Ambition – a strong desire to do or achieve something.

As business owners, it’s sometimes hard to commit to changes, and resolutions particularly, given the uncertainty of COVID over the last 2 years, and sadly perhaps for the year ahead of us.

So, instead of resolutions, I decided to set some simple ambitions for myself and my business for 2022, mainly because I didn’t want to feel so tied to resolutions that perhaps I couldn’t stick to!  

I decided it was important to have some personal ambitions as well as business ambitions: the two go hand-in-hand in my life, as a small business consultant. As many of you know, I am in the midst of launching an exciting start-up in the USA, which means working both UK and US time zones. But 2 years in, I know I need to put myself first and adapt my working patterns to be more focused, and to make things easier on my mental and physical well being.

I train twice a week with a PT and I have him to thank for getting me through the last 2 years. I’ve just joined a running club once a week, thanks to a wonderfully kind friend who has got me out running again, one of my main loves… I find running so freeing, so natural (I’m probably a bit mad!), but if you don’t run or don’t do any exercise, try a little – walking is incredible for the mind and body!

So, my first ambition – don’t work 8:00 am to 8:00 pm!  This long work day has really taken its toll on me in terms of energy and ability to focus – having said that, thanks to my amazing PT, I got through it.  So, Ambition No.1 is to work smarter and for less hours!

My second ambition is about listening to my gut and sharing what I think and feel, rather than holding back. Being a strong no.2, but adapting to be more of a leader (no.1) with our start-up, has led me to sometimes ignore my gut instinct. This has meant not always saying what I feel, which has led me to feel anxious and it doubled my stress levels.  So be brave, share what you feel and don’t be afraid of being honest.

As I write, this feels as if I’m trying to convince myself more than you guys, but honestly this change – this decision I made – has helped me to feel excited and energised and less stressed.

Many of us spend so long on phones, iPads, screens in general, and nearly 80% of my day is typically on Zoom, which is wearing and harsh on the eyes. So I made an ambition to reduce my zoom calls to a maximum of 3 a day, but ideally 2…. And no, it’s not going to plan just yet, but the timing of this ambition is not great, with us launching our cannabis platform. If you’re  curious, come take a peek at our site www.LucidaClub.com, so you can see what I’m talking about!

I always feel it’s important to have structure to my working day/working week and often that means (after a lot of work by me to change my attitude) a mix of working, walking the dogs and exercise. These ambitions will enable me to work smarter and more effectively, and to feel less exhausted!

I hope you get the idea, but I will leave it for you all to determine what works for you. 

May it be a year of positive change and achieving your ambitions! But don’t beat yourself up if you can’t don’t get there straightaway.

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