This is my final newsletter of 2023 before I go into reflection and planning mode for the remainder of the year. Well, that along with some family trips to the mountains, eating and catching up on my favorite Netflix series. So, if you were around here last time this year, I want to share again some of my “best of” for 2023.
I hope you have a little fun with this and keep it going! Post yours on social media or share it with a friend and compare notes! Maybe you'll find a nugget of wisdom or a new resource to help you. At the end of this email, I will also share some of my favorite year-end reflection questions that you can use!
Best of 2023:
Fiction Book: Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
While this book is “fiction” the story isn't. The book is smart, delightful and relatable to any woman working in male-dominated fields today. I laughed and legit cried. The book is so much better than the Apple series. I am not a fiction reader, yet I ADORED this book. I also love that this was her debut novel at age 65. You read that right. This is inspiring for all of us to thing that so many of our best things are ahead of us and we are never too old and it is never too late.
Non-Fiction Book: Never Split The Difference by Chris Voss.
It took me way too long to read this book! Voss is a former hostage negotiator, but this book isn't about negotiation like you might think. This is an emotional intelligence and empathy building book. I highly recommend it if you work with…people :) (Tip: I listened to the audiobook for free on Spotify Premium.)
Podcast: So Money by Farnoosh Torabi
I love this podcast for all things money, savings, investing, etc. Especially for women who tend to have gaps here. Yes, this was on my list last year, too, and for good reason. Women still don't talk about money as much as they should and I'm on a mission to make money as easy to talk about as the weather.
Recipe: Green Chef
Now that we are empty nesters, we've loved getting these healthy meal kits because they have exactly what we need for two servings (they have more servings for bigger families). It challenges us also to try new things and I love the process of following the recipes and cooking it! Our trip to Europe this year really opened our eyes to choosing more healthy food ingredients (Europeans crush this.)
TV Series: The Morning Show
I just got into this series this year and I was missing out! It's a good mix of corporate scandal yet mirroring real life drama of current events. Plus, I love Reese Witherspoon.
Experience: Italy & Greece
Since we sent our only child, Hailey, off to college, Jason and I decided to take an “empty-nester moon.” Italy was always on my bucket list, and we visited Venice, Florence and Rome. But Greece! It blew us away - the history, culture, food. Our favorite experience was a workout where they taught us how to throw a javelin and we got to run in the first Olympic Stadium!
Learning/Training: Emotional Agility at Work by Susan David
I took a four week class from Susan David, the author of Emotional Agility. She talks about something we don't like to talk about in corporate - emotions! I learned so many practical tools to help navigate every day conflict, communication and stress, simply by naming and working through our - very normal and every changing - emotions. I highly recommend following her on social media or receiving her newsletter.
Leadership Moment in Pop Culture: The Nebraska Volleyball Team
I am so proud to be a Husker and watch my alma mater break the world record for attendance at a women’s sporting event. Nebraska volleyball already had an unmatched sellout streak and the original volleyball match attendance record. But they (coach John Cook and AD Trev Alberts) went bigger and betted on women. They hosted a game at the football stadium, sold out the event in less than 72 hours and 92,003 people showed up in a state who’s population is less than 2 million. Their season culminated in a run for the National Championship.
MY FAVORITE YEAR-END REFLECTION QUESTIONS
At the end of every year, I love to “reflect to advance.” I think it's so easy to focus on everything we haven't achieved yet and become discouraged. However, I find so much power in owning what we've accomplished, what worked, what didn't and use that evidence to make smart tweaks!
STEP 1: CELEBRATE!
Write down your personal and professional wins
Journal: Who did you have to be to create those wins?
STEP 2: REVIEW
What’s working?
What’s not working? What disappointments did I Experience?
What might I try differently next time/year?
STEP 3: SHIFT
Where did I limit myself this year and what were the impacts?
How did I explain this away in the moment/believe about it?
What's a mindset/paradigm shift that would yield more meaningful results?
STEP 4: REFLECT
My Top 3 key lessons learned
My Top 3 highlights of the year
STEP 5: ADVANCE
What will I stop doing?
What will I start doing?
What did I do well, and will continue to do?
How do I want to FEEL?
What's your smallest, bravest next step?