After 10 years of procrastinating, my husband and I finally moved to France, in November. Now, it might seem a strange thing to have done during a pandemic, especially as our move coincided with France being in total lockdown. But the truth is, I don’t think we’d have plucked up the courage to actually do it if it hadn’t been 2020.
You see, the mere fact that our world had become a little more unstable meant that our comfort zone was suddenly a little less comfortable. That made the jump towards something new a little less frightening.
And, like a lot of people, I think, the weirdness that is 2020 has given us the opportunity to reflect on what’s really important - and on the dangers of eternal procrastination.
So, here we are. The big change has meant beginning the process of navigating a whole series of smaller changes which, in themselves, don’t always feel so small in a new country with a different language. Registering with the tax authorities, finding a doctor, finding a vet; there have been new challenges virtually every day. Let’s be honest, even navigating our way around the supermarket wasn’t entirely hiccup free; I ended up with a surplus of salami when the lady on the deli counter appeared to misinterpret my request for 100 grams for 100 slices! (I’m blaming the mask.)
Then there have been the problems with the car, which meant I quickly needed to learn mechanical terms like Regulateur de Vitesse (Cruise control) and Système d'Emissions, which I’m really hoping is the emission system. (Don’t ask; I’m convinced the car is suffering from a poltergeist infestation.)
The sheer volume of ‘stuff’ to be done began to feel overwhelming, particularly as I’m still so busy with the ‘day job’ here at Glasstap. But I started doing something really simple that’s made a big difference; I started to record, at the end of each day, my ‘little wins’.
These little wins have included successfully booking my car into the garage, buying produce from the local market in the right quantities, finding someone to help us navigate officialdom (probably our biggest little win), talking to local livery owners in anticipation of my two horses joining us from England and sending Christmas cards back to England. (Despite lots of holidays in France, I realised I’d never set foot in a French post office.) I even counted the Christmas tree as a little win. After all, it turned out that I’d not only successfully ordered one but ordered one that would fit in the car and through the front door!
The thing is this; little wins, when added together soon become big successes. And recording them, as they happen, helps you recognise the progress you’re making.
I could apply the same principle to the way we’ve managed our business and navigated
Trainers’ Library through the pandemic. From learning how to use Zoom and developing our first modules for remote delivery to developing
Glasstap Sheep Trail in conjunction with clients in India, or
Jill Fruggle’s Virtual Treasure Hunt, the little wins quickly mounted up. And now, I can now look back with pride on a year in which, amongst other things, we’ve created more new material than in any of the past ten years, added e-learning content to our
Pro membership, changed our menu system to recognise the importance of
remote delivery and prepared the ground for even more exciting changes in 2021.
As we approach what, for most of us, will be the strangest Christmas of our lives, why not take a few minutes to give yourself a gift: Spend a little time reflecting on all the little wins you’ve had this year. After all, what better time to recognise some undoubtedly remarkable achievements in extremely challenging circumstances.
Then get ready to start recognising, and recording, your little wins in 2021. I don’t think it matters how you do it. Whether you celebrate publicly on social media, or keep a diary or journal, the physical act of recognising and recording each little win does, I believe, make a huge difference to your success, and more importantly perhaps, your sense of success and wellbeing.
My final thought for this year is a very personal one: If you’ve got a dream, chase it. There’s never going to be a perfect time, and an imperfect time might just provide the push you’ve been waiting for.
That’s it for now, except to say Happy Christmas everyone. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for all your love, support and friendship this year and may all your little wins in 2021 bring you huge amounts of satisfaction and happiness.
See you in January!