2016 was a pretty good patch

As 2016 drew to a close I found myself caught up in the popular opinion that it was the most awful of years.  After shedding a few tears and a workshop on self-doubt, I caught myself, actually 2016 was pretty great for me.  I stopped and thought about all the great things that happened and what it was that made them happen. 

The great things included:

·      Featured in three articles in the AFR focused on women in technology, all with positive dialogue on what is possible.

·      Travelled to San Francisco for the first time, visiting the tech startups that are changing the world and riding a bike over the Golden Gate Bridge. 

·      Attended Stanford d.school for a design thinking workshop with the d.school founders.   

·      Speaking at more and more events and conferences, including two in San Francisco.

·      My first visit to government house and meeting the Victorian Governor General.  My first visit to Raheen and meeting some amazing people there too.  All in support of Rosie Batty and the Luke Batty Foundation.

·      A fabulous holiday in Far North Queensland with my family.  Plus four great getaways with friends. 

·      Going into pit lane at the Grand Prix, including into the Williams garage, watching them rebuild a F1 car, and visiting their IT room. 

·      Attending the Movers + Breakers Conference in Byron Bay, meeting so many kindred spirits and leaving with a mantra of brave, confident and focused.

·      MCing a White Ribbon Day event and making a difference in ending domestic violence.

·      Taking home more trophies this year than ever before:  an Australian Computer Society Digital Disruptors Award, named in the CIO50 list, a Telstra Business Woman of the Year Finalist, and a #TechDiversity Award.

·      The best moment of all was when a lady at work told me that I had inspired her to pursue her dreams and that she is now paying it all forward with nurturing diversity and inclusion in her field. 

In her article titled Confessions of a woman who has enjoyed 2016, Georgina Dent states, “I’m acutely aware that 2016 will be remembered by many as a god awful year.  … It seems insensitive to confess that 2016 has been a happy year.  But perhaps the external turmoil is all the more reason to recognise a good patch when you’re in it.”    

2016 was a good patch for me.  I didn’t achieve all of my goals, there were a few disappointments, but when I look back at the list above, it really was a pretty great year.  

What made it happen?  Obviously it was me.  I have some great family, friends, colleagues and all the support one could wish for, but it has to come back to you, only you can make it happen.  So, it was me that I made 2016 a good patch. 

I made it happen by setting goals, making plans on how I was going to achieve them, and heading out every day with a positive mindset that it was going to be the best year ever.  Then I worked hard in January to get the ball rolling.  It sounds so simple, but it is really what I did differently at this time in 2016.

The time between Christmas and returning to work after New Year is now a time for me to reflect on the hits and misses of the previous year, to set some goals and plans for the next year, to pick an inspirational read to lose myself in on New Years Day and to set myself up for heading into the new year with a purpose and a plan.    

PS:  My New Years Day inspo read was Live What You Love by Naomi Simson. 

PPS:  2017 goals = get myself to the Grace Hopper Conference this year.