It’s that time of year when people start formulating their resolutions and plans for the coming year. In small business though, this is something that should go on throughout the year, maybe with a slight revision now and again. I’m baffled sometimes by the “start anew” theme, as if the lessons and journey in the previous year are some how stuffed in a little box that goes off to storage. Not so, readers! My parting notes for the year of 2013 are a reminder of some things that require work all year long. It’s a rambling list that serves as a reminder to me, but also might spur on your own thoughts as to how to keep improving and keep being of value to the community around you. I’ve not had nearly enough coffee to begin this little list, but by the end, I might need a stiff drink instead. This list applies to my own personal and business life, and maybe yours as well. So here goes:

1. If you ask for an answer to something you’re trying to solve, a referral or recommendation for something or someone, please….please, reply with a thank you. It’s so disrespectful to seek, yet not thank. The sharing might have come easy, but you’ve tapped someone else’s resources and they’ve improved your life. You owe them at least a “thank you”.
2. When asking for help, guidance or professional assistance, remember: Just because it’s someone else’s area of expertise doesn’t mean doesn’t take their time to do it.
3. “This is probably really easy for you” marginalizes the learning, efforts and sacrifices that person has put into making something appear easy. Don’t diminish it because it’s not easy to you. Put a value on it and respect that they became proficient at something that makes your life or business better.
4. Someone else’s time is not yours to waste. Stop doing it.
5. Someone else is building, sharing, supporting, donating, volunteering, learning, encouraging, and thus, succeeding. That someone can be you.
6. Your lack of planning and follow-through will screw someone else up and will stress them out, no matter how graciously they cover for you.
7. Be more clear in your roles, intent and what you can/can’t commit to. Anything less is misleading.
8. Don’t take on more than you can effectively and awesomely handle. You’re a grown ass adult. Learn to say “no”.
9. Hug more often. You probably need that hug, and the person you’re hugging probably does too. Word has it there is planet-wide shortage of hugs. Do your part, people.
10. Stretch yourself a little each day both mentally and physically. Comfort zones are for wussies and a little discomfort never killed anyone.
11. Learn something every single day. It doesn’t need to be a big thing, but each tiny piece of knowledge you take on is one more bit you can share to make the world better.
12. Stop blaming the past, others, your crappy childhood, your 4th grade teacher, your whatever. Act like the grown ass adult you are and move the hell on. Everyone is dealing with one battle or another and everyone has the ability to clear the hurdle and move on. If you can’t, the pity pool is pretty crowded, but you are welcome to sit there. When you’re ready to pull on your big kid pants, let me know.
13. No one owes you a damn thing. Seriously. You want something? Earn it. There are so many gifts, tools, tutorials, learning aids, and that thing called the Internet or your local library is just waiting to drop megatons of wisdom and knowledge into your head. You can do anything if you are willing to take the time to invest in your own mind. If you don’t, I give zero effs about it, so stop your bitching.
14. Being in over your head happens. Admit it, ask for help or relief and carry on. It happens to us all. We can’t be experts at everything.
15. Sometimes you pay twice for things: you pay an amateur and get it cheaply, then turn around and pay a pro to get it right. Save some money and do it right the first time.
16. Before you ask me “what is this” or “how do you do that”, Google it first. You have no idea how many times I say “Let me Google that for you”, yet, I’m not your mommy and I’m not your librarian. Learn to research just a little and empower yourself at the same time.
17. You are who you are, but don’t be a douche. Being mean for the sake of “keeping it real” is a dick move. Respect people instead and consider the feelings of others before you blurt one hurtful word from your mouth. Be kind in your selection of words and consider how it makes someone else feel.
18. Leadership is more than a title; it actually requires work, enthusiasm, insight, foresight, organization, innovation, and courage. I’m sick to death of cowardly “leaders” or those that like the title, but fear the labor that’s involved. I’m ashamed of “leaders” who know only how to delegate, but don’t create sustainable frontiers for their team. If you don’t want to roll up your sleeves and push the boundaries, move the hell along to something else. A real leader is usually right behind you and you’re blocking the way.
19. Be more efficient. I struggle every day to work on this because to me, there are not enough hours in the day to do all the things I have the desire or heart to do. I have lists, project and time management tools, all at my disposal, but still I strive for greater efficiency. One goal I have maintained relentlessly for the last four years: a near-zero inbox for email. I maintain this with filters and by handling emails as quickly as possible. While completion of things matters, and I’m not a half-assed person, so I pour lot of time into things initially so they run more efficiently later on. What I take on deserves better than a half-assed stabs, so being efficient to me also means doing something well and cutting out redundancy or needless scampering to locate things.
20. Document more. When I talk about cutting out redundancies, minimizing the “how is that done” and replacing it with the roadmap is the goal. This means better process mapping, better organization of documents and more succinct answers to the question. It’s a work in progress.
21. Minimize distractions, reward your effort. I’m too gregarious for my own good, which is why I must isolate myself when working. It’s an on-going battle, but muting my phone, social channels, and other ping-producing things can really help you focus. Once done, hello distraction, in doses 🙂 Just try your damnedest to avoid the affliction known as FOMO. Oddly enough, the world will carry on without you and you can catch up any time; it’s sort of like that lame merry-go-round at your childhood playground.
22. More (insert whatever sport/physical activity turns your crank) hockey/kickboxing/whatever. Your body needs that movement and thirsts for some sweat. Endorphins, stress-relief and making your mind focus on non-work is a good thing. Just do it. You don’t need to win a game or lift more than anyone else; you just need to challenge yourself and let your body sing a little.
23. Be useful to those around you. No one likes a sucker, so stop sucking and start helping.
24. Give more praise and thanks to those around you. People really are starved for this, but are usually too bashful to ask for it. They should not HAVE to ask for it, though. It’s our job as human beings to heap this on people and show our appreciation.
25. Stop being threatened by new stuff you don’t “get”. Try embracing the fact that you’re a sentient, fortunate individual with the capacity for massive learning. Your learning shouldn’t end with graduation from some school, or tap out with the things you feel most comfortable with.
26. Your experiences are not identical to everyone else’s, but sometimes your story can help someone else in their journey
27. Be happy for those around you that are achieving goals, striving to be better, taking steps to improve their life, business and community. There is more sacrifice than you know that goes into these achievements, and when people around you succeed, it can be inspiring, if you allow it to be. When you marginalize or secretly belittle these things, you erode that achievement just a little, and you put yourself in the douche zone. (See #15 for clarification on douchery.)
28. Give more. This means of yourself and of your things. You know you have stuff don’t need or use any more, yet there is sits, taking up space in your…errrr, space. Share your garden veggies, make two loaves of bread and give one away. Give your electronics away before they become completely useless to someone else. Recycle your tons of plastic containers.
29. Look around and be consumed with gratefulness. Struggles and challenges? Sure. Awesome and amazing, oh yes. Have a heart full of thankfulness, and you’ll be served heaps more.
30. Put the emphasis on the positive and rid your mind and life of the negative. Positivism, by its very nature, is a magnet for more good things, and I can’t help but feel I make better decisions and choices when I’m feeling positive than when I’m feeling negative. How about you?
31. Repurpose more often. This goes for using apps in more than one way, and using the tools that exist to make life and work easier. For example, I use Evernote like crazy, but not just for documenting notes; I clip articles for business, and also for crafting and other stuff I’m interested in. It’s replaced all my other bookmarking tools, but I have it segmented so tightly, it’s like my own personalized library. I can do more, though. For other kinds of repurposing, I am on the hunt every day for ways to use something for more than its intended purpose. I saw a dog bed made from an old sweater, for example. How awesome. I can do more though.
32. Build up those people around you by supporting, encouraging and thinking of things they might not be thinking of themselves. We all fall prey to a routine in our thinking, even when we’re not meaning to. Perspective from another person is sometimes all it takes to give us that wake-up kick in the ass we need.
33. Finish what you start. There’s just something about the connectedness of a completed project, whatever form that that project takes. It could be a class, a scarf you’re knitting, or a DIY task. Once it’s done, the “ahhhh” that follows is simply a great feeling of relief and sometimes satisfaction. Allow yourself to do this more frequently, you’ll end up with a bunch of successes instead of “what if’s” .

What would you add? I like #8 the best. Have a great year in 2014 and enjoy the ride.