New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day are my favorite two days of the year! It’s a time of intentional reflection and renewed hope. What’s not to love about that?

When I ranted to the Dream Team about how much I LOVE starting a new year, Katherine said, “OK! You’re writing the blog post about it… and we’re calling it Mallory’s Shiny New Year!” Ha… there you have it, folks. It’s a new year! We’ve got work to do.

I’m intrigued as I see this chapter of life unfolding for Dreamhouse. To be honest, we are facing some new and distinct challenges –Some of our biggest yet! The way in which we approach these challenges will determine the course we set for 2017 and potentially the life of the company. No pressure, right!? In my experience with our clients and other entrepreneur friends, I’ve found that most businesses face unique challenges after the holidays. Whether it’s a decline in sales or difficulty garnering traffic to a storefront in winter months, I think that most of us are entering a few months where our renewed resolve and commitment are essential.

Here are 3 important intentions to set for yourself and your business as we begin this new year:

1. Reflection

As we ended 2016 I joined Katherine and Claire to discuss the core values, successes, and failures we experienced during the past year. We looked at our Brand Bible and refreshed our big picture view of our goals and motivations. Analyzing each part of our growing company was helpful to make sure we’re remaining true to the brand’s original values and mission.

Another way reflection has become crucial to our team has manifest itself in our culture. Fear, frustration, worry and doubt are feelings that occasionally plague every entrepreneur and I have certainly not been an exception. At the very end of 2016, we had a significant shift with some of our clients, affecting our plans and structure drastically. These things happen. My initial reaction was to call Katherine (shout out to best friends who double as co-workers!). As the panic was starting to set in, Katherine reminded me that these things were happening for a reason, that we are prepared for changes, that we’ve built a strong brand, that our work is meaningful and important. She reminded me that we’re in a great place to grow the company and that starting 2017 with ignited passion and motivation is JUST what we need!

Reflecting on who you are, what you value, and why you do your job will revitalize your dreams.

Take a moment to ask yourself the following questions. Sit down with a cup of tea and jot down a few notes about these reflections:

1. Why do I love my work?
2. What is the most important thing my brand accomplishes?
3. What makes my company unique?
4. How does my brand manifest my values?

2. Strategy

After a connected conversation with KP and some intentional time reflecting on my heart and desires for Dreamhouse, I was feeling empowered and ready to make moves! This is the part that I LOVE –taking the time to think critically and turn a dream into a plan. The creativity and problem solving that go into developing a strategy make me feel excited and alive! For Dreamhouse, this means that we had to develop our content calendar for our first quarter, create a sales plan, refine our budget, build a game plan for expanding our influence and strengthening our voice!

Determining practical steps, responsibilities, and timelines for achieving your goals creates a clear roadmap for growth.

3. Discipline

Oh, the reluctance I have to even write about this final point. Discipline has been the most challenging and rewarding of my personal pursuits of 2016 and I’m recommitting to a disciplined personal and work life in 2017!

dis·ci·pline
ˈdisəplən/
a. control gained by enforcing obedience or order

Setting goals and creating plans only goes so far without self-control and consistency! I’ve found that discipline requires planning and motivation. It’s really the ribbon that ties the whole package together. After a time of reflection and strategizing, comes the discipline. Keep pushing through the lulls and make sure your ambitions are achievable so that your hard work can be sustained over time. I’ve seen the radical impact that self-discipline has had on my on life and that business discipline has had on the growth of Dreamhouse.

Take control of your life and business and reap the rich benefits of your hard work.

Well, friends, I’m feeling ready. Are you? Many challenging and wonderful things lie ahead of us. I am keenly aware of the obstacles in front of me and my business and I’m excited to overcome them. I am surrounded by hard-working people who support me and filled with devotion to the mission of Dreamhouse: To Impact Lives Through Genuine Brand Engagement. Let’s make it happen!

I sincerely wish each of you strength and success as you seek to build your own brands and accomplish something greater than yourself. Please comment or connect with us on social media to share your own thoughts about the new year, your challenges, reflections, strategies, and disciplines!

Lots of love and support,

Mallory

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