Bloom: A Year of Growth, Resilience, and Renewal
As we embark on a new year, I find myself reflecting on the past 12 months. Each January, I choose one word to be my guiding light for the year ahead. In 2024, that word is 'bloom' – a symbol of resilience, growth, and renewal.
Word of the Year
When I first looked up the technical definition of “bloom”, I came across two: ‘a flourishing or thriving condition’, and ‘the attainment of an optimum stage of development.’ These both resonated with me because, the truth is 2023 was one of the toughest, most humbling years I have ever been through. It was also one of the best, fuelled by a passion for growth, embracing the unknown, and a willingness to be fully in the arena.
But here we are, we made it through the fire and we are on the other side ready to go.
2023 unfolded with its share of trials and tribulations. From changes in the professional landscape to adapting to unforeseen challenges, the entire year just seemed prepped to push me. What initially seemed like a career detour turned into a transformative journey. It ended up unveiling professional goals and desires I didn’t even know I had, and the ability to find humor amidst the chaos.
Lessons Learned
But, as we all know, trials and tribulations lead to lessons learned — if you’re willing to embrace them. Lessons learned for me in 2023 were plentiful. The first big one was shifting my mindset from defense to offense. Mentally, this change has positively impacted my life both personally and professionally.
The second big change for me was recognizing that my workplace is not my home and my colleagues are not my family. Not that I don’t appreciate and care for my coworkers and team, but understanding the separation of work life and home life has helped me to achieve the balance and mental health I need. I spent the good part of a decade bending over backwards for companies out of ‘loyalty’ and have quickly learned about the difference between dedication and being overworked. Running Kindle & Slate, I try to give our team space to manage their own time and actively work to show my gratitude on a regular basis. Working with good people who are loyalty and dedicated to a business is not something to be overlooked. This links to another takeaway from 2023 from me: core memories with children are small day-to-day moments not big extravagant events. I want to be present for all those small moments. Being an entrepreneur is a lot but having the ability to take some time during the day and work at night when my little guy sleeps is something I don’t take for granted.
Other lessons in 2023 were how resilience is built in small moments, that I want to work with good, humble, hardworking, smart people, and that I want to continue to work toward leaving behind a legacy of being kind and good to people.
I have become more selective about the brands I work on and the people I work with. There is nothing more I can ask from my career than to do great work with amazing people. So thankful for where we are at.
All of these lessons have only been learned by taking accountability for everything in my life, a change that has led me to feel happier and more content. It can be challenging, but having the courage to make unpopular decisions that I believe are right has led me to live a life I’m proud of.
A Year to Bloom
As the calendar turns to 2024, the word 'bloom' is taking center stage for me. It’s guiding my goals, choices and priorities. Bloom will serve as a reminder that setbacks are not roadblocks but rather opportunities for growth. When I confided in a friend and colleague about my word of the year she thought it was the perfect choice - because in order for things to truly bloom to the fullest they first need to be pruned, trimmed and prepared to grow stronger.
I’ve got some big plans for 2024 - a podcast relaunch, an online digital marketing resource offering for you, workshops, and many new projects to be launched for various brands. 2023 forced me to really think about what matters most to me personally and professionally, and now I am ready to rock.
To me, the word 'bloom' encapsulates the essence of resilience – a reminder that growth often stems from adversity. So as I dive into 2024 head first I’m reminding myself - and anyone reading here - to approach challenges with empathy, humor, and an unwavering spirit. I encourage you to nurture your personal and professional spaces and relationships with patience and resilience. Happy New Year! Let’s Go.
