Before the end of the year

You know that feeling you get after making your bed, fluffing your pillows, and smoothing out the covers so that everything looks totally pristine and beautiful?

You stand back and admire your Instagram-worthy bed and you’re like, “Yup. I’m basically the greatest. I’ve seriously got it together.”

It takes like 5 minutes to make your bed—but it upgrades the entire room! It’s amazing! So tidy! So inviting! So delightful!

Now, let’s take that “sprucing” energy and… apply it towards your business!

Here are 2 quick & fun ways to tidy up your business before the end of the year.

Neither of these ideas require very much time—just slightly more effort than making your bed. Totally doable, even if you’re already super busy with holiday plans. You can do these while binge-watching Netflix, baking cookies, or listening to your fave podcast at the same time. Once you’re done, you’ll feel so good, knowing that you’re wrapping up the year on a strong note.

#1 – Make Your Biz-Mazing List

What are the most amazing things that have happened for you, professionally, over the past 12 months or so?

Make a list of anything you can remember. Big moments. Victories. Achievements. Happy experiences with clients. Creative projects that you started and/or completed.

Things like:

— Serving your 100th client

— Releasing your first offer

— Receiving your first piece of fan mail

— Earning a new professional certification

— Getting invited to be a guest on a cool podcast

— Getting to meet your #1 business-hero

— Etc.

Post your Biz-Mazing List on your blog, on social media, in your newsletter—wherever you want. Encourage your clients and customers to acknowledge and celebrate THEIR awesomeness, too!

Lots of people feel shy (or even ashamed) to talk about their achievements, and that’s really unfortunate. The world would be a much better place for everyone if we all celebrated our hard work—proudly and publicly!

#2 – Send a Few Things Into Retirement

Take a few minutes to think about all of the various things you do, and offer, through your business right now.

Ask yourself, “What could I gently put into ‘retirement’? What could I remove from my website, from my shop, or from my weekly to-do list?”

Maybe it’s time to retire that course you created… three years ago. The one filled with lessons that just don’t excite you anymore.

Or maybe it’s time to retire that monthly webinar series. The one you totally hate recording and only do because you think you “have” to. The one that fills you with resentment every time.

Make a list of products, services, events, commitments, and projects—anything that feels out of date, out of sync, tired, stale, or just not particularly fun anymore. Clear ‘em out of your business and your life! Byeee!

If you want, you could throw a “retirement party” for a few of your older projects—give pieces away to your audience for free, as a special surprise gift, or find some other way to recycle the materials for “one last hurrah!” before they disappear.

It feels sooo good to “clear the decks” like this. It’s one of the simplest ways to re-energize your business.

I do this type of “decluttering” at least once a year, and it always leaves me feeling refreshed and excited to work on new projects that really light me up.

Out with the old. In with the new. Onward and upward!

Happy sprucing and sparkling!

p.s. If you want to hang with me in NYC next year, I have one space left in my SwirlFest Branding & Writing workshop and one in-person, 1:1 VIP day left. Would love to see you and help spruce & sparkle your biz for the New Year!