Happy New Year!
In the lead up to another new year, I was thinking about 2022 and what stood out for me. One of the biggest things in the last few months has been feeling overwhelmed about how ‘behind’ I have felt in different parts of my life – NHS day job projects, Buddhism studies, the business development programme I’ve been doing for more than 12 months. Lots of my #goals for 2022 in fact! Some I haven’t even started (like getting driving lessons so I can get a UK drivers licence).
Learning is one of my core strengths – I love the process of #learning AND I love knowing new information and exploring. It’s why I love to travel. It’s why I love getting out my DSLR camera when I travel. It’s why my To-Be-Read shelf physically spans two bookshelves and it’s why I subscribe to dozens of podcasts!
My friends in high school used to tease me about my ‘useless information filing cabinet’. I was the one (and this is in the days before google!) who used to share random bits of information at any given point in time. These days I’m the one who says ‘oh I used to know that back in the day’. My memory isn’t what it once was.
In 2022, I have fluctuated between paralysing #overwhelm and being super busy:
NHS day job – I started two new projects when I came back to the UK in January and needed to learn a lot about one of them, and a fair bit about the other. All in 3 days a week.
Buddhism programme – I muddle along attending the teaching weekends, participating in study groups and doing assignments. But I confess that my virtually non-existent meditation practice leaves a lot to be desired. And I often tell myself I don’t have time to read spiritual texts.
Volunteering – in addition to being a Trustee for the Cancer Care Map, I decided to volunteer with my local Buddhism centre. I’m now the Community Engagement Coordinator – it’s exciting and I’m meeting lots of wonderful people, but it does take up thinking time.
The ‘to be read’ shelf – I brought *many* second hand books back from Australia in January and declared that I would buy no more books in 2022 so that I would work my way through what I have in the flat. Well, I did really well for a while. Until I went back to see my Mum again in October, and bought another load of books back by Australian authors!
Podcasts – There are many podcasts that I love. My favourite of all time continues to be the ABC’s Conversations with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski. I get to learn about someone’s interesting story for an hour, five days a week. Occasionally they’re famous people, sometimes they’re specialists in their field, often they’re ordinary people who have experienced unordinary things. But my podcast list includes things about music, books, foreign affairs, the countryside, coaching & leadership, comedy, diversity and Buddhism. The not-listened-to list gets longer every day.
Coaching – I am committed to continuing my learning in anti-racism but also keen to learn about other areas where people are marginalised. So I have been learning a bit about neuro-diversity in 2022. I still wouldn’t call myself an expert in either of these areas, but it’s important to me to keep going. I also continue to learn about coaching practices, psychology and self help, particularly via conferences, masterclasses, reading and podcasts.
Build a real business – I plod along in BARB with the fabulous team at Coach Pony and fellow BARBers in the Facebook group. I thought I’d do this business development programme specifically for coaches in about seven months. Well twelve months on, I’m still here plodding along. Progress not perfection! And I continually channel a tortoise mindset to business development.
Are you overwhelmed reading over this list? Because I certainly am!
With the Rethinking Goals 2023 cohort (our first workshop is on 20th January), I’m keen to think about how I can be selective in 2023. How do I keep on with the breadth of learning that I love, without getting overwhelmed by it?
I have to remember I’m a #generalist, not a #specialist. So with a love of learning about lots of things, how and when do I say ‘that’s enough now’ and give myself room for learning other things without feeling guilty that I’m not learning/remembering enough?
What are you thinking about for your 2023?
Love Liz x