2022 — a Year of …

At the end of December, it is a great time to look back on the events and experiences of the past year and ponder how far we have come. It is also an opportunity to set goals for the new year ahead and make New Year’s resolutions to strive towards in 2023. A yearly tradition I enjoy is taking a moment to reflect!

I Plan, Fate Controls

A lot of fun ideas I had in mind for 2022, but the past twelve months showed we are not in charge of fate, and it can turn the plot in a completely different direction.

This year brought all possible challenges, starting with tragic events in February and wrapping it up with the loss of a close one. I didn’t learn how to play accordion or travel to new destinations. But as they say, what does not kill us makes us stronger. So 2022 certainly made me a tough cookie and let me learn new skills that are pretty useful in life. Here are a few to name:

• Ability to adapt to constantly changing scenarios. We all sometimes go through these times when every day is different and requires a new state of mind. As a person with a well-defined agenda, I had a hard time stepping away from it. Eventually, I realized that some days are just like that, and I better adapt to new circumstances if I want to move forward.
• Warding off sad thoughts and saving energy to deal with challenging situations. Everything is relative, and sometimes we perceive minor issues as critical until we are in bigger trouble. I learned to change focus from unimportant things and store energy for emergencies.
• Finding kindness in the darkest of times. I discovered how important it is to keep a kind part of yourself and share it with others, especially when so many people need support.

This year was, at the same time, exciting thanks to my new journey. This adventure was the most positive experience and gave me lots of energy. I am happy to share some results I achieved with my team. My “I am thankful for” part will be devoted to the entrepreneurial journey this year.

One Small Big Adventure

At the beginning of the year, I finally found the guts to start my company and left an amazing team to build my own. The following month I founded?Recrue, the market started going down, and I prepared myself for the worst. No doubt, it could be a smoother experience. But as my friends said, if your company can survive in times of crisis, it will thrive when it gets calmer. Not only have we survived so far, but we have also achieved good results. I have no regrets that I started it in 2022; it has been a fascinating journey so far!

I am incredibly grateful for many things and share just a few of them here:

• We found fantastic clients and built strong partnerships with them.
• We had the least nice collaborations, but they brought a tremendous experience that led us in the right direction.
• I got a great colleague on board who I can count on.
• I have wonderful people in my network who always share valuable advice and are eager to help. Thank you all!
• We built an efficient workflow and are getting close to the next stage when we build up a great team.
• We changed people’s lives by finding perfect projects for them and helping them move to new places.
• We shared best practices and helped teams improve in the hiring process.

That’s just a few things for the past nine months. Every day of this journey was different and taught me lots of things. Sometimes I feel that everything falls apart. But then I find a way to fix it, and, damn, it feels good.

Time has been moving so fast, and I couldn’t fulfill all my ideas, but I keep them stored and wait for the right moment. I cannot express the level of my excitement about our next achievements. Let’s see how far we can make it!

New Year’s Resolutions

No need to say how I am ready for next year! While recharging, I am taking time to think about what I want from 2023. One and the most important wish is for people to live in peace and keep being kind to each other.

As for my commitments, some of them may sound fuzzy, but it is how I want them to be this time.

• Be the way I am and use the best parts of myself to make a difference and help others.
• Inspire other people to be kind to each other.
• Meet my family at least once a quarter.
• Build a great team at Recrue and bring a positive impact to the industry.
• Change ordinary frameworks and build greater things.
• Become a mentor for at least one person and help to archive the results they dream about.
• Find a balance between business, family, and time for myself.
• Write a draft of my book — still here ??
• Learn back the skill of pausing everything around me and enjoying the moment.

One fun thing keeps happening each year. I go through my previous year’s notes. I don’t tick all the boxes, but at least half of them. But most importantly, my notes always make me smile. I feel the little kid in me is proud of my achievements and coming up with new crazy ideas. So my point here is, do write your New Year’s Resolutions, even if it’s three bullet points on a sticky note. I guarantee they will make you smile at the end of the year.

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To finish this piece with a spark of light and positive thought, when life gives you lemons, make lemonade! Even though we do not control fate, we still can have a positive impact on the world. Great changes begin from small fixes, and you are in the power of yourself to start them today. Remember, a simple act of kindness can make someone’s life brighter. So let’s try to light up! ?