2020 Lessons and 2021 #Goals

At the end of 2019, this time last year, I was sitting on a beautiful beach in Jamaica over Christmas thinking about how I needed to do more with my marketing knowledge. I wanted to find a way that I could bring more value to the company I work for by helping others and how I could use the experience to grow personally in my field.

That thought developed into a massive social media and branding adventure for me, and that led me right to this very moment.

When I applied to the Fashion Institute of Technology, as a part of the application process I had to submit a physical portfolio of my artwork that included rendering, paintings, sculptures, life drawings, photographs, etc. In my eyes, LinkedIn is a visual portfolio of yourself: your career, your passions, your achievements, your knowledge of your craft, etc. This includes your photos, videos, articles, text posts, press mentions, etc.

By using this mindset, after years of personal creative hibernation, I started creating and learning, just like when I went to school.

Looking ahead to 2021 there are 3 areas I really want to work on and have learned all from LinkedIn:

1.    My Personal Voice. When 2020 started, I began posting on social media. I started to lead by example to show others that it is possible to grow a personal audience, (without paying for it), the value you bring with creating this, and how it will bring you opportunities. Once I was homebound as a result of COVID, I found myself with more time to create some content and grow myself. With all that being said, I still couldn’t do a video without looking and feeling awkward. I started a video series under quarantine called Aha Moment with Melanie. Over time I gained the confidence to do video, I practiced a lot, and I put myself out there. Today, I finally feel comfortable being on camera and speaking on camera. In 2021 I am committed to creating new videos every week that will be Inspirational and Marketing infused. I also aspire to have more speaking opportunities on these topics on podcasts and on/off-camera.

2.    Self Work. I found it to be really important for me this year in particular to immerse myself in positivity and read books that took my mind away from anything negative and helped me redirect to positive. I have some trouble with disconnecting from work and my phone sometimes, and it’s an area I really need to improve. Once I start reading, I can completely disconnect from technology. In 2021, I want to read more weekly, disconnect regularly, and specifically read more books on Public Relations, an area I want to excel in.

Here are my 2020 QP (quarantine picks - YES I am making that a thing) from 2020, and I highly recommend them all:

1. The Leader Who had No title – Robin Sharma
2. Who Will Cry When You Die – Robin Sharma
3. The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari – Robin Sharma ( I am reading this again as we speak)
4. 5am Club – Robin Sharma
5. Confidence Creator – Heather Monahan
6. Designing Your Dream - Gina La Morte
7. Medical Medium – Anthony William
8. Super Attractor – Gabrielle Bernstein
9. Meta Human – Deepak Chopra
10. Jesus – Deepak Chopra
11. Mindf*ck – Christopher Wylie
12. The Five People You Meet In Heaven – Mitch Albom
13. For One More Day – Mitch Albom
14. Timekeeper – Mitch Albom
15. Girl Wash your Face – Rachel Hollis

3.    Offline Networking. I met so many amazing people this year on LinkedIn from all over the world. I have made some of the most meaningful connections of my life, and it was all done over a computer! Pre COVID, I had meetings stacked all day long with all different people at my office. I attended industry trade shows and conferences. I went to happy hour after work and went out to lunch with my vendor partners. I cannot wait for the day I get to meet with some of the brilliant ladies and men I have met this year over social media. I am SO looking forward to in-person networking once again.

One of my biggest takeaways for 2020 is that when you set your mind to something, you can do it no matter what it is. I am just so excited to see what the future holds in 2021. We can all do things that we haven't done before with the right mindset. I hope this article inspires you to think about your lessons from 2020 and goals for 2021.

Please connect with me on these other social media channels:

??@millennialdm - Twitter

??@iammelanieborden - Instagram

??youtube.com/MelanieBorden - YouTube

My website www.melanieborden.com