Latest / WOC and Allies: Business and Career Realtalk with Elaine Lou Cartas / 65: How To Plan For The New Year

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65: How To Plan For The New Year · WOC and Allies: Business and Career Realtalk with Elaine Lou Cartas

• 0:00
  SPEAKER_00: Can you believe this year is almost over?
• 0:03
  SPEAKER_00: My clients are already asking me how to start planning for the new year.
• 0:08
  SPEAKER_00: So I figured, why not create a podcast episode about this?
• 0:13
  SPEAKER_00: And because of that reflection revelation, I did.
• 0:17
  SPEAKER_00: So let's drop the beat and get to it.
• 0:21
  SPEAKER_00: Hey, I'm Elaine Lukarthas.
• 0:23
  SPEAKER_00: I'm a business and career coach for women of color and allies.
• 0:27
  SPEAKER_00: LA Weekly awarded me the number one thought leader.
• 0:31
  SPEAKER_00: And Apple News named me one of the top five business coaches.
• 0:37
  SPEAKER_00: Going through an identity crisis, professionally or personally, we'll get ready to have some conscious conversations.
• 0:44
  SPEAKER_00: Now grab your coffee, tea, or boba, and let's call your dreams too.
• 0:48
  SPEAKER_00: Lead your legacy.
• 1:01
  SPEAKER_00: And my clients are already asking me, Elaine, how do I plan for the year?
• 1:06
  SPEAKER_00: So I'm like, okay, well, if my clients are asking, I figured you, my podcast listener, you're probably asking too.
• 1:14
  SPEAKER_00: So even prior to hitting record on this podcast, I actually finished editing a planning document and videos for both my business and career coaching clients.
• 1:26
  SPEAKER_00: It's the same planning document I've done every year for my clients and for myself.
• 1:31
  SPEAKER_00: I actually do this process for myself.
• 1:33
  SPEAKER_00: And I realized, okay, yeah, I should create a podcast episode about this.
• 1:38
  SPEAKER_00: And in all transparency, I am recording this episode at 11:30 p.m.
• 1:43
  SPEAKER_00: I am doing it late because we just had a blackout for like four hours today.
• 1:47
  SPEAKER_00: I was supposed to record this earlier.
• 1:49
  SPEAKER_00: So you're just gonna have like basically a midnight chat with me or more like midnight listening to me.
• 1:55
  SPEAKER_00: This is how you know I'm kind of tired, but I don't know.
• 1:59
  SPEAKER_00: I'm just also in this reflective mode right now.
• 2:02
  SPEAKER_00: Just lit a candle and excited to share with you what you can do to start planning for the new year.
• 2:11
  SPEAKER_00: So this episode is very tactical and practical on how to start planning for the new year.
• 2:18
  SPEAKER_00: And there's two main parts to do when it comes to planning for the new year.
• 2:25
  SPEAKER_00: So often we think, okay, I have this goal.
• 2:28
  SPEAKER_00: I'm gonna go complete it.
• 2:29
  SPEAKER_00: Wait, hold up before you even do the goal.
• 2:32
  SPEAKER_00: Did you take time to reflect?
• 2:35
  SPEAKER_00: So that is the first part.
• 2:37
  SPEAKER_00: Reflect.
• 2:38
  SPEAKER_00: Before you plan anything you want to do for the new year, I want you to reflect on this past year.
• 2:45
  SPEAKER_00: What's been working, what has not been working.
• 2:48
  SPEAKER_00: Because how are we supposed to plan if we don't look at past history, past data?
• 2:55
  SPEAKER_00: And I know this is gonna feel icky because I'm just warning you, I'm probably gonna ask you some questions that's gonna make you feel uncomfortable that you have to reflect on.
• 3:05
  SPEAKER_00: But there's a beauty in reflecting on the past.
• 3:09
  SPEAKER_00: So that hopefully the intention is you don't repeat on it again.
• 3:13
  SPEAKER_00: Also, warning, you will get so much value from this podcast episode since it's so tactical and practical.
• 3:20
  SPEAKER_00: So you might want to take notes.
• 3:22
  SPEAKER_00: If you are driving, clearly, do not take notes while you are driving.
• 3:26
  SPEAKER_00: But if you are driving, I suggest, you know, feel free to listen to it while you're driving, but listen to it again and have a pen and paper because I will be asking some powerful questions that will be helpful for you as you're planning for the year ahead.
• 3:39
  SPEAKER_00: And to my clients who are listening to this podcast episode, don't worry, we are gonna do our call together as a group and one-to-one this month, but you're getting it, and it's more in depth, obviously.
• 3:51
  SPEAKER_00: So this is a great little teaser to the to the deeper things when we're on our call together.
• 3:56
  SPEAKER_00: So here are some questions to reflect and consider before applying for 2024.
• 4:04
  SPEAKER_00: Or, I mean, this is a podcast, so whatever new year it will be.
• 4:08
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe hopefully it is like 3024.
• 4:11
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, I'm just saying that's how long I would want this podcast to be.
• 4:14
  SPEAKER_00: People are gonna listen to it in the future.
• 4:16
  SPEAKER_00: Anyways, first question What has brought you joy this past year, both personally and professionally?
• 4:25
  SPEAKER_00: So for me personally, I've been able to go on a trip once a month that brought me joy.
• 4:32
  SPEAKER_00: This December, my last vacation or trip, I wouldn't really consider it a vacation so much, but I do have some personal time, is going to Santa Barbara.
• 4:40
  SPEAKER_00: I'll be filming my fifth course with Maidcraft.
• 4:44
  SPEAKER_00: So, and it's about doing curse switches, and I'm so excited for that.
• 4:48
  SPEAKER_00: I'll be having downtime, being at the beach, being by myself, so it'll be a fun solo trip as well.
• 4:53
  SPEAKER_00: And then what has brought me joy this past year professionally, creating boundaries for myself, so making sure I'm not responding to clients of the weekends and doing putting boundaries to go do Muay Thai.
• 5:04
  SPEAKER_00: I know that's more of a personal goal, but putting that has actually brought so much more energy in my life.
• 5:12
  SPEAKER_00: So, just so you know, I'm also gonna be answering questions here.
• 5:15
  SPEAKER_00: So you kind of have an idea of how to answer these questions.
• 5:18
  SPEAKER_00: So, going back to that first question, what has brought you joy this past year, both personally and professionally?
• 5:25
  SPEAKER_00: The second question is the opposite of that.
• 5:27
  SPEAKER_00: What has not brought you joy this past year personally and professionally?
• 5:34
  SPEAKER_00: For me personally, it was actually saying yes to a lot of personal commitments.
• 5:40
  SPEAKER_00: There was, I want to say probably when I came back from Tanzania after that beautiful two-week trip.
• 5:48
  SPEAKER_00: I don't know, there was just so much personal, like seeing friends, seeing families, there was so much get-togethers because I guess it was like also the summer.
• 5:54
  SPEAKER_00: Also, this is the time when both my boyfriend and I were looking at homes, but I was saying yes to everything.
• 6:00
  SPEAKER_00: Where I ended up feeling so resentful and just wiped out and exhausted and tired.
• 6:06
  SPEAKER_00: I did not have strong boundaries to just say, No, I can't make it.
• 6:10
  SPEAKER_00: Shout out to my boyfriend who has incredible strong boundaries, where he even tells me when there's a commitment that both of us are invited to, he'll just say, I can't make it.
• 6:18
  SPEAKER_00: I'm wiped out.
• 6:19
  SPEAKER_00: I'm tired.
• 6:20
  SPEAKER_00: Like he has such strong boundaries.
• 6:23
  SPEAKER_00: So that has not brought me joy.
• 6:25
  SPEAKER_00: Professionally, what has not brought me joy, but it was also a good thing too, is I, well, I'm actually very grateful I invested in this.
• 6:34
  SPEAKER_00: I invested in a friend of mine, Amber Duggar, who has a Profit for Keeps program that does cash management.
• 6:42
  SPEAKER_00: And I wanted to get better in my cash management.
• 6:45
  SPEAKER_00: So I'm working with one of her coaches one-on-one.
• 6:48
  SPEAKER_00: And I'm pretty good at my money, but I wanted to understand my money even better and more.
• 6:54
  SPEAKER_00: And just realizing I'm not charging enough.
• 6:58
  SPEAKER_00: And I'm not just saying me, like charging my worth, but also charging enough for my team's worth.
• 7:05
  SPEAKER_00: Additionally, also realizing I want to work less with clients, like have a cap so that my clients also get a higher quality experience.
• 7:15
  SPEAKER_00: And I had to see all the numbers in terms of how much I'm spending.
• 7:19
  SPEAKER_00: One, two, the time that myself and my team is creating.
• 7:24
  SPEAKER_00: And then also three, oh my gosh, at the value my clients get compared to other people who do similar services in terms of my high-touch experience.
• 7:33
  SPEAKER_00: Like it's a very white glove high touch.
• 7:34
  SPEAKER_00: People actually get to know me as opposed to just get to know my other coaches, but they get to know me as well.
• 7:40
  SPEAKER_00: I get to know my clients personally and support them individually.
• 7:44
  SPEAKER_00: That was very uncomfortable, but I needed that to happen.
• 7:48
  SPEAKER_00: So, what hasn't brought you joy this past year, personally and professionally?
• 7:52
  SPEAKER_00: Also, to my clients who are listening to this right now, don't worry.
• 7:55
  SPEAKER_00: Like I always provide legacy pricing with current clients, which means I honor the pricing that you originally had with me as we renew.
• 8:04
  SPEAKER_00: But for those who want to work with me and my team in 2024, just giving you warning now, my pricing is increasing next year.
• 8:11
  SPEAKER_00: So if you do want to work with me with 2023 pricing, then you could schedule a call at elanelew.com forward slash call.
• 8:18
  SPEAKER_00: So even saying that, I mean, I talk about numbers all the time, even with my own clients, but in a vulnerable way, I'm even sharing like that.
• 8:30
  SPEAKER_00: But I had to look at all those numbers and data.
• 8:32
  SPEAKER_00: So shout out to Amber.
• 8:34
  SPEAKER_00: And I'm so glad I invested in that program.
• 8:37
  SPEAKER_00: So a third question to consider.
• 8:40
  SPEAKER_00: It's actually from a tool that I got from Paul J.
• 8:44
  SPEAKER_00: Meyer called the life balance wheel.
• 8:46
  SPEAKER_00: It's basically writing down different parts of your life that's important.
• 8:50
  SPEAKER_00: So write down 10.
• 8:51
  SPEAKER_00: It doesn't have to be 10, but let me kind of give you examples of topics that may be important to you.
• 8:56
  SPEAKER_00: One could be partner in love, two is personal growth, three, spirituality, four, money, five, career, health and fitness, fun and recreation, environment, community, family and friends.
• 9:08
  SPEAKER_00: It doesn't have to be all of that.
• 9:10
  SPEAKER_00: Change it.
• 9:10
  SPEAKER_00: There might be things that are not as important to you.
• 9:13
  SPEAKER_00: And then from a scale of zero to 10, 10 being the highest, like it's amazing, zero being the worst, doing a self-assessment of where you're at from each part of your life, zero to 10, 10 being the highest.
• 9:26
  SPEAKER_00: And what's important as you're doing that, I also want to give a caveat.
• 9:30
  SPEAKER_00: The goal is not to be a 10 in all of the different aspects of your life.
• 9:35
  SPEAKER_00: We are human.
• 9:36
  SPEAKER_00: We do not have time to be a 10 for everything.
• 9:38
  SPEAKER_00: The goal is not to be perfect.
• 9:41
  SPEAKER_00: The goal here is to be self-aware and also understand your stage and chapter and season of your life at this very moment.
• 9:50
  SPEAKER_00: So, for example, maybe have an aging parent and they need more support from you.
• 9:56
  SPEAKER_00: So maybe family is gonna be something that's important for you to focus on in this next year.
• 10:02
  SPEAKER_00: Or maybe this actually happened to me at the end of last year.
• 10:05
  SPEAKER_00: You go to the doctor and you realize, oh my gosh, I need to work on my health.
• 10:09
  SPEAKER_00: And maybe your health is more of a priority.
• 10:12
  SPEAKER_00: So I want you to reflect what were high, like eight plus that you self-assessed, and why was that?
• 10:18
  SPEAKER_00: And then what were low.
• 10:20
  SPEAKER_00: And then in this next year, what do you want to focus on to improve on?
• 10:24
  SPEAKER_00: Like I said, the goal is not about being a 10, but what areas of your life do you want to focus on in this next year?
• 10:31
  SPEAKER_00: Yes, I am a business and career coach.
• 10:33
  SPEAKER_00: We talk about that, but I am also a coach holistically.
• 10:38
  SPEAKER_00: I want my clients to have a sustainable and happy life in different parts of their life.
• 10:44
  SPEAKER_00: So this is important to see your whole picture of your life.
• 10:48
  SPEAKER_00: So look at that.
• 10:50
  SPEAKER_00: And then the fourth question is we start going professionally.
• 10:54
  SPEAKER_00: And like I said, these are a couple of questions I put that I that I do with my clients as we are reflecting and planning for the next year.
• 11:01
  SPEAKER_00: I just want to get the main big ones.
• 11:03
  SPEAKER_00: So the fourth question to ask is what work and projects did you actually enjoy doing this past year in your work?
• 11:11
  SPEAKER_00: Whether you're a career leader, a business owner, what did you enjoy doing?
• 11:16
  SPEAKER_00: So this past year I did more of it.
• 11:19
  SPEAKER_00: I enjoyed working with organizations.
• 11:22
  SPEAKER_00: I enjoyed working with Madecraft, where I've done courses with them.
• 11:27
  SPEAKER_00: I'm doing my fifth course with them, and Madecraft partners with learning providers like LinkedIn Learning, Google, Meta, Microsoft, and Adobe.
• 11:34
  SPEAKER_00: That's fun because I get to work with a director, producer, there is a makeup artist.
• 11:39
  SPEAKER_00: I just feel like I am an actress, but by no means I'm a real actress.
• 11:45
  SPEAKER_00: Legacy leader.
• 11:46
  SPEAKER_00: I know what you're thinking.
• 11:47
  SPEAKER_00: Elaine, you have such good stuff here.
• 11:50
  SPEAKER_00: I want more.
• 11:51
  SPEAKER_00: So if you want more tips and advice for your business career in life, sign up for my gifts and gifts newsletter at ElaineLew.com forward slash join.
• 12:02
  SPEAKER_00: That's J-O-I-N.
• 12:04
  SPEAKER_00: And here's three things you'll get when you join, because I'm like Santa Claus.
• 12:09
  SPEAKER_00: I love giving.
• 12:10
  SPEAKER_00: Number one, funny gifts.
• 12:12
  SPEAKER_00: Cuz who doesn't love memes and pop culture references?
• 12:16
  SPEAKER_00: This newsletter is so fetch.
• 12:18
  SPEAKER_00: Number two, receive actionable gifts.
• 12:21
  SPEAKER_00: That's business, career, and life tips that you can start doing today.
• 12:26
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• 12:28
  SPEAKER_00: Not only do you get my wins, but also my failures, my reflections.
• 12:33
  SPEAKER_00: My gifts and gifts newsletter is like an up-to-date diary.
• 12:36
  SPEAKER_00: Think Zenga or Life Journal for my fellow millennials, where I share vulnerable stories, relatable mistakes, and important life tips like what to watch on Netflix, like when's the next Bridgeton season?
• 12:50
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• 13:02
  SPEAKER_00: That's J-O-I-N.
• 13:04
  SPEAKER_00: All right, let's get back to the episode.
• 13:10
  SPEAKER_00: So, what did you actually enjoy?
• 13:12
  SPEAKER_00: What did you not enjoy?
• 13:13
  SPEAKER_00: What work and projects did you not enjoy?
• 13:16
  SPEAKER_00: And I know I said I enjoyed working with organizations this past year, but there was one organization I did not enjoy working with.
• 13:23
  SPEAKER_00: And to be transparent, it was because I felt like the work I was doing with them wasn't making a big difference for the clients I was serving through them.
• 13:31
  SPEAKER_00: And that I was being underpaid compared to how much other organizations and even how much I charge myself within my own business.
• 13:39
  SPEAKER_00: I had to come into terms and to alignment like with that.
• 13:42
  SPEAKER_00: And reflection to that as I'm saying that, it reminded me of when about two years ago, when I changed my business model where I used to do free events, it was prior to this podcast.
• 13:53
  SPEAKER_00: This podcast is this love project of giving back.
• 13:56
  SPEAKER_00: But when I did events, I felt so resentful because I was giving so much time and energy away to people.
• 14:02
  SPEAKER_00: And I was, and I would say this to myself, I feel bad for something like, oh, I'm doing these free events.
• 14:08
  SPEAKER_00: Why are these clients not converting?
• 14:09
  SPEAKER_00: Like, I can't think of it that way.
• 14:11
  SPEAKER_00: I had to change it.
• 14:13
  SPEAKER_00: And I realized it just was not an energetic balance that I no longer enjoyed.
• 14:18
  SPEAKER_00: In comparison to now with podcasting, I get to be myself and just hold space with myself.
• 14:24
  SPEAKER_00: I'm very empathetic.
• 14:25
  SPEAKER_00: So when I host events, I can feel different people's energies.
• 14:28
  SPEAKER_00: So I went from having monthly events to thank goodness I only do two retreats every year.
• 14:33
  SPEAKER_00: I still need the in-person, but I do two retreats a year.
• 14:36
  SPEAKER_00: That's my energetic capacity right now.
• 14:38
  SPEAKER_00: And in relation to what happened two years ago, this past year with this organization, it was kind of that same energy.
• 14:44
  SPEAKER_00: I just energetically didn't feel aligned in terms of how much I was getting paid and seeing the difference that the clients are making.
• 14:52
  SPEAKER_00: So that's what I did not enjoy.
• 14:55
  SPEAKER_00: I know that's an uncomfortable question because when answering that question, sometimes you realize there are things you need to change and shift.
• 15:03
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe as a career leader, if you're working a full-time job, you're realizing, I really hate my job, or I really don't like this industry.
• 15:11
  SPEAKER_00: And I know that's probably really hard to comprehend, but at least you have that self-awareness.
• 15:16
  SPEAKER_00: And I know sometimes you think, oh, why can't it go back to what it was before?
• 15:20
  SPEAKER_00: Just know you're different before.
• 15:22
  SPEAKER_00: You're a different individual.
• 15:23
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe you're doing different things.
• 15:24
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe there are things that are different with the organization, but at least you're aware of that.
• 15:28
  SPEAKER_00: Tori will get to what are next steps that you can do, but being aware of what you don't enjoy.
• 15:34
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe you're a business owner and you realize that the way you've been getting clients has been working, but the past year it stopped.
• 15:41
  SPEAKER_00: What does that mean?
• 15:42
  SPEAKER_00: What what do you have to do to change or shift?
• 15:45
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe because there's inflation, which there is right now.
• 15:47
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe your clients are just not hanging at that same platform where we used to get clients.
• 15:51
  SPEAKER_00: And I know that sucks to admit, but at least you're self-aware that something needs to shift and change.
• 15:57
  SPEAKER_00: I told you I was gonna make you feel uncomfortable, but this is good.
• 16:01
  SPEAKER_00: Like, I'm not here to be a bully.
• 16:03
  SPEAKER_00: I am just here to help serve, support, and guide you in making sure as you plan for the new year, to reflect on the past year first of both the good and the challenging.
• 16:16
  SPEAKER_00: So what else?
• 16:17
  SPEAKER_00: I think we're in number six, the sixth question.
• 16:19
  SPEAKER_00: What has been working well?
• 16:20
  SPEAKER_00: Right.
• 16:21
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe you really enjoy the work environment, the coworkers you work with or the team that you've created.
• 16:26
  SPEAKER_00: And then seventh, what has not been working well?
• 16:29
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe, like I said earlier, as a business owner, you realize how you've been getting clients has changed.
• 16:35
  SPEAKER_00: It's not working anymore.
• 16:36
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe you realize things need to shift.
• 16:38
  SPEAKER_00: As a career leader, maybe your company is going through budget cuts, but you're doing more and you know you're being underpaid, or you just simply hate the work culture that you're in.
• 16:48
  SPEAKER_00: And now that we've done all that reflection, and mind you, I know that was a lot.
• 16:53
  SPEAKER_00: So if you need to hit pause, go back to the questions, or maybe you need to rewind it and play, or take some time to take notes, do that.
• 17:00
  SPEAKER_00: I would also suggest as you are answering these questions to do it in a place where you're not limited in time, but to be intentional.
• 17:09
  SPEAKER_00: Take your time to fill to answer these questions.
• 17:13
  SPEAKER_00: Like maybe you need to listen to this podcast episode again after this is done, but light a candle, play some music in the background.
• 17:20
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe do this at a coffee shop, at a park.
• 17:22
  SPEAKER_00: Don't do it in a place where you're constantly working because it stresses you out.
• 17:26
  SPEAKER_00: But give yourself some space and time to answer these questions.
• 17:30
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe not at one sitting.
• 17:31
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe you answer it one sitting and then you visit it two times or three times.
• 17:35
  SPEAKER_00: By the way, you are not doing these questions for me.
• 17:38
  SPEAKER_00: You're doing this for you.
• 17:40
  SPEAKER_00: So this is all for you.
• 17:41
  SPEAKER_00: So the second part of how to plan for the new year is planning.
• 17:45
  SPEAKER_00: This is the planning part with a margin of magic.
• 17:49
  SPEAKER_00: So our brains work in three.
• 17:52
  SPEAKER_00: Think of phone numbers, think of three, two, one, red, yellow, green.
• 17:56
  SPEAKER_00: I know, right?
• 17:56
  SPEAKER_00: You're like, oh my gosh, I didn't realize everything was in three.
• 17:58
  SPEAKER_00: Our brains just memorize things in three.
• 18:01
  SPEAKER_00: So, what are your three main goals for the year?
• 18:06
  SPEAKER_00: And what are activities you need to do for each of those goals?
• 18:09
  SPEAKER_00: A tip, and I learned this from my former mentors from Accountability Works, is from those three goals, one of them has to be personal.
• 18:17
  SPEAKER_00: All of them can't just be career focused.
• 18:19
  SPEAKER_00: One of them has to be personal.
• 18:21
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe it's working on your health.
• 18:22
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe you want to get better in understanding your finances.
• 18:25
  SPEAKER_00: It doesn't even have to be health or finances.
• 18:27
  SPEAKER_00: I'm just giving you some examples.
• 18:29
  SPEAKER_00: So I've been hearing a lot lately, just hearing trends from what my clients need support.
• 18:34
  SPEAKER_00: And if you are a career leader and you want to change careers and need support, listen to episode 63.
• 18:40
  SPEAKER_00: It's one of my recent episodes before this episode on how to change careers with Ava and my client.
• 18:47
  SPEAKER_00: And I share how she's been able to change careers within two months in a completely different industry.
• 18:52
  SPEAKER_00: And also talking about just the mental chaos of what happens, the anxiety of that.
• 18:59
  SPEAKER_00: And lately, with a lot of business owners and leaders, I have been hearing how a lot of you want to be less dependent on social media, which is how I've created my business in the past two years.
• 19:13
  SPEAKER_00: I just really did not want to be on.
• 19:16
  SPEAKER_00: I realized when I kept being on, I kept thinking about, wow, this would be great content.
• 19:21
  SPEAKER_00: Even when I was on vacation and I wasn't fully present on my vacations and fully present with the people I love from my partner to my family and friends.
• 19:32
  SPEAKER_00: So listen to episode 38 on how to be less dependent on social media with Monica Shock.
• 19:37
  SPEAKER_00: So those are two episodes you want to check out.
• 19:39
  SPEAKER_00: And when you are being intentional of what your three goals are, what are specific small activities you need to do?
• 19:47
  SPEAKER_00: And more importantly, what is a first action item you can do within those goals?
• 19:52
  SPEAKER_00: So maybe one of your goals is I need to change careers.
• 19:59
  SPEAKER_00: So what I need you, listen to episode 63, what I share with you about how to change careers.
• 20:04
  SPEAKER_00: Or think of friends that you know of that have been able to change careers, even if it's a different industry from you, but you know what they did to go about it, right?
• 20:13
  SPEAKER_00: And then maybe another goal, if you're thinking about an action item for that, or a small first step you can do if you are a business leader that you want to be less dependent on social media.
• 20:24
  SPEAKER_00: Like I said, listen to episode 38.
• 20:26
  SPEAKER_00: But maybe it's also for the people that you follow in terms of their email lists.
• 20:31
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe they have great emails.
• 20:32
  SPEAKER_00: Like, okay, let me read more of their content.
• 20:36
  SPEAKER_00: What makes me attracted to their emails that I'm opening as opposed to other people?
• 20:41
  SPEAKER_00: And a last question I like asking my clients when they are planning for the new year.
• 20:47
  SPEAKER_00: What are things you need to delegate or delete, both personally and professionally?
• 20:53
  SPEAKER_00: One of my clients who's a mom, she hires someone to fold her clothes for her once a week.
• 21:00
  SPEAKER_00: And that has helped her.
• 21:02
  SPEAKER_00: Mind you, she has three kids.
• 21:04
  SPEAKER_00: So that has helped a lot.
• 21:05
  SPEAKER_00: For me, I get a cleaner once a quarter.
• 21:08
  SPEAKER_00: So I don't do that every week or once a month.
• 21:10
  SPEAKER_00: I get one once a quarter.
• 21:12
  SPEAKER_00: And maybe there are things you also need to delete.
• 21:15
  SPEAKER_00: Like I have a client who realized that they're giving so much energy being a board member for a nonprofit that she needed to not do that anymore.
• 21:25
  SPEAKER_00: So two steps, two parts when planning for the new year.
• 21:29
  SPEAKER_00: One is reflect.
• 21:31
  SPEAKER_00: So if you're like Elaine, what were those questions again?
• 21:34
  SPEAKER_00: What's great about a podcast is you could replay it.
• 21:36
  SPEAKER_00: So go replay this episode.
• 21:39
  SPEAKER_00: Second step planning with a margin of magic.
• 21:42
  SPEAKER_00: So here is my most important reflective question for you in this podcast episode.
• 21:48
  SPEAKER_00: As you are planning for the new year, I want to make sure as you're doing this whole process of answering these questions, creating goals for yourself.
• 21:57
  SPEAKER_00: This question's the most important.
• 21:59
  SPEAKER_00: So I'm want you to pay attention.
• 22:02
  SPEAKER_00: What do you really want next year?
• 22:06
  SPEAKER_00: Not what your partner wants for you, not what your friends, not what your family, not what society wants for you.
• 22:14
  SPEAKER_00: What do you want?
• 22:16
  SPEAKER_00: So I really want to emphasize the you part because this is your year.
• 22:22
  SPEAKER_00: This is your life.
• 22:24
  SPEAKER_00: So you get to plan for the new year.
• 22:28
  SPEAKER_00: And my action for you is to pause, slow down, and reflect.
• 22:34
  SPEAKER_00: It is so easy for us to feel like we need information overload where we will Google, we will listen to a podcast, we will read books on how to plan and goal set.
• 22:46
  SPEAKER_00: And look, it's great.
• 22:47
  SPEAKER_00: If you loved my questions, that's great.
• 22:49
  SPEAKER_00: If you did it, if you want to edit those reflective questions I had, that's great too.
• 22:53
  SPEAKER_00: But take time to pause and reflect, answer those questions of what was in alignment and brought you joy and what was not in alignment and brought you joy.
• 23:02
  SPEAKER_00: And be okay if the things that worked before and brought you joy no longer do any more because we are a human, we evolve, we change, our priorities shift and there's sometimes there's things out of our control.
• 23:15
  SPEAKER_00: So going back to that main reflective question, what do you really want next year?
• 23:22
  SPEAKER_00: But I'm excited for you to plan for the new year.
• 23:26
  SPEAKER_00: And if you want to go deeper into planning for the new year and you want to work with me and my team, do schedule a call to see if we're a good fit together.
• 23:36
  SPEAKER_00: And in that call, I'll give you three action items and I'll make sure you fill out a form so I get to best prepare and serve you during the call.
• 23:46
  SPEAKER_00: And by the end of the call, if it's a great fit, great.
• 23:49
  SPEAKER_00: We could talk about how it looks like to work together.
• 23:51
  SPEAKER_00: If it's not a great fit, great.
• 23:52
  SPEAKER_00: I'll refer you to other people and resources so it's a win-win for you.
• 23:56
  SPEAKER_00: So to schedule that call, go to enlaylu.com forward slash call.
• 24:01
  SPEAKER_00: That's E-L-A-I-N-E-L O U.com forward slash call.
• 24:08
  SPEAKER_00: If you found this episode helpful on how to plan for an amazing new year where you have a sustainable career in life, then here are four things you can do if you feel called to do them.
• 24:22
  SPEAKER_00: First, share this with a friend who needs help planning for the new year.
• 24:26
  SPEAKER_00: Also bonus points on both of you listening to this episode and being accountability buddies where you are sharing your goals and plans with one another.
• 24:36
  SPEAKER_00: Two, don't forget to hit that follow and subscribe button.
• 24:42
  SPEAKER_00: Because when you hit that button it lets the interweb magic know how important this podcast is to women of color and allies like you.
• 24:53
  SPEAKER_00: Third, if you feel called to leave a five-star rating and review for the Call Your Dreams podcast.
• 25:02
  SPEAKER_00: So more women of color and allies can create sustainable life outside of their work.
• 25:09
  SPEAKER_00: I created this podcast as a free resource because contribution is one of my top values.
• 25:15
  SPEAKER_00: And then fourth, if you would like to see how to work with me and my team before our prices increase in 2024, then schedule a complimentary legacy business and career review call at elaneloo.com forward slash calling