When it came up in my content calendar that I would be writing a 2020 review, I couldn’t help but laugh. I mean, what could I possibly have to write about in a trial by fire year of broken dreams and unfulfilled goals?
True, Australia has fared better than most. But we had a horrendous start with the bushfires, our borders remain closed until at least March 2021, businesses continue to go under and the unemployment line grows.
And yet, I can’t help but feel optimistic for 2021.
My word for 2020 was FREEDOM, which is almost laughable as well.
My plans for more travel, moving abroad and financial stability have obviously not happened, but I did find some freedom in my business. In the midst of the pandemic, I took the proper leap in proper full time freelancing. I know how incredibly privileged I am to be able to do that, and though I still haven’t fully recovered financially, it was a leap of faith I stand by wholeheartedly.
But that leap of faith into full-time business left me floundering for a little bit while I strayed into panic mode. I tried anything and everything I could think of to generate income, regardless of if it felt good or was in line with my strategy. I strayed from my vision and my message and after a few months of feeling gross about it, I found my way back.
That is largely thanks to Kelly Diels’ Feminist Copywriting Certification Program. This was one of many investments I made this year, but it was by far the most transformative, and it was only meant to help me be a better, more ethical writer.
Instead, it helped me realised I was already ready to pivot my business to brand strategy now, instead of it being a lofty 2021/2022 goal.
It gave me the kick and the confidence I needed to stand up for what I believe in, return to my vision and realise I already had everything I needed to be successful.
That’s the thing with investing. There’s a lot of stuff out there telling you that in order to be successful and grow, you have to be willing to invest. Spend money to make money, as they say.
I got myself deep in investment fatigue because as soon as I started searching for the growth hack for me, I couldn’t stop. I was searching for the next thing I needed, the secret sauce someone had that would push me over the top into booked out, sold out, 10k month territory. Spoiler alert: it didn’t happen.
That’s OK though because I did learn a valuable lesson: yes, investment is important, but not when it’s coming from a place of fear. And I have a lot more to say about that, and how our fear is leveraged against us, but here and now is not the place or time.
So I launched my brand strategy service in the form of my Soulful Brand Experience. This would be one of many launches I made this year, but the only one I felt (and still feel) really proud of.
The other major launch being my Content Creation shop which, in very real severely-in-the-red terms, was a major flop. I have big plans for it for 2021 though; and it will be strategic and soulful, not reactionary or fear-driven which is exactly where I think I went wrong. So stay tuned!
And of course, I did briefly visit Tasmania in March, returning days before the borders closed and lockdown became a thing. The travel advice literally changed in less than a week from “do what you want, but wash your hands!” to “stay the frick home”, and I’m still kind of in whiplash over it. So much so, that I literally forgot that it was this year; it felt like a memory from last year or earlier, and it almost missed a mention!
I don’t know what next year will bring. This year was the year nobody saw coming, after all.
But I’ve also never felt more prepared. Trial by fire will do that to you.
Until next time, be kind to yourself and create something remarkable!
Laura x
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