Planning for the next year is something I’ve avoided, resisted, tried in a variety of ways. Planning for 2020, after the last couple of years of tweaking, I’m finally finding a groove.
As I lean in to the process, I can feel old patterns and frustrations wash away, to be replaced with clear vision, clean thoughts, and a whole new season built on a strong foundation. And guess what? I’m already making progress. Big time.
I thought it might be helpful and – dare I hope? – inspiring to see my thoughts and fears and dreams as I close the doors on 2019 and a really hard/wonderful decade and prepare for the next.
Here’s what it looks like, when I use my own 2020 Planning Tool.
Reflect: Look Back to Move Forward
1. Looking back over the last cycle (season, year, decade, era), what was the theme?
Last decade: In 2008, at the height of the recession, the sale of my house fell through, triggering foreclosure. Years later, I was awarded $3000 for the failure on my bank’s part to process the sale, but not before the foreclosure forced me into bankruptcy.
So, ten years ago, in 2009, I was starting over. At almost 40. Like so many others who were negatively affected by the recession.
I’d just ended a violent relationship, sold my ill-fitting business (a limousine service, if you can believe it), and moved back to Montana shaken, bankrupt, with a 2004 Honda Civic as my only asset. (That car served me very well. I just turned it over to my sweetie’s son, after 11 years and one hundred thousand miles.)
The 2010’s decade theme was about leaving my “wrong life” to begin anew.
Last year: In 2019, my business and I as a leader in my business have been growing. We got some bigger contracts than we’d done before, enjoyed the opportunity to work with and serve some of my mentors. My vision is clearer. I’m created more opportunities to serve (and at different price points in order to be more accessible).
The 2019 theme was leveling up.
2. What did you love creating and working on?
Just over a decade ago, I started Rainmaker Resumes! This has been a dream project, especially after having worked in several arenas that felt far from my calling. It got even dreamier once I began to see myself as more than a resume writer, but also a career strategist, and, as I’ve added credentials and expertise, a master coach.
Last year, I created the Job Interview Academy, a group program. My students and I absolutely loved it. A true passion project.
3. What worked for you that you would like to carry forward?
I found renewed joy in and absolutely want to continue to carry forward the Rainmaker Resumes part of my services – custom resumes, cover letters, LinkedIn profiles, and professional bios. And, of course, I would also like to carry forward my Job Interview coaching and Academy, as well as the deeper transformative coaching work I do with individuals and groups. I adore witnessing the transformations and trajectories of my clients and retreat guests. I truly feel I’m doing my life’s work and that it will evolve with me.
Also, within Team Rainmaker, we keep improving our process, getting into a wonderful groove, and then growing and needing to adjust. We’re in an adjustment phase right now. As I plan for 2020, I want to carry forward the intention and trust to work together and provide the expertise I’m so proud of with ease and delight.
4. What can you celebrate? What wisdom wants to be remembered?
I want to celebrate leaving that horrible relationship and wrong life, back in 2008. It was one of the most terrifying and dangerous things I’ve ever done. During that era, I felt so far from myself and I want to remember to stay true to my inner wisdom (through exercises like this one), trust myself to do the hard things. I’m beginning to feel proud, excited, and extremely capable again, qualities I lost during that era and never want to forget again.
Early in this last decade I was diagnosed with several auto-immune illnesses. I was in terrible pain and could barely lift a finger to type. My brain didn’t seem to work. It was terrifying, especially because my doctor told me to do everything I could as soon as possible, because my symptoms would only progress. But I could barely walk most days, could barely change the sheets on my bed, much less adventure or travel or build my business.
Eventually I discovered mind-body healing and trained as a mind-body coach, mostly so that I could find a way to manage my pain, fears, and despair. The journey that followed has led to physical healing beyond what my doctors told me was possible, in addition to spiritual awakening that reconnected me to my inner wisdom, right life, and calling.
And? I let someone love me again, after a solo stint that lasted seven years. That’s pretty sweet and well worth celebrating.
5. What was the biggest shift you saw in yourself in the past cycle?
The biggest shift I’ve experience in the past year is the clarity and self-confidence to start offering my coaching and professional services in a bigger arena. And I’m overcoming overwhelm along with a years long writer’s block. I’m creating again, slowly but surely!
6. What isn’t working or didn’t work? What wants to shift or be released?
With leveling up came some messy growing pains. I made some mistakes with a deeply respected client – and with my beloved team – as I learned to navigate the larger project scale. I want to carry the learnings forward and release my frustration and regret.
7. What lingers from the last cycle or cycles that you would like to release as you plan for 2020?
I want to move beyond the hustle mentality, working for my worth, go! go! go! to clear, focused, effective with ease and space.
It is my deepest intention to release the traumas and self-doubt that sometimes cloud my clarity and block forward movement. Specifically, I’d been haunted by childhood and teen bullying and an outsider complex that sometimes inspired but sometimes crippled my confidence. This year I’ve experienced enormous release of painful old memories and patterns and I want to continue to build on that momentum. It’s so much fun to shed baggage!
Envision: Brainstorm Your Big Dreams and Your Intention
Imagine you could wave a magic wand and, just like that, you could co-create your future. What feeling-state, mindset, projects, and new experiences would you say yes to as you plan for 2020? What would your ideal next cycle look like for you?
8. Who or what inspires you? What have you heard of, seen, read about, or imagined that sounds amazing to you?
I really want to make a bigger impact without working more, so I’m super inspired by people who are efficiency and systems experts, who do things simply, and who prioritize ruthlessly. I’m thinking of Warren Buffett who famously says no to almost everything, so he can excel and enjoy what he loves and is best at. People who surround themselves with smart and loyal teams and lead a shared vision are my faves.
9. What can’t you stop thinking about? Where do your thoughts gravitate? What are you drawn to?
When I started transformative coaching, especially mind-body coaching with its crazy capacity for healing, I thought I’d move away from my original career work and resume writing. I love learning more about and supporting others in deep and healing transformations, in growing into their leadership, finding their callings, and living in integrity. I’m called to it. But I’m surprised and delighted to be obsessed once again with the nuts and bolts of amazing resumes and personal brands, with helping people build amazing job interview skills and confidence.
10. What do you most want to plan for in 2020? How do you want to feel, looking back at the end of it?
We’ll all be a decade older in ten years. I want to look back on my fifties, which will begin in May, with pride, excitement, extreme self-confidence earned by serving others well, and know that I broke all the rules that didn’t serve me. I heard someone call this decade the “fuck it fifties.” Sorry for the language, Mom, but I LOVE the notion that as we age we can shed our old contracts, constraints, and programming, as we embrace our truths, expansion, and freedom.
11. What do you most need?
Friends and family. To serve. To contribute my expertise. Play. To be near babies. Mountains, big skies, clean water. Work that is joyful, meaningful, and sometimes playful. To trust in magic, daily practices that connect me to the mystery and wisdom all around me.
12. What don’t you want? What are your boundaries?
I never want to regret another era like I regretted my years living with a violent man I didn’t love and running the limousine business.
No more overwork or juggling of priorities. Only focus on one major project at a time.
Weekends off. Work only 4.5 days per week. Do less to make and contribute way more.
13. If you can be, do, or have anything you wanted, what would it be? Allow yourself to want it. What does it feel like to dare to want what you want?
This is where it gets hard. I used to think anything was possible, but with trauma and illness I accepted that my life would be small. I learned to pride myself on how much I could glean from very little. I’m starting to think big again, but it feels risky and vulnerable.
When I dare to want what I want: I want to create a community to help people create love affairs with their work and lives. It’s streamlined, so I’m not spread too thin, but rather can serve more people with ease. It’s affordable for them, abundant for me. Under my leadership, my team and this community offers support from step-by-step guidance through deep transformation. It’s working title is Work Life Love Affair. I’m in the dreaming phase – it might be beyond my 2020 planning – but the pieces are beginning to come together.
14. What is your highest intention, looking ahead? What would be delicious? Declare it.
My highest intention is to live with intention, to speak and act with integrity, and to help others live authentic lives they love. The most delicious thing for me, personally and professionally, is to witness and usher people becoming more themselves.
15. What theme are you calling forward? What is your mantra for the coming cycle?
Prioritize, streamline, do less to create more and deeper impact. The coming era are my “fuck it fifties”! I’m calling forth abundance, influence, and community.
Action: What Will Support Your Vision as you plan for 2020?
With intention, the most important thing you can do is FEEL it. Allow yourself to see it in your mind’s eye, to feel in your body how much you want it and what it would feel like to live that intention. In coaching, we say, “Set it and forget it.” When you get clear and aligned with your intention, mind, body, and spirit, often that’s all it takes. Somehow, without even efforting, the intention comes true. Sometimes you don’t even realize it until you reflect back at the end of the next cycle.
Something else might happen, too. From your intention, goals might arise. There might be action steps you can implement right now to create and support the state of your intention.
16. How will you support your intention?
I’ve created morning startup rituals that are already game changers. I’m getting more done everyday with less stress and effort.
I’ll stop chasing every idea. First step: offer the Job Interview Academy digitally. Give it the focus it requires. Every creative action for the coming weeks is in its service.
Planning for 2020, I’ll choose one priority at a time and work toward it until it is done. No more scattered attempts. I’ll take small and consistent actions every week and give myself down time to promote clarity and creativity.
17. How do you need to be, to show up, to live into your intention?
I’ll wake up every day with gratitude and remind myself that something extraordinary will happen today.
I’ll allow my feelings, rather than avoid or resist them through food or escape. And when those feelings don’t serve, I’ll catch the thoughts that seeded them and get back to thoughts that facilitate my intentions.
18. What experiments and challenges will you conduct? Schedule these activities in your daily calendar.
I’ll collaborate more and in new ways. I’ll challenge myself to show up and share my work in public, every week. I’ve got a whole list of experiments and challenges in my planner, and I’ll work through it, gradually.
19. What thoughts pop up to ‘argue’ with your vision or intention? Note your decoys, conditions, and stumbling blocks.
But I’m sick and need extra rest.
I thought I’d have achieved these things long ago.
I wasted all those years doing work I didn’t love.
People will judge me if I put myself out there.
I’m overwhelmed.
I don’t know.
They’re all decoys. I’m onto them.
20. What thoughts need to change to support your vision?
Self-doubt and playing small won’t get me to a regret-free decade filled with impact and abundance. My thoughts influence my feelings which affect my actions and determine my results. I’ll channel thoughts that support feelings of excitement, extreme capability, and pride, every day.
21. What goals arise from and align with your intention?
It’s time to play in a bigger arena. I’ve put in my 10,000 hours and then some and it’s time to contribute on a bigger scale. I’m going to start speaking on other people’s podcasts and stages. I’ll offer Job Interview Academy more often and, later, will create other programs to support my people. (Yep, I’ve got a list that I’ll work through!)
22. What are your top three goals for the next cycle?
I plan to offer Job Interview Academy three times in 2020.
I intend to create weekly content and share it with my community.
I’m *gulp* going to name an earnings number for the year I’m 50: $250,000.
23. What are three small action steps you could take to support one of your goals?
I can share how I’m using this planning tool for 2020. It’ll act as one piece of weekly content, allow you to get to know me on a more vulnerable level, and declare my intentions in a big way. Check!
I can create a free tool – the Job Search Optimization Quiz – to help my clients prioritize their efforts to land their next great job and get clear if they need to work on their interview skills. Check!
I can block out time every week to work on Job Interview Academy course work and launch. Check! Check! Checkity check!
24. How will you know that you accomplished your intention or goals?
I’ll track the numbers, actions, and feelings and will refer back to this document quarterly.
25. How will you feel when you’ve accomplished your goals? How will you feel when your intention is manifested? What can you do to feel that way, right now, without changing a single thing?
I’ll feel proud, free, excited, and extremely capable.
I can feel that way, right now, without changing a single thing, simply by saying, “I’m proud and free. I’m excited and extremely capable. I’m coming up on my fuck it fifties and I’m ALL IN.”
Ready to dive in to your own planning session for 2020, look back to make big moves forward? Click here or on the picture below to download my FREE 2020 Planning Tool. I’d love to hear about your intentions and goals for the next year! Please tell me all about it.