January is the time of year when we figure out all the new things we want to accomplish in the new year, and I LOVE it. But it should also be a time to figure out all the things you really should STOP doing, like immediately. So I've had a bunch of downtime over the holidays to really figure out what's held me back and how to change it.

1. Stop being wishy-washy about my niche.

I preach 100x on here to niche down.

I’ve known what I should niche down to for 6 months. I've dabbled in it — sat on it — been afraid to say it loudly.  Enough. I want to be known for one thing and the thing I am hired for 90% of the time is how to get clients locally. So there. You heard it here first for reals. Watch for a big shift in messaging that's clearer and actionable, plus changes across my site and social.

2. Stop saying yes to everything.

When I audited my year, I realized I said yes to every opportunity, client, offer, thing that I could — just in case It might lead to something. This sounds so dumb, but I ordered a "Make a Decision" note pad off Amazon from Knock-Knock. They have amazing, cheeky giant notepads on everything from meal planning, to grocery lists to brainstorming to love letters to you name it.. there’s something out there. Anyways, I ordered this notepad to help make quicker decisions and realize what’s important — but also to filter through my big picture goals I’ve set for 5+ years too. Sometimes you just need to get out of your own way! Here's a pic and link to this (I'm not an affiliate or anything!).  

Make a Decision Pad from Knock-Knock on Amazon

3. Stop excusing my health away.

In my FB group on 12/31, I posted how hard and amazing 2019 was. And it’s true for me, like so many of the women in my group — it was a doozy AND wonderful. But one thing that I completely neglected until it was too late — is my health. I’m still dealing with blood tests and doctors on some things, but I let my drive to do better at work stop me from exercising and doing more for myself.  My Dad and I signed up for a boot camp that starts this week and I’m already dying from the intro class that just tested our baseline.  Wish me luck over the next eight weeks!

4. Stop dabbling in new things.

Part of a marketer’s job is to know the trends and see what’s working and how, which is why it’s so fun.

But looking back at everything I worked on this year, it's still chasing shiny object syndrome. And while tools change, I KNOW the rules of marketing and if something is legit or not without evening trying it. So I need to stick to what I know and love, which means I’m going deep on what’s already working and what I’ve invested in — which is still Facebook for me, not it’s not dying and Podcasting. 

5. Stop taking responsibility for my client’s decisions and taking action for them.

A dear friend and colleague, Deborah Ager, who was on the podcast for Linkedin this fall, wrote in an email that you’ll always run into problems in your business and likely life if you take action for your clients, instead of letting them take action.

I immediately wrote back to her how much I loved to ponder this, which then set me off on a course for how to inspire them to take the action instead of fret over taking the action for them so they actually get results. 

If people are paying you 1:1 that’s one thing. But if you’re not doing done-for-you work… you’re handicapping your people to fly with wings clipped. 

6. Stop putting work over fun.

You’ll see a theme in this list, but I realized that while I do...