As we say good-bye to 2023, I’m just in awe of what’s transpired in the last 12 months. It was a year of growth for sure. In fact, I feel like I’m the best I’ve been in years, maybe decades!

I feel more confident yet humbled, content yet driven to live in my purpose. I feel more me than I have in a long, long time. And I’m thrilled to have found my joyful work which is so fulfilling and meaningful!

Getting to this point has been very interesting to say the least. 2023 offered many events and situations.

Some of these were deeply personal: health scares, the passing of loved ones. Some were big career-defining moments: being surprised with the Silver Medal (a lifetime achievement award of sorts) from the local advertising association then moving ahead with plans to pivot away from that very industry. Some were much more quiet, yet even more powerful: revelations in coaching sessions, reflections in journal entries.

You might be tempted to call these “challenges.” My dad loves to call them “opportunities to excel.”

So what does it take to move a situation from a “challenge” to an “opportunity to excel”? As I’ve explored what’s made this year one of my best, it seems to be associated with that very approach. These situations were hard to go through, yet being curious and open instead of resistant and closed has provided plenty of opportunities to excel indeed.

Here are the lessons I learned, I hope they inspire you to look for the lessons Life/God/the universe is hoping to teach us as It/She/He presents these opportunities to excel. And maybe that’s my biggest lesson – there’s so much to learn from Life – it’s happening for us, not to us.

1: Tough times enrich our lives

 used to be nervous about sad events, but after experiencing three very sad events with close family and friends within a few weeks of each other, I’ve come to see them in a much different light. In each event, I felt this beautifully deep connection to each of those loved ones. Our vulnerable moments, and our ability to just be in those moments, make us more human and connected. The experiences were indeed sad, yet sharing that sadness was so very touching, honest and real. My life was absolutely enriched when those family members and friends allowed me to share in their sadness.

2: Fear fizzles when faced head on

With all of the changes I made in my work and business, uncertainty was the name of the game in 2023. I had some big moments full of doubt and quite a bit of analysis paralysis. Then late this summer, my coach (and a book I happened to be reading at the same time!) introduced me to some tools for facing fear. Game. Changer. The progress I’ve made since then has been amazing.

3: Purpose leads to courage which leads to confidence

One of the ways I learned to face fear was to focus on my purpose. I found that my drive to help others through coaching is stronger than my fear of failure. That purpose gave me courage. And the more I used my courage to try new things, the more confident I became.

4: Joyful work is worth the effort

All of the inner work I did to uncover the work which brings me joy and meaning was absolutely worth it. The deep dive into my strengths, talents, wants, needs, values was an exhausting yet exciting quest. I’ve had a lot of support from coaches, family and friends and feel blessed to return that support to them and to others who also are on that quest!

5: The more I know who I am and what I want, the less I worry about what others think of me

‘Imposter syndrome’ seemed to be a big buzz phrase in 2023, one that I could identify with for sure, especially as I shifted into a new industry. The worry and anxiety over what people were thinking of me was debilitating early in the year for sure. But as I continued to dig deeper, explore my identity and purpose, the stronger I felt about who I am. I was then able to move forward in my purpose with much less worry about what others thought. People pleasing for the sake of people pleasing became less of a concern. Serving people while being true to myself brings more truth and light to them and to me.

​Thank you, yes YOU!, for being part of such an awesome year! I’m very grateful for your readership and would love to hear from you, to get to know you – what were your big lessons from ’23? What ideas or articles were most helpful? What are you moving toward in ’24?

​And as always, if you or someone you know would like a collaborative guide in your 2024 explorations, I’d be honored to be a part of your quest. Let’s hop on a call and chat about what’s on your mind, see if coaching would be a good fit!