold me back in being able to grow my business to success but hearing you bringing this up this today has given me some hope that somehow I can work around my challenges with anxiety, OCD and ADHD.
I would LOVE LOVE LOVE to hear more talk around this and how you deal with these types of challenges and believe there are MANY other listeners out there in your community who would benefit from this, as well, if you get to the point where you feel comfortable sharing more. I completely understand your need for privacy…definitely a fine line you are walking every time you speak on your podcast, and I commend you for continuing to learn and evolve and share in ways that feel right for *you*.
All the best to you and your family, and thank you for working so hard and sharing yourself with people like me, especially while raising two littles, the most important job in the world x100000. You are doing a phenomenal job.
Cheers!
Allison