I was recently asked to think of a word to live by this upcoming year. Obviously, picking just one word or one anything is a challenge in itself. I went with “patience” initially, then “grace” and “progress” were thrown into the mix.

In a world of instant gratification and constant technology changes, it feels hard to keep up with it all. It’s easy to forget to take a step back and just breathe. Taking thing slowly. Practicing patience, waiting, and letting things happen.

• With things that are controllable, definitely go for it and take charge.
• With things that aren’t, don’t force it – be patient and let things be.

You are your worst enemy. Would you say those hateful, negative words to someone else or to your younger self? Giving yourself some grace for what you’ve accomplished and how far you’ve come goes a long way. Don’t be so hard on yourself. You are doing the best that you can and that is enough.

Growing up, aiming for perfection was the main goal and really the only thing acceptable. If it was anything less than perfection, all hell broke loose. Aiming for perfection is unrealistic and adds on unnecessary stress. Perfection is not real – it is masked with lies.

Outlining and small manageable goals / milestones is more realistic. What is the end goal? What are the steps to reach the end goal? Are there different options or approaches if one doesn’t work out? Progression will always feel better than perfection. There will be bumps along the way, account for the road bumps and don’t let them get in the way.

All that matter is that you keep going. Everything amazing is worth working towards and for. You are amazing. Don’t ever give up on yourself. Always find ways to progress and improve.

With that said, Hello 2020… looking forward to collaborating with you.