I am constantly evolving as a person. I am certainly not perfect, and I don’t think I will ever stop developing. 2016 has been one hell of a year for me. A crazy amount has happened, and a lot of lessons have been learnt in the process.
Know Your Worth
The most valuable thing you have is your time, and it is in your hands to decide who and what you give this to. I have spent an awful lot of my life trying to please others, and making a schedule which works for everyone else… except myself. This year, as my life has got even busier, I have truly learnt the value of my time and the importance of saying no. When I am organising my diary, scheduling in appointments and accepting work; I make sure I check in with myself and ask whether I actually want to and/or need to do it. If it is a social occasion, I ask myself if it is really someone I want to give my time to. If not, I am not afraid to kindly decline or make a polite excuse. I have learnt to prioritise. As a result, I have more time for what I really want to do; like hang out with my loved ones or work on my own personal projects.
Go With The Flow
I confess. I am the most organised, anal, control freak person to have walked planet earth. Especially when it comes to business. I love a schedule, I love a plan and I love goals. But you know what? You can’t predict the future, especially when you work in the world of blogging and social media. You literally never know what is going to pop up from one day to the next. This year I had trips organised at the last minute and jobs crop up a day in advance. I had to learn to adapt, something I am not very good at. I get asked all the time what I want to do, where I want to go and what I see in my future; and I find it hard to have set answers. Sure I have overarching goals and dreams, but this year I learned that it is ok to not have a definite path ahead of you when you’re in a rapidly evolving industry, and to just go with the flow.
Collaborate, Don’t Compete
I have never felt competition with anyone in the fitness or blogging industry, it just isn’t in my nature. However, this year I learnt that not everyone has this mindset. I believe that when instead of competing with others in your field, you collaborate with them; amazing things can happen. Ultimately, the better one person does, the better we all do and the further our industry develops. We need to celebrate each others success. There is always more room at the top, and we should all be happy for one another and support each other. I have made such incredible friends in 2016 who work in the same industry as me. We are genuinely happy for each other and want to grow together, and I bloody love it.
Keep Learning
Education doesn’t stop when you leave school. Never think that you know everything. I am a novice in so many ways. I will never stop learning. There is so much information out there, and I haven’t even scratched the surface of it all. I am hungry for knowledge and to further develop myself as a person, and as a professional. This year I spent a lot of time reading around subjects which interested me. The more I read, the more I realised I didn’t know. This both scares and excites me. I want to surround myself with people more intelligent than me, and people who challenge me. I can’t wait to learn more. Not just about fitness and nutrition, but about how to become the best person of myself.
Be Kind
I know it seems obvious, but being a nice person is never a bad idea. In business, there is this perception that you have to be harsh to be successful, but I beg to differ. Friendliness and positivity in the workplace make everything run much smoother. Making other people feel amazing by celebrating their success or complimenting them is an incredible feeling. What goes around comes around, and by spreading positive vibes, you will receive them too. This year I made a conscious effort to make other people feel great, and to be helpful and supportive to those around me. And you know what? They did the same back.
Zanna x
