Here are some photos of 2018
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We had a simple dinner with some friends over the new year, It was nothing much, no hoo hah, not sweating over the stove. Just a simple cooked dinner in the oven ( the oven door broke, how wonderful, a new start to the year), and some stir-fries with rice and dips.
Here is wishing you a very Happy 2019. I wish you all that you can hope for. Well, not hope, but determination to achieve you goals. Last year has been an interesting year for me. I tried new things, things that I wanted to do but were put into the back burner.
I have actualised some of them and I have so much more to do! The 2nd half of the year has been very fruitful, with learning new things.
I want to share with you some actions and tips you can take with you if you wish to do and learn something different. It doesn’t matter what your age is, or what your venture is. The important thing is not only talk about what you want to do, but to take action. One small step is a good start as many big steps. Sometimes, one cannot take big steps, so one starts with a small step.
I started my food venture, although in a small way, but I started anyway. There are so many things to learn and all has to be learned through the school of hard knocks. That is, take action first. Of course one must have a goal in mind.
Initially I wanted to test my food, i.e., whether my food is acceptable by the British public. So I set up a stall near where I live. It started with an idea. Well, this idea has been in my mind for many years. So I finally made it! Getting my goodies out in the market.
Then, I realised that to do a good job, I need to have the necessary equipment and marketing materials and assets. So I invested in a gazebo. With this comes all the paraphernalia- tables, chairs, marketing materials, lighting, transport, what niche I want my product to be in and how to get there, sales, etc.
This is on top of product development and packaging. I have reviewed, tested and changed several products. I have added new products and is constantly reviewing my products and production methods.
As the goodies are all hand-made, I need to review the processes and how to make is faster, better and easier than before. This requires me to use all the practice that I had used in my previous businesses, i.e., documentation, process and systems analysis, problem solving and more. Yay! I finally get too use all the stuff that I have not used and put them into practice!
I have attended many training ranging from photography to website development, on how to use social media and generally the internet more effectively. This is something that is new to me. The problem with me is that I know what I want in my set-up (for social media and on line marketing), but I do not know how to do it.
So here, I am always learning. Learning keeps me young. However, learning must also produce output. I am seriously trying to come up with the output that is necessary to succeed. It is tough but what is the point of not having a challenge?
Networking is one of the activity that I need to meet up with like minded people. And, it has been successful. I used this method to fast-track my business and it certainly has done that.
I have also decided to continue taking care of my health. I hurt my wrist when I fell while cleaning the kitchen and I had to take time off to let it heal. I have gone to weight watchers and to the gym. I intend to continue doing it this year even though I have not been to the gym due to a health scare ( a beep, really).
I spend so much time and effort in my venture that I was burned out. I was having weekly time out for myself and invested in my well-being. Sometimes this is not enough and I really need to get fitter, faster and mentally more agile. The activities getting to the end of the year were hectic. I spent the whole holidays getting back to normal, this means not doing anything even I want to do the tasks. I just needed the space and time to recover and heal. Then…. back to the grind!!!
To summerise:
- Do not give up on your goals. You can reach them even if you have put it aside for a while or a long time, like me. When you dream, you are you, you are yourself. Do not let others or events side tract you.
- Start stepping to your goals by taking action. Goals will remain a distant dream if you do not take action.
- You don’t always start with all the resources or knowledge or information , just do it.
- As you go along, your will become clearer because you get to all sorts of challenges.
- When you address the challenges, you are actually moving forward …(towards your goal, although at times it is daunting).
- Keep on learning, as things change and change is the only constant.
- Be kind to yourself. I think I have been too demanding of myself and I need to relax and take it easy more.
I hope you find my experience useful. Please share and like with your friends and family. If you think there is nothing to shout about, I respect your opinion.
Let us celebrate whatever success we have, not matter how small. What is important is that we move ahead.
Here is wishing you am awesome 2019 and a happy and prosperous one as well.
Cheers,
Penang Lassie.
