Celebrating Wins and Setting Strategy to Achieve 2019 Goals

Note: This letter was originally published in our weekly newsletter and is being republished here.

Hey guys,

Anyone else scratching their heads wondering where the year went?

I felt like I was nowhere near accomplishing any of the goals I set for myself, but then upon reflection, I realised these emotions were misguided. A LOT has happened in the last six months from a professional and personal front. Here’s just a snippet of my 2019 so far:

travelled back to my birth country of the Philippines to check out mum’s province and visit local artisans
got a tummy bug from trip and took ages to recover
worked (working) on a new EWP product range
hired an Asia-based writer
panel moderated and spoke at the VAMFF Swap Style event
spoke at the EKO Mindful Boss Ladies event
attended several ethical fashion and sustainability events in Sydney and Melb
Ben’s grandfather passed away (R.I.P. Pappy)
gardening, designing and planning projects on the farm
was featured in the latest Peppermint Mag
recommenced EWP podcast and published a new episode

If you’re feeling a little out of sorts because it’s halfway through 2019 and you don’t feel like you’ve achieved a lot, I encourage you to take some time today or this weekend to reflect on the last six months. Rather than beat yourself up, consider all the little wins you’ve had in your personal life, business or career. You may have grown your first plant or started a compost pile at home. You may have developed a better relationship with family members or your work colleagues. You may have signed up your first client. Or it may be as simple as spending less time on your digital devices and more quality time with yourself.

Whatever these wins are, celebrate them, let the positive emotions connected with those memories wash over you.

And then, after these positive reflections and when you’re ready, start to visualise what you want to accomplish for the rest of the year and then take to paper or computer and jot down your thoughts, goals and strategies to achieve them. Doing this will help to set the wheels in motion as you move into the second half of the year.

I hope you find this exercise useful. It works for me 🙂

Anyway, here’s what I’ve been watching, reading and listening to this week:

Podcast Shows / Films:

Why No One Feels Rich, Hidden Brain. A show about the psychology of income inequality and how our perceptions of our own wealth compared with others shapes our minds, and our lives.

Books:

Doughnut Economics, Kate Raworth

People / Accounts:

This week I’m doing a shout out to two remarkable women who have profound things to say about ethnic and racial diversity in fashion and the lack of inclusivity. I highly recommend following them if you want to open your eyes and ears and understand the issues so that we may find a way forward that is fair, equitable, inclusive – and way better than the fashion industry has performed on these subjects to date.

Dominique Drakeford, creative director, founder and editor of MelaninASS who advocates for ethnic and racial diversity in fashion

Aja Barber, writer and advocates for diversity and inclusivity in fashion

Articles /Posts:

Chennai water crisis: City’s reservoirs run dry, BBC

633 divers collect over 1,500 pounds of trash at a Florida beach — and set a world record, CNN

Biofuel, beeswax wraps and recyclable coffee cups: United debuts ‘eco-friendly flight’, USA Today

What the sustainable movement is missing about inclusivity, i-D VICE

And that’s a wrap. Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Peace, love and all that jazz,

Jen xx (Editor-in-Chief)