Resolve to Evolve
Kristi Hudson
"Chains of habit are too light to be felt until they are too heavy to be broken."-Warren Buffet
This is one of my favorite quotes from Warren Buffet. It seemed pertinent when I sat down and began thinking about my annual tradition of establishing a list of New Year's resolutions. The irony is that despite our enthusiasm and commitment in the days leading up to January 1st, 80 percent of New Year's resolutions fail (Luciani, 2015). Rather than creating a list full of previous resolution failures, I have decided to limit myself to four things that I would like to accomplish in 2020.
1.Fit My Career into My Life, Not the Other Way Around
I have struggled for years with not letting my career be the sole focus of my life. That's difficult when you love what you do and the people you do it with so much. I am fortunate to work in a business that focuses on employee happiness. The downside is that it's hard to not take it home with me at night and on weekends. My career is only a part of who I am, so this year, I am making a commitment to focus on the other titles that make me who I am such as wife, mother, daughter, friend, and sister.
2. Help Someone Early in Their Career Journey
I have been incredibly blessed to have an untold number of mentors in the nine years that I have worked in chiropractic. At every stage of my career development, I have had many people I admire,freely give theirtime to help me develop my skills and knowledge. Without all of them, I wouldn't be who I am or have the responsibilities I have today. Instead of being internally focused on my career journey, I want to take some time to pass alongthe skills and knowledge that others have generously shared with me.
3. Do One Thing Outside of My Comfort Zone
In an article for Forbes, Margie Warrell wrote, "In an increasingly competitive, cautious, and accelerated world, those who are willing to take risks, step out of their comfort zones, and into the discomfort of uncertainty, will be those who will reap the biggest rewards." (Warrell, 2013) My friend, Matthew Loop, recently reminded me of a time (three years ago) when I would become physically ill before speaking in front of an audience. But, overcoming that fear, and stepping outside of my comfort zone, has resulted in an invitation to speak at the Parker Vegas 2020 convention.
4. Do One Thing Daily That Brings Me Joy
Promising myself to do "something" daily that brings me joy could easily become a broken promise but leaving it up to me to define that joy, will ensure success. It will also keep me from getting bored by repeating the same "joyful" task day after day. I have started a list of things that bring me joy such as reading a book, meeting a friend for coffee, going to the movies, or paying it forward at Chik-fil-A, just in case I lose sight of the fact that joy is often found in the small things. By focusing on joy, I have the potential to experience life in a whole new way. This is a promise with endless possibilities (Johnson, 2017).
My real focus in 2020 is about making happiness a priority even though I haven't necessarily been unhappy in 2019. Robert Emmons, a leading researcher in the field of gratitude, sums up the benefits of being happy in his book, Thanks! "Happiness makes good things happen. It actually promotes positive outcomes." (Salzgeber, 2018) I want to make an effort to reap the benefits of focusing on living a happy, meaningful, and thoughtful life, and setting an example for my children so they grow into happy, healthy, adults. What will you resolve to do in 2020 that will lead you toward a happier life and career?
Kristi Hudson is a certified professional compliance officer (CP CO). She serves as the Director of Business Relationships for ChiroHealthUSA where she has helped to educate DCs and CAs on establishing simple and compliant financial policies. You can contact Kristi at 888-719-9990 or Kristi@chirohealthusa. com, or you can visit the ChiroHealthUSA website at www. chirohealthusa. com.
