paulapwulThis time last year, I was on a high. I had just landed the deal of a lifetime, and my mind was swimming with ideas of what I could do with that money. Between that time and now, God did what only God can do and reminded me that only He could be the foundation of my identity. That’s why when I found myself reflecting on this year – a year that was totally different from what I thought it would be, I decided to write about it so you can see that social media does not tell the whole story.
2023 lessons
1. Your plans are not God’s plans
If you had asked me a year ago what 2023 was going to look like, I would have said “soft”. Writing this gives me the image of God laughing and shaking his head because I had no clue. I must have sounded like Vinci (my 5 year old) saying he’s going to fly. While I thought I was going into my soft girl era, God knew I was going into my lessons era. I was humbled.
2. You are who you act you are
In 2023, I held a conference in my city. One hundred women came when my Co-founder and I called. It was Epic. We dressed up. We learned. We ate. We interacted. We connected. We got inspired. We got leverage for our brands. None of this would have have happened if we hadn’t decided we were able and willing to make it happen.
3. It’s okay to fail
Before now, failure seemed like the end of the road. After the year I’ve had, come for me if you can. I got so many Ls that I now feel like Odesseus after 16 years at sea – Humbled. I also know I’m tougher than i used to be. Now, writing this to you, I see that I am only one woman in this vast world (again borrowing form Odesseus) and I can only do as much as I know to do. Furthermore, I can only go as far as I learn, and most times, lessons come packaged in failure.
4. Trust your gut.
I was working late one night in 2022. I was writing when the flow got so good, I knew it would hit even harder if I was actually saying it instead of writing it. SO there and then, because i was writing for substack, I recorded a substack Podcast. Of course by morning I had talked myself out of it so you never heard it. In february this year, the call was so strong, I just went ahead and did it. It changed my life, that podcast. We are closing the year out with 40 episodes. FORTY! And the most premium guests and conversations. Pinch me.
5. Keeping your word to yourself is a catalyst for success
A few weeks ago, I was invited to be on the Christmas carol committee for the resort where my family and I spend the holidays. I accepted, only to arrive and find that they wanted me to anchor the event. I woke up on Christmas morning with dread in my heart because I have never anchored anything before. I quit so many times in my head but I just didn’t want to take back a word I gave. So I did what I am always telling my boys to do – chin up and be brave – and it worked. One more thing I’m no longer afraid of.
All in all, 2023 was interesting. I believe it was preparation for an iconic 2024. SO cheers to 2024!
