written by Shae Bynes, founder of ChasingYourFreedom.com
December 31, 2012 — I’ve known this day was coming, yet it still seemed to sneak up on me so quickly. This year has definitely had its challenges, but it has also had many triumphs and I can honestly say that I’m grateful for all of them.
As we’re closing out 2012 and moving into a new year, I want to share a few things with you. Personal lessons that I either learned or re-learned (because you know sometimes you have to learn things more than once!) and I hope that it’s useful to you. Here we go:
#1: Recognize that plans change and being open and flexible to those changes can lead to the most amazing things.
This one is so near and dear to me. I spent some time last week reflecting on the year as a whole and realized that the most amazing things that happened to me this year were all unplanned. Seriously…like they were not even on the radar screen for 2012 at all. For example, I co-authored a book The Kingdom Driven Entrepreneur: Doing Business God’s Way with Antonina Geer and we started a new business. Our book came out in November is in over 2,000 hands and has a number of great reviews already on Amazon.com about how it has impacted lives and businesses. We have not solicited one interview or speaking engagement, yet the invitations keep coming. We even have a TV interview lined up in the new year. We’ve grown an amazing online community of entrepreneurs of faith that is growing daily. Antonina and I didn’t even know each other existed prior to March 24th of this year! I’m humbled and amazed at all God has done.
Bottom line: It’s good to have a plan and it’s good to be focused on your plan, just don’t be so stuck on your plan that your eyes are closed to new people and new opportunities. Please understand that I’m not saying that you should jump from one thing to the next. I’m simply saying that you can miss things when you’re unwilling to pay attention to anything not on your to-do list.
#2: You have to be willing to let some things go.
Yes, I started a new business this year but earlier this year one of my businesses was shut down. You’ve heard the song…you’ve gotta know when to hold ‘em and when to fold ‘em? Well, I’ve never played poker before but I definitely understand that expression. Deciding to close Diva Money Club was a tough decision, yet it was such an important one to make for both myself and business partner (who is still a very dear friend of mine). We’re grateful for the hundreds of people we were able to provide value to and help grow their businesses and also grateful for the over 30 microcredit loans that we funded for women in Africa to grow their businesses as well. It was just time to let go.
Bottom line: Be willing to make tough decisions. When you let go of one thing you’re making room for something else.
#3: Without focus, it’s not going to happen on its own. Focus, get help, or let it go.
I think my father’s favorite thing to talk about is focus. For years, he has emphasized the importance of this simple word and I still get a lecture on it every once in a while. Umm…Dad, if you’re reading this I promise I mean “lecture” in the most loving and respectful way!
I can come up with a laundry list of examples of things I took focus off of (even if for just a short time) that led to either a loss in income, a loss in an opportunity, or some other result that I would’ve rather avoided. With each of these instances, the truth is that one of the following 3 things would’ve fixed the situation:
1. I needed to simply re-focus (prioritize)
2. I needed to get help to ensure it got done
3. I needed to let it go.
This may sound oversimplified, but it really isn’t. In most cases, getting help would’ve fixed things. I used to have a regular assistant, but I moved to more short term project-based assistance this year. Not a great move because it left a hole and sometimes it was gaping hole.
I wish you the absolute best for 2013 and beyond. God bless and Happy New Year!
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Shae,
I’m sure a lot who read this spent some time to reflect on their year. If not, they better get started. I think I was blessed this year and looking to help out people in 2013. That’s the least I can do to help people. It’s a shame seeing people still stuck in the same mode, day after day, year after year.
I didn’t realize the Diva Money Club was shut down. It could be for the best since I’m sure you had more time to focus on this blog and your book. The club could have taken away from these other two areas.
Tom
Hey Tom, thanks for commenting. Yes, reflection is very helpful. Thanks to having weekly accountability calls I’m able to do reflection much more frequently than annually…but it was really quite eye opening for me to realize that sometimes the most amazing things are the ones you had no idea about
Most people may know that already, but I’m honest enough to say that I didn’t really look at things that way until this year. Earlier I mentioned on Facebook that if I had to summarize this year in one word it would be “transformational”….and all of this is a part of that.
So glad you had a blessed year and looking forward to seeing all in store for you in 2013!
Great reflections, Beezy. Shutting down the DMC was a tough one for me too, but we had a great experience, impacted lives and are still great friends. I love you. Happy New Year!
Yes we did Soos! And while you already know it, I will continue to tell you often….love you so much!
Happy New Year!
Hi Shae,
Excellent post. Congrats on the success of your book. That’s fantastic.
It’s sad that you guys had to close DMC and I’m sure it was a difficult decision. Just know that your efforts were appreciated by many of us divas!
Happy New Year,
Steph
Hey Steph, great to hear from you and Happy New Year! Thanks for the kind words — I appreciate it
Great to hear your thoughts on this past year, Shae! I also take the end of the year to reflect.
It’s interesting to hear your experiences and what you learned from them. I think that’s what makes life interesting. Some folks live life day to day scared to pursue their interests and content with status quo. Though, there may be a time when they get older and they start to ponder, “What if?”
Though sometimes the road can be a bit bumpy, it’s the journey where we learn the most. And, that is priceless.
Great post Shae, Happy New Year!!
Thanks so much, Rachel! Happy New Year to you as well (and thank you for the “old school” card)!