Well folks, we’re at the end of another year. I can’t believe we’re wrapping up 2019 so soon, and heading into the [roaring] 20s. Does that make anyone else feel old? Or like they’re channeling their grandparents/great-grandparents?
Anyway, around this time of year a lot of us are probably prepping for the new year, where we can start fresh and tackle exciting, new things. This year, I thought I’d mix it up a bit and combine my plans and resolutions for 2020 with some reflections (and gripes) from 2019.
I’ll admit, I was inspired by Hotpod’s Uncle Fun and Grandpa Grumps.
I’ll start with the fun.
2019 Reflections
This was a year of growth and change. Some things that stood out for me (with a focus on audio, probably because of my dinosaur podcast):
- The publishing industry is continuing to change, and it’s exciting to hear about the growth of audiobooks.
- Because audiobooks keep growing, I was able to expand my skill set and try out Findaway Voices for my latest book.
- Audio in general is growing, in the form of podcasts and smart speakers, which has led to some very cool and interesting projects, like The Magic Door.
- I discovered the power of meetups. There’s really nothing quite like going to a meet up or conference with people who as passionate as you about a topic, and getting to listen, trade ideas, and come back inspired. (Not a really novel reflection, I know, especially since I’ve been going to events for years, but for whatever reason this year it really clicked for me how valuable and fun these things are.)
2019 Gripes
But 2019 wasn’t all puppies and rainbows. There’s a couple things I’d change if I could. Both of these happened multiple times this year, so it seems almost like an unfortunate trend:
- I have a name. Everyone has a name, and these days when you’re trying to contact someone online, it’s not hard to figure out their names. Want to write a blog post for me? If you want me to respond, don’t refer to me as “digitalpubbing” or “Sir.”
- Stop ghosting. If you contact me, or if we’ve started emailing, and/or we’ve had a few meetings with action items to follow up, then follow up. Let me know if something’s changed. I promise you my feelings won’t be hurt. And if you’re straight forward with me, I’ll understand and we’ll still have a chance of working together in the future.
2020 Aspirations and Resolutions
I’ve taken a lot of time this year to think about how to make the most of next year and beyond. Here are some things I plan to do in 2020:
- Be more grateful. I have some truly wonderful people in my life, I love where I live, and I have the opportunity to work on some amazing, fulfilling, creative side projects. Sometimes, when work piles up, it’s easy to forget that.
- Celebrate the wins, big and small. As the saying goes, it’s a marathon, not a sprint. I plan to step back more often to remember the things I’ve accomplished, and feel good about them, instead of only focusing on the endless list of things I think I should be doing (and therefore always feeling behind).
- Save more time for fun, and spend less time on my phone. There were too many weekends this year where all I did was work. That led to lots of burn out and feeling guilty for not seeing friends and family as much.
- Prioritize, and learn to let go. I always have a long to-do list, and I have a sneaking suspicion I could optimize and outsource some of my tasks, especially ones that are repetitive but still seem to take a lot of my time and energy. Some of that time could be better invested in doing things I find more meaningful and impactful. (I have another sneaking suspicion that working on this resolution will help me with my other resolutions.)
With all that in mind, I have a lot of great content coming out in 2020, and big plans for I Know Dino. Stay tuned, and thank you for reading. (See what I did there? Already making progress!)
