Recount Your Best Moments of 2018 and Six Lessons for 2019

Inspiration, wisdom and motivation for women entrepreneurs and women in sports

Sanibel Island, Florida photograph by Tracy C. Higginbotham

In the quiet moments of the days between Christmas and New Year’s Day lies a treasure trove of memories and lessons from the past year. As the days rush from January 1st to December 31st in a colorful array of happiness, sadness, disappointments, triumphs, heartbreak and love we forget the morsels of wisdom gleaned as we live each day of the year. As an event, vacation or year comes to a close; I always reflect back on the most significant moments that standout in my mind.

I looked back at my December 2017 blog post realizing how different last year was to this year for me personally and professionally. At last year’s end, I talked about ‘finding the gold by taking big risks in 2018,’ little did I know an unexpected health condition and death of a loved one would alter the amount of work I did for the year and going for large goals. Sometimes our best intentions can’t be realized when fate plays its unexpected hand.

Destiny can lay itself at your feet but it doesn’t mean you can’t walk out of the situation into a new light when the time is right to move on. Because I have shared my stories with my followers all year long, I want to share my top six insights or moments from the year to help you see that whether 2018 was good or challenging, you still have events or lessons to reflect back on.

* In January, I was proud to co-coordinate and co-host the “CNY Women Rising Weekend” with the New Feminists of Justice in Syracuse, New York with an amazing turnout at a business networking event on Friday night followed by the Women’s March with a thousand people and performing arts display on Saturday, ending with a fantastic event for women supporting the Syracuse University Women’s Basketball Game on Sunday. All I know for sure is when women come together, the world is right! Lesson: Empower women to support women in business, sports, equality and life events.

* As Spring approached I shared with my members and followers the need to take a medical sabbatical. It is always hard to put a vibrant business on hold but it was a decision I had to make. I found out that not only was I empowering myself during a medical journey, but I was empowering other women to take care of their health at the same time. Lesson: Make your health a priority over business when you must.

* In May, I became fearless and traveled overseas to run in the “Women Can Marathon” sponsored by 261 Fearless, an organization I had been helping on the side for a year. Not only did I finally get “over the pond” with my son who accompanied me, but I met amazing International women who inspired me to my core as I ran with three of them in our marathon relay. Running 7 miles of a 26.2 mile race in the hilly terrain of England’s southwestern region was so picturesque and lovely. Taking the risk to run a race overseas in a country I did not know or women I had not met was exhilarating. Lesson: Be more fearless about new adventures.

* Upon my return, I hosted poolside chats throughout the summer with my amazing members who wanted to sit with me for two hours, pick my business brain and talk about their successes and trials. Each two hour session was a gift for both parties and the best new way for me to do business in the future. Lesson: Get to know your customers better with personal interactions.

*At the end of August, my company media-sponsored a weekend event called “Seneca Falls Revisited” hosted by Crewomen.org to help bring women together to celebrate Women’s Rights with plans to do more as 2020 approaches – which is the Centennial Celebration of Women’s Suffrage. Lesson: Celebrate the past by focusing on the future.

* October 16th was my favorite day of the year as I met Billie Jean King and volunteered to mentor amateur female athletes in New York City at the Women’s Sports Foundation as I continue to interview female athletes about inequalities they faced in their sport to shine a light on it in 2019 and 2020. Later that day my son took me to see “Wicked” on Broadway. Lesson: New York City is the center of America so find a way to visit or do more business there in 2019.

Today I hope you are inspired to create a list of your top five best professional moments or events in 2019. Keep them close to you as you look forward to 2019. Create a list of special people who have supported you and new people you have met because every new chapter brings in new characters to enrich our lives. Finally, write down five goals for 2019. I’d like you to shoot really high – even in the impossible realm – if you can.