Yep it’s that time again when I shamelessly bare all in the hope that both you and I may learn something from it.

2014 has been good to me, in comparison to 2013, which you can read about here, it has been less eventful, in a good way.

My Goals for 2014

Let’s take a look back at my top two goals for 2014:

1. Get Publisher for second book
2. Heal injury and get back to tennis

I am pleased to say that I have achieved all three goals but not in the way that I had first envisioned.

The Unknown Publisher

I do it time and time again, when it comes to writing my goals I never quite get what I asked for. I know what I want but that apparently doesn’t translate when I write it down. Take my first goal “Get Publisher for second book” seems pretty obvious no? I knuckled down in the last quarter of 2014 and started to make progress on my book about Habits. With about 30% of the book written and a working title, the plan changed. I received an email from John Wiley Publishing. They wanted to set up a phone call to discuss the matter of a book they were hoping to publish in 2015. After a very short round of negotiations I have been commissioned to write the Dummies Guide to Productivity!

Publisher for my second book. Check

The Healing Hands

I have had an injury at the top of my right leg for approximately three years, the doctors and physios were unsure of its cause and it was deteriorating. I had stopped playing tennis, could no longer run and it was becoming painful to walk. I was frustrated and finding it difficult to stay positive. On advice of my sister I went to an osteopath who appeared to understand my injury in a matter of minutes. He said that a couple of the vertebrae in my back were not rotating properly and therefore putting pressure onto my hip area. After a few clicks and pops I felt like a new woman. Within weeks I was back on the tennis court, now needing other excuses for my lack of progression! Not only did this wonderful man sort out my leg, he gave me another unexpected gift…

In January this year I went on a detox. A detox with one purpose; to rid my life of Migraines. Most of 2013 was at the mercy of Migraines. The tablets the doctor was giving me were getting stronger and the effects were getting weaker. Nothing was working and the frequency and intensity appeared to be worsening. Not only that, when I got a headache they would last for days. I was so desperate.

Not being a person who usually takes medication I decided that it was time to take action and do whatever I could do to improve things. In January I gave up any possible food trigger. Wheat, dairy, alcohol and sugar. It wasn’t fun and it wasn’t easy but I was determined to find a solution that didn’t involve taking a pill everyday for the rest of my life. The result of my detox led me to give up wheat permanently which I believe to be one of the many triggers of my migraines. But it didn’t eliminate them. I tried homeopathy, reflexology next stop was acupuncture but the real relief came at that same visit to the osteopath who fixed my leg. That day he clicked something in my neck which reduced the intensity and frequency substantially. I hadn’t told him I suffered from migraines he asked me!

Injury Fixed and Migraine Solution thrown in. Check

The Overview

After reviewing my goals and celebrating my successes, I like to take a deeper look into what worked and what didn’t, I think it leaves me at an advantage getting started in in the New Year

What worked in 2014?

My habits are improving, I get up at 6 o’clock most mornings to workout. I say most mornings because my schedule is very erratic. So what I have learned to do is to commit to getting up at 6 o’clock when the conditions are right and when they aren’t I don’t beat myself up over it. The right conditions include working in Dublin at a time which allows me to fit in my exercise in the morning. If I have to drive to Cork and leave at 6:00 I will not have time to do my workout in the morning. I have also started to do a morning abdominal workout but my 9 Year old said the following to me this morning. “Mom I think you better try a different workout because the ‘6 weeks to a six pack’ one isn’t working, you have been doing it for about 9 months!” Ok, so I may not have a six pack like the girls in the video but I do see progress!

What didn’t work?

I’m still struggling with house organisation. It doesn’t come naturally for me or anyone who lives in my house so it’s always a challenge. To counteract my lack of talent in this area, I have invested in a cleaner but I may need to get her to move in!

What lessons did I learn?

I spent some time this year revisiting my values and I reminded myself that I have to be true to myself. The closer I live to my values the better things work out.

As a result I have started studying again, the final goal is a Masters in Business so homework here I come again!

It’s been a good year, a year of health and happiness one I would like to repeat as I push my self to the limits of efficiency.

This year my productivity will be tested, my habits will be more important than ever. I know that exercise will give me the energy required to work at maximum capacity so I intend to keep that going. I haven’t set my goals for 2015 but I think other than finish my dummies book and complete the first part of my studies there won’t be too much time for anything else. I think it time to push myself physically but I need time to think about that one.

I would love to hear about your year gone past and how next year you will do things differently.

I wish you a year ahead of happiness and laughter, success and achievement but remember the lesson I need to remind myself of every year

“You can do anything, but not everything” David Allen