2023 Annual Review

It’s official - I’m starting an annual review. I’ll be looking at what went well, what didn’t go as well (and what I learned), and what I’m focusing on for the coming year. It’s a mix of both personal and professional, so prepare yourself for a photo dump.

When I started out, I really didn’t think I’d have much to say. As you’ll see - I was very wrong. I’m excited to start this tradition and keep it going. Looking back is so important to know where you want to go and how much progress you’ve made!

What Went Well?

I READ BOOKS

You might think this is the part where I tell you I read all these books that changed my life. This year, not so much. Yes, I read some books. But when I looked through my library, I saw that I fully read my “guilty pleasure” books - psychological thrillers and historical fiction - and only partially read the self development books.

You know what this tells me? I needed a break. And THAT’S OK. 

I find that my brain goes through phases. Sometimes I’m diving into self/professional development and can’t get enough, and other times I need a break and want to read something light and fun, or at least page-turning. Here’s where I landed (at least the ones I could remember!):

Fully-Read Books:

• The Last Mrs. Parish by Liv Constantine

• The Wife Stalker by Liv Constantine

• The Stranger in the Mirror by Liv Constantine (someone lent me her books)

• The Girl in the Cabin 13 by A.J. Rivers

• Son of Hamas by Mosab Hassan Yousef

• It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover

Partially-Read Books:

• Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson

• The Way of Integrity by Martha Beck

• Grit by Angela Duckworth

• The Comfort Crisis by Michael Easter

• Mindset by Carol S. Dweck

I COACHED AMAZING LEADERS

I coached 20+ leaders at multinational organizations and led 8 leadership and team building workshops. What stood out to me the most was that across the board, the biggest thing getting in the way of someone’s ability to reach the next title or improve themselves as a leader is what’s going on inside - the hidden beliefs that are hard to see and even harder to know how to address. It’s common to focus on the tactical or strategic things to become a better leader, but none of it matters if you don’t know what’s making you shut down, react defensively, or burnout. I’ll be focusing a lot of my content this year on how to address those internal issues that are often overlooked, but imperative if you want to have that “intangible” leader quality that everyone is looking to achieve.

I also hosted a beginning-of-year goal planning session with women leaders. We had a great time and a portion of everyone’s ticket went to a good cause (The Sterling House).

I TRAVELED

I went with my husband and 2 kids to Puerta Vallarta, Mexico, Bend, Oregon, and Green Bay and Madison, Wisconsin. The cool part about each of those trips is that other family and friends met or joined us. We also met new and interesting people, and got some quality time with our smaller family unit.

Bend, Oregon.

Lake time in Madison, Wisconsin - my handsome brothers and husband.

Puerta Vallarta with my brother and his family.

On the boat with “Nana and OB” in De Pere, WI.

We took an annual trip with close friends to a lake house in Connecticut and I took a Girl’s Trip with college friends to Minneapolis, Minnesota. 

Kriss / Moles Trip to Lake Pocotopaug - we still don’t know how to pronounce it.

College Girlfriend Trip (Minus 1).

The college girlfriend trip is a tradition I’m especially proud of maintaining for the last 10+ years. We live miles apart, but what’s great about keeping 20+ year friendships is that we’ve helped each other through divorce, illness, and general life-ness. Outside the trips we stay in touch almost daily on Marco Polo.

Until I reflected back, I didn’t even realize how much I traveled. I’m so grateful this has become a regular part of my life.

I PICKED UP SOME HEALTHY HABITS

I started a morning walk routine where I get up, grab my coffee, and just walk. I know this is going to sound blown out of proportion, but it literally changes my day. I don’t try to “exercise” during these walks but oftentimes I get my heart rate up and some extra miles in. I also did the Peloton regularly and got “close” to my goal weight (2024 I’ll surpass it)! 

I STARTED AN ANNUAL TRADITION & KEPT UP SOME OLDIES

We have a mix of friends who golf (some golf well, some are working on it - the former includes me!). I had this idea - what if we organized a private friends’ golf scramble with contests, prizes, and a dinner. We called it Swingfest (GOLF SWING! Don’t get crazy on me) and it was such a blast. We decided to make this an annual event.

Now-Annual Friends’ Golf Scramble

4th of July Tradition at Our Beach

We continued other traditions - 4th of July, Halloween with friends, and a Memorial Day workout dedicated to Kyle Milliken.

10th Annual Halloween Party

Memorial Day Workout - The Milliken

WE FINISHED A RENOVATION

We renovated our attic and are enjoying the ocean views and my new office. I’m not interested in any type of renovation in the near future, I can say that much!

Before

After

I SUCCEEDED AT MY SECOND FULL-TIME JOB AS A DANCE MOM

Enough said.

I STARTED A PODCAST & WAS FEATURED ON A PODCAST

I launched the Lead Easy podcast in the middle of a lake in Wisconsin, because that makes sense, right?? I got a lot of positive feedback and so I’m doubling down on it this year with a lot more focus around the topics (improving as a leader and getting the next title).

OH, and I started a YouTube channel where the episodes will be posted as videos. If you feel so inclined, like and subscribe to help me get it going!

I also had the privilege of speaking on the Hospitality Daily Podcast with Josiah Mackenzie and Mariana Safer.

What Didn’t Go So Well (And What Did I Learn?)

I GOT SIDETRACKED EASILY

I didn’t stay as focused on the important things in my business as I would have liked and chased shiny objects. It became very apparent how much I do something called “creative avoidance” where I spend time on things that I enjoy and are not as scary as putting myself out there and doing the hard things (selling, sharing, etc.). 

MY MESSAGING WAS MURKY

I’m passionate about a lot of things, so when I looked back I saw that sometimes I talked about work satisfaction, other times improving as a leader, other times transitioning careers. They all go hand-in-hand, but I think talking about so many different things made it hard for people to know who I help and how I help them.

I SAID YES TO THE WRONG THINGS

I signed up for a couple work projects that took way more time and frustration than they were worth. I learned that I want to guard my time more carefully and be more judicious in what I take on. 

My life was mostly kids and work and I didn’t do any hobbies for myself. I’m still working on that, but I need more in my life and I’m actively trying to figure out what that looks like.

MY MINDSET WASN’T ALWAYS GREAT

Yes, coaches have to work on this too! I went through a lot of rollercoasters of emotions when it came to my business. I spent time overthinking and in doubt, and allowed some unproductive beliefs to sneak in. One of my beliefs that I’ve become very aware of and I’m working on is “the things I set out to do won’t work and I shouldn’t try.” Obviously it’s not true and I’ll be working on reframing this one.

I ONLY PARTIALLY ACHIEVED MY HEALTH GOALS

This is something that went well and also something that didn’t go well. I came within 2.5 lbs of my goal, which is totally how I operate. I guess I told myself, “that’s good enough, right?” Maybe it is, but what if I didn’t settle for ‘good enough’ when it comes to my health goals? That’s my focus for 2024. 

I HAD BACK PAIN 

I was in a lot of pain and I know it’s from desk/electronic slouching. I’m happy to say I found an amazing practitioner I’m working with, Dr. Mark A Konopka - you can find him here. He works with my marathon-running husband and took him from hyperventilating-pain in his back / hip to pain-free. I’ve tried other chiropractic and physical therapy practitioners and spent tons of money and it didn’t help. I’m excited to report the progress in next year’s post!

What Am I Focusing On Next Year?

I BROKE IT DOWN INTO 4 BUCKETS:

• Mindset: Address subconscious thoughts getting in my way as if I’m my own client. Spend time daily doing a grounding, centering, or meditation practice.

• Clarity: I already worked with a coach to help me clarify my message and I feel good about the direction. I also plan to lean into my zone of genius and blend deep inner work with career and leadership strategy.

• Focus: I have a solid, doable plan, now I just have to DO IT. And stick to it long enough to see if it works and not chase shiny objects.

• Enjoyment: Work gets to be FUN, or at least enjoyable. I want to enjoy work and life, while increasing my energy and reaching health goals. We have exciting travel in the books - St. Lucia, Oregon, and Wisconsin.

I know this is a strange New Year’s Resolution, but I can’t think of a better way to say it - I want to “do more stuff.” When looking back on this past year, although I traveled and did “some stuff”, I didn’t say yes to many things spontaneously, or plan fun things. I let my life get wrapped up in work and kids and to put it simply, THAT’S BORING.

If I’m honest, I get tired early and mostly look forward to being in comfy clothes and watching a movie. And although I like that, I also feel great when I get out of the house, connect with people, and do things I enjoy like seeing shows, visiting with friends, and going out to dinner. If you are my friend and reading this, please push me outside my comfort zone and hold me accountable!

The first thing I said yes to was a Janis Joplin cover band.

I’d love to hear about your year and what you have planned in 2024 - send me an email at sara@sarakobrien and tell me about it!

Here’s to 2024!

~ Sara

3 Reasons You're Getting Overlooked for the Promotion

If you are a mid-senior leader looking to get promoted, you might be tempted to learn new strategies to do things like work on your executive presence, stop micromanaging, or be more engaged with your team. Usually, people work on these things by trying to be more aware and "not doing it anymore," but it doesn't work. These are all symptoms of something deeper, that, if not addressed, will keep popping up no matter how much you “work on them”.

In this video, we break down three key reasons that could be hindering your professional growth. From overlooked skills to subtle office dynamics, discover actionable tips to propel yourself towards that well-deserved promotion. Don't let opportunities pass you by—watch now and take control of your career journey!

• Grab the Core Values Worksheet Here: https://mailchi.mp/sarakobrien/values-sheet

• Find Me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarakobrien/

• Learn More & Contact Me: https://saraobriencoaching.com/

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Maintaining Confidence When the Evidence Isn’t There (Part 1)

I’ve talked about imposter syndrome, which is when all the evidence or indicators point to your successes and talents (promotions, special projects, accolades), but you still lack belief in yourself or question your abilities. 

But what about when you have “evidence” outside yourself that points to you NOT being as capable or talented as you thought? How do you maintain confidence then? 

What I mean by outside evidence is either someone gives you constructive criticism or feedback OR the outcomes/results you are getting are not indicative of your success (e.g. you aren’t meeting your goals).

Getting difficult feedback has the potential to derail your career, or even your life. I’ll be sharing how to make peace with past feedback and know how to handle receiving it moving forward.

In part 2, I’ll talk about how to maintain confidence when you aren’t reaching your goals.

• Check out the training: The 7 Levels of Leadership (that help you succeed or hold you back): https://bit.ly/boldleadershiptraining

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Exercise to Deal With Anger (And Other Difficult Emotions)

Have you ever felt bad for having anger or other difficult emotions? If you've ever said, "I'm trying to manage my anger," or "I have anger issues", this is for you.

Anger alone is not bad or good - it just is. It’s normal. It’s part of the human experience. And in some cases even helpful.

The problems arise when the actions and behaviors that stem from anger are undesirable or unhelpful. Or if you are tired of feeling angry because it’s actually a very draining feeling/energy and not so fun to feel all the time.

If you try this exercise, I'd love to hear about your experience!

A few things:

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠Find me on LinkedIn⁠

• Join ⁠my email list⁠ to get access to free masterclasses + leadership inspiration. 

• Email me: sara@sarakobrien.com

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Confidence & Other Leadership Lessons [Original episode from the Hospitality Daily Podcast]

I was so honored to recently be invited to join the podcast Hospitality Daily, hosted by Josiah Mackenzie, to talk about leadership with my former colleague, leader, and dear friend, Mariana Safer.

We chatted about our paths and how they intertwined, what leadership means to us, and how we continue to develop as leaders.

Josiah graciously gave me permission to post the episode on my podcast.

I highly recommend you follow Hospitality Daily no matter which industry you are in - link below - they have a lot of informational and inspiring content on growing your business and reaching your goals with conversations from some of the most interesting people in hospitality.

• ⁠Hospitality Daily Podcast⁠

• ⁠⁠Follow the Hospitality Daily LinkedIn page⁠⁠

• ⁠Follow Mariana on LinkedIn⁠

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Your Triggers - How They Can Make or Break Your Career

While very few people focus on this when it comes to their career or leadership abilities, this might be the number one thing that could make or break your ability to step up as a leader and advance your career.

Even if you aren't one to fly off the handle, this is a highly underrated / highly important skill to learn if you want to:

• Build relationships

• Respond effectively (not react defensively)

• Not give your power away to others

In this episode I'm sharing:

• The two (unhelpful) ways you likely react when someone pushes your buttons

• What is actually happening when your buttons gets pushed

• How to respond when someone pushes your buttons so you can be the confident & capable leader you are

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A few things:

• Ready to step up as a leader & advance your career? Check out a free 15-min training I recorded recently: 3 Bold Leadership Moves That Will Transform Your Career.

• ⁠⁠⁠Find me on LinkedIn

Why I Get Blocked Sharing My Work (And Sharing My Work)

This is going to be one I'll struggle to hit "send" on (because I'm really getting personal here).

It's about how I got blocked recently (and often) when it comes to sharing my work, and also, sharing my work.

Conventional wisdom would be for me to hide my blocks and insecurities and come out with an episode that’s like “I’ve launched this thing!” But that's not me. That's not this podcast.

In this episode I'm sharing:

• How I missed a deadline

• Why I approached it from a place of curiosity vs. beating myself up / forcing myself (maybe you can take some lessons from that as well)

• My latest work - officially announcing my fully fledged (and very exciting, if I do allow myself to say) program!

There's a special invitation for you inside.

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A few things:

• Learn about my program and book a breakthrough call: ⁠⁠STEP UP & BREAKTHROUGH⁠: Dare to Transform Your Career with Energy Leadership™

• ⁠⁠⁠Find me on LinkedIn

Imposter Syndrome - Why Nothing Has Gone Wrong and What to Do

Imposter Syndrome can be confusing, feel like a curse, and make you question everything about who you are and what you bring to the table as a leader.

According to a 2019 Landmark study on Imposter Syndrome, 52% of females & 49% of males struggled 'daily' or 'regularly' in the past year and 89% said they had struggled with it at some point in the past year.

I would argue that EVERYONE suffers from this to some extent, even if you don't fully realize it.

In this episode I’m debunking myths about imposter syndrome, sharing my top tips for tackling it, and providing some reassurance that nothing has gone wrong, in fact, you are doing something right.

You’ll walk away very clear on:

• Where imposter syndrome comes from, even if it feels like comes from nowhere.

• Why it’s showing up now, even if you are finally stepping into the role you've always wanted

• My top tips for tackling imposter syndrome today, even if it feels like you are stuck with it forever.

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A few things:

• Access the Imposter Syndrome Mini-Training

• If you're curious about how I work with clients, book a free 15-min call with me ⁠here⁠.

• ⁠⁠Find me on LinkedIn

Centering - What It Is and Why It’s Important

This episode is a little different -I'm walking you through what centering is, why it's important, and how to do it. I invite you to take what you like and see if it makes sense to incorporate it into your day-to-day life.

Listen and subscribe on your favorite platform here:

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A few things:

• If you're curious about how I work with clients, book a free 15-min call with me ⁠⁠here⁠⁠.

• Email me: sara@sarakobrien.com⁠⁠⁠

• Find me on LinkedIn

The Powerful Mindset Shift to Exceed Your Goals

When it comes to your goals, you likely are unaware of how your current mindset is blocking you. 

Sometimes when I talk about this mindset I'm met with skepticism (which is always welcome!), because it's very counterintuitive to what you are conditioned or led to believe. To illustrate what this mindset is all about, I start with a story - about golf! And why you have to go against your brain's natural tendency to protect you in order to adopt this mindset.

This is not about teaching you to instill habits, to do something for 21 days, or to "remind yourself of your why", although I know all those strategies are helpful. This is about changing your entire perception of how you are going after goals, and how to shift your mindset so that you are DRAWN to your goals, don’t let setbacks derail you, and inevitably - and of course effortlessly - exceed your goals. 

In this episode I'm covering:

• What this mindset shift is all about

• Why this mindset is important (read: necessary) to reach your goals

• How you can start developing this mindset today with 3 simple steps (because I'll always give you actionable steps!)

Listen and subscribe on your favorite platform here:

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A few things:

• If you’re curious about our process and how we work with clients, I invite you to apply to join our exclusive training. There’s no obligation to join by attending, but the training session itself is highly valuable

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• Find me on LinkedIn