How to Get Your Slither On

A few weeks ago, I attended a leadership coaching session with my friend, Kibi Anderson. She is a tour-de-force and I was encouraged to not only support her business, but to be in the presence of her greatness and the other leaders who were on the call to learn how to be their best. You see, this year, my plan is to re-arrange myself. To still be a writer, of course, but to be a better entrepreneur. One who makes money! So I signed up for: “Asking Big: Creating a Culture of Innovation to Boost Revenue.”

While on the call, I was uncomfortable. I felt like a fraud (common theme over here on 555 The Hot One Lane ) and it started with her first ask of, “What is your word for the year?”. Ummm. I hadn’t chosen my word yet. I haven’t finished the work of prepping for the new year. I panicked and chose one that has been on my list: Elevated.

I don’t know about you, but I’m still not yet fully prepped for 2025. Thanks to a “Gold Member” coaching session with my London Writers’ Salon writers, I learned I wasn’t alone. In fact, one writer-friend, Louise Coughlan (AKA Living and Laughing with Lou), said in her lovely Irish accent, “The animals are still hibernatin’, n’ so am I. It’s nature that I follow.” In fact, she was taking all of January to continue with mental rest and planning (rather then executing strategy). Hearing those words from someone whose work ethic I admire, gave me a sigh of relief. Allowed my shoulders to drop just a little.

I used to work on in corporate. I understand the framework that planning doesn’t happen in a week — especially the week of 12/25-12/31. Corporations and small businesses plan by the quarter, by the year, by the five-year plan. They look ahead.

Why do many of us rush to plan and have everything wrapped up in a neat bow by the time January 1 ticks on the tocker? It’s not realistic.

This brings me back to that fraud feeling. And now that I’ve had time to process how I felt that day, I’ve had a realization. I wasn’t necessarily feeling like a fraud, I was just nervous and uncomfortable! Don’t laugh, but words like ‘Gross Revenue’, ‘Profit Sharing’, ‘Margins’, and the like, all make me nervous. They are not my wheelhouse. So, I went into the Zoom on tilt.

I am often brave, but within the act of being brave, I’m also a little scared and sometimes those fear emotions get tangled in with other feelings. Then, like a parasite, I start going after the host (me). I begin to attack from within by doing things like being mean to myself and calling myself a fraud. Raise your hand if you’re with me! Anybody?

The lesson?

We must give ourselves grace when we are stepping into something new. It’s really that simple. We must take a breath. Settle into the moment. And actively choose to let the experience we came for happen. To me, this is just one way for us to elevate…rather than slinky into emotional despair.

And, what better time to make a change? ‘Cause guess what?

It’s time to celebrate! Happy Lunar New Year, friends. It is the year of the ssssnake. A year of growth, flexibility and tolerance. (Does this not give you chills? Yippeee!) Get your slither on! I wish you the best this year in whatever you choose to do or not to do.

By the way, if you need help with choosing what not to do, here’s some help: Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World by Cal Newport.

My dad gifted the book to me. I’m reading it now and it, too, is helping me take my time to get focussssssed and to continue planning for a lovely 2025. (Here is a link to a Reddit post for extra info.)

Cheers!