This post’s going out to anyone who's feeling "less than" in the comparison game...
Recently, a friend of mine shared a social media post about all of her accomplishments for the year. She listed out how many clients she had, all the money she made, yadda yadda yadda. And while I was cheering her on (because I KNOW how hard she worked to achieve all this)... it also made me feel less than.
Because I had fewer clients.
And I made less money.
And I didn't achieve all that I'd set out to do in 2019.
And the more social posts I saw about how AWESOME everyone else did in 2019, the worse I felt about myself.
Even though I KNEW BETTER than to feel this way.
I KNOW that "comparison is the thief of joy."
I KNOW that it's okay to cheer others on, and I fully embrace the "community over competition" movement.
But it still doesn't stop those feelings of inadequacy when feeling like I should have somehow, someway, have done MORE.
And then I remembered (duh)... that success isn't just about how many clients you get, or how much money you make.
Because everyone has their OWN definition + measurements of success. And everyone has their own STRUGGLES they're dealing with in the background, too.
Here's MY truth: My dad passed away last February, and it changed EVERYTHING for me. My carefully crafted 2019 went right out the window as I navigated my own grief, handled his estate, packed up and moved to a new home in April, and still managed to run my business. And on top of it all, I got ENGAGED in April and we started PLANNING OUR WEDDING which happened in July.
So it's NO WONDER that I didn't do all the things I'd originally set out to do for the year... because 2019 ended up looking a LOT different than I ever could have planned for.
But instead of beating myself up over not reaching my intended goals, I grabbed some paper and started making a list of everything I DID accomplish in 2019.
And before I knew it... I'd scribbled a lengthy list and was crying HAPPY TEARS. Because even though last year ended up looking a LOT different than originally intended, it was still pretty RAD.
Celebrate your past victories. They will fuel your future goals and ambitions.
And looking back at my 2019, despite all my setbacks and the whirlwind year I'd had, I still accomplished a LOT I’m proud of…
Photos of mine were featured on The Today Show
Photos of mine were featured in Bend Magazine
I spoke on a panel at BendDesign about Personal Branding
I was nominated to be one of HoneyBook/Rising Tide's 20 On The Rise
I was selected by HoneyBook to join a mastermind/educational program of theirs
I scored an ongoing photo contract with a new hotel, which was renewed after the contract was up
One client drove over 4 hours to see me... TWICE... even though there was a city with hundreds + hundreds of other photographers much closer to her
Several large companies reached out, asking if I'd be an affiliate of theirs
My main source of work was from RETURN clients (which speaks volumes about the results + experience I provide)
My secondary source of work was through GOOGLE searches, which meant that not only am I BEING FOUND, but I am doing a good job of CONVERTING new leads into clients
I was able to raise my rates several times, without anyone batting an eye
I set business hours and boundaries for myself, and stuck to them... which means I was able to take my WEEKENDS back!
And now it's YOUR TURN!!!
Before moving on to your 2020 planning, why not grab a pen + paper and make a list of your OWN accomplishments? Celebrate EVERY win you had (no matter how small), and do a happy dance for how far you've actually come!
You might just end up surprising yourself.