We’ve made it, the long dark days of January are behind us and we can look forward to lighter days.

I mentioned ditching the resolutions in January, it’s too long and dark, and difficult. Instead, I encouraged you to adopt a word for the New Year instead of resolutions. Mine was BALANCE (and I’ve found it a great help already).

However, I did mention a rather good idea I saw of adopting new practices from 1st February (instead of 1st January) if you did wish to focus on some positive changes for the year ahead.

What will you Fire up February with?

Take Stock

In business, we are encouraged to review the year just gone and review it in great detail. What went well, what needs more focus, what did we learn, and what goals do we want to achieve for the year ahead? If you are a small business owner, someone I recommend following for this sort of insight is Gemma Gilbert. She’s a brilliant coach and mentor and has transformed her business offering over the past year. She share’s her journey and learnings each year. You can read about it here.

What about personally though?

January is such a bad month to start something new, try and get on top of healthy eating, drinking, and exercising habits and we can often be left feeling like a failure. Let’s put all that behind us. Let’s instead Fire Up February and see what we can achieve (a much shorter, brighter month that seems so much easier to commit to).

What went well for you last year?

Take a moment to really think about the highlights of 2022. Perhaps write them down. It can be the smallest thing that can make a positive difference and it’s easy to forget the little things.

How did you manage to achieve positive results in 2022?

Do you want more of that in 2023? Are there steps you can take to make sure the good stuff happens again?

What was difficult for you last year?

Is there anything you can do to mitigate circumstances to avoid it happening again?  

What did you learn from the things that didn’t go so well?

How did you react to any difficulties?

It’s a continuing tough time for many people at the moment. Worry and anxiety can become overwhelming in the face of personal and world challenges. 

Try and allow some time to think about your worries, concerns, and what didn’t go so well. It will allow you time to reflect, process and hopefully take steps to improve your situation.

Do you have some goals that you would like to achieve in 2023?

It is easy to lose sight of the bigger picture, especially in the current climate. Simple survival feels like the best option at times.  

Thinking about personal/life goals is a way of focusing on the future, getting excited about prospects and opportunities, and working towards a goal.

What do you want to achieve/do/be in 2023?

How will you tackle your goals?

Dare you include a big hairy goal and really push that comfort zone?

One of the biggest changes I ever made was to become my own boss. There was so much I wasn’t expecting about embarking on this journey, in a really good, personal growth sort of way. If you want a big hairy goal for 2023, considering starting your own business (and even possibly running a chocolate business) is highly recommended.

I’m determined to make the most of my chocolate business this year (and hopefully for many more to come). I want to welcome as many as possible to the chocolate tanks in 2023 and give you the best experience possible. In between, I want to spend quality time with my family, enjoy holidays and improve my tennis!  

Please come and share your wins/goals and ideas and inspiration that will help us all Fire Up February.