I haven’t done a year end review post since 2014. I’m not sure if I didn’t enjoy it, or if I thought my year wasn’t interesting since then, but I loved the format of Elizabeth Goddards (post here), and decided it would be a great way to celebrate some big and small wins, in a year where I didn’t really feel like I’ve achieved much (it’s been a tough year for a lot of people, not just me I hear).
note: this post contains some affiliate links. See my disclosure policy for more details
January
- Spent most of the month with Mom on Vancouver Island
- All of the polling and research I did came back with a resounding “I’m overwhelmed. I don’t want to take any more courses”. AndI simultaneously fell out of love with updating the Portable Biz with new content. I cancelled any existing monthly fees housed in my Teachable school (sounds like a silly move, but I didn’t want to disappoint anyone)
- Sometime along the way I fell out of love with sending out a free digital product each month.
- I fell completely in love with this little guy! Probably the best thing that happened this year was driving to pick up little Tino when he was 10 weeks old (he was a Christmas present for someone else, and they weren’t able to keep him – we lucked out in being his second forever home)
February
- applied to submit a new book idea for the Work At Home Bundle
March
- wrapped up the last week of our 6 month Portable Biz Club Mastermind
- started working with Andre – exercise program for people with chronic pain issues
- joined the insiders program with Michelle Shaeffer
- created a new instagram account as part of Dina Blases Instagram challenge
- decided to put together all of my templates and sell them (Done For You Templates)
April
- finished promotion for “Done For You Templates” and started writing a blog post series about the launch
- Created individual products, based on customer requests (14 smaller bundles)
- began work on the new book, with the working title “work less, spend less”
May
- the first digital version needed to be available by May 5th (Ultimate Bundles, June 4th release). I submitted it early on the 6th, i believe – I pushed it as far as I could.
- Continued working far too many hours on book revisions.
- Sort of on a dare, I applied for a work at home job posting with Shopify (their application process was a lot of fun). A week later I completed the “Life story interview“
June
- Final digital versions due on 6th (epub mobi pdf)
- Initially I thought it was just a rash, but I developed shingles
- BIG sale on WAH bundle (include links to super bundle)
- huge vacation to Tofino and smaller islands (leaving little Tino behind with a petsitter). You can see more pictures here.
- Offer from Shopify while on Vacation, start work 7 days later
- then to Jasper with Mom
- said goodbye to Mikes first custom piece (I love it)
- Ordered the new car tent from Napier. I’ve been waiting for them to create on that fits on a small hatchback for about 2 years, so I was really excited to get it.
July
- Realized I still wasn’t a huge fan of Mac – even though I’d sort of worried I’d be a convert after a month or two 🙂
my work setup (along with the snacks I shouldn’t have been eating) while working with Shopify from home
- new tent arrived. Tested it on the car and it’s a bit too big, but think it can work
August
- This happened to my car! uugh! I’ve had several versions of this car since 2002, and having to say goodbye to it was much harder than I had expected. I know, I know. It’s just a car. It’s just a thing. But there have been so many great memories. Thankfully no one was seriously injured.
- I was so busy with work that I didn’t feel like I could take time to go to the chiropractor or book massage therapy appointments. But in hindsight, I really should have gone the very next day.
September
- The pressure at work, combined with the extra pain I was dealing with helped me make the decision to quit working at Shopify. I thought I’d jump back into my work with no downtime – but it didn’t happen quite like that.
- I finished 32 of the videos for the my newest course (the companion to the book published in June)
- Chiro every 2nd day
- bought new (used) camper
- saved $300 by calling into phone company to ask for any new promotions that might help us save a little money – they had a promo on that included 3 times the data bandwidth, plus some cool phone features we didn’t have, for $25 a month less than we were currently spending… Nice
October
- Tried the car tent on the new car – fits great, but somehow I took these photos in a black and white setting 🙁
- Started a new program with a team of doctors and specialists at the Jim Pattison Pain Clinic
- fly to ThunderBay to be with Uncle Robert
November
- crazy long delay at airport leads to free flight and not seeing my brother and family
- helped Mike create his first art calendar
- see new rheumatologist
December
- interview with an accounting firm (I’m still craving providing hands on support where I don’t need to manage all of the details)
- spent the last 2 weeks of December wrapping up work things, reading, watching great netflix shows, and reflection and sorting through some bags and boxes of junk that I let pile up this year.
Looking forward to 2018
Instead of creating huge goals for 2018, I’m just focusing on getting better (or feeling better) and taking the steps to blog more. I’m looking for the right group to join. If you have any suggestions for blogging groups who are motivated, blog regularly.
No great big goals – just a hope that I’ll enjoy the work I do, and that I continue helping people.
Because I always love sharing other tools and resources, I wanted to also include these extra links:
- Cool tool from Product Hunt to do a deep dive year end review, in a quiz format (there’s a 15 min version, 25 min version and 40 min version) http://2017.projectzeno.com/
2. Other Year End Reviews:
- http://www.awanderlustforlife.com/2017-year-in-review/
- Absolutely gorgeous photos and great year end review at http://galmeetsglam.com/2017/12/2017-year-end-review/
- Apairandasparediy.com/happy-holidays-highlights-2017
2017 Year in Review – Travel and Adventure through South America
The Importance of Having a Breakdown, AKA “What Happened to the Annual Review”
You Won’t Believe The Year CBB Had In 2017 : The Saturday Weekend Review #246
Some great 2017 Roundup Posts
- https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/reader-center/year-in-review.html
I LOVE all your updates. You are an explorer and I enjoyed having an adventure through your stories and review!