December 2024 Newsletter

As the year draws to a close, we want to take a moment to thank each and every one of you for being part of our journey. Your support, connection, and inspiration have fuelled us throughout the year, and we are deeply grateful.

As we prepare to turn the page to 2025, let’s pause and reflect. What have you accomplished this year? Big or small, every win matters. Whether it was achieving a long-term goal, navigating a tough moment, or simply finding joy in an ordinary day, each experience has shaped who you are today.

It’s easy to get caught up in the next big thing and forget to acknowledge what’s already been. But reflection is where growth truly begins. So take a moment. Write it down. Celebrate you.

This practice isn’t just for us—it’s for those we care about, too. Think about your kids, friends, and partners. How often do we dwell on what’s not working instead of shining a light on what is?

Just last night, during a car ride, my son was venting about his day. I asked him to share one thing that went well. It stumped him at first. But after a moment, he found an answer, and it changed the tone of our entire conversation. This small shift—from focusing on problems to celebrating wins—can rewire our thinking and expand our possibilities.

As we look ahead to 2025, let’s carry this mindset forward. Let’s take stock of what’s working, embrace the journey, and build from a place of gratitude and purpose.

If you’re ready to kick off the new year with clarity, intention, and possibility, reach out to me. Let’s make it one to remember—together.

Here’s to a year of growth, gratitude, and boundless potential.

With gratitude and love,

Vicki

"The only brand you can sustain is the one that is authentic to you" - Dan Schawbel

Tips for staying resilient while pursuing long-term goals

I’m currently doing my PhD. Last year, I was doing my PhD. And for the next two years, I’ll be doing my PhD. Before I started, I knew it would be a four- or five-year journey, of course. But being in it is a whole other experience.

This has made me think a lot about goals, especially longer-term goals that take years to achieve. How do we keep our eyes on the prize? How do we keep going until we reach our objective? I’d like to share my thoughts on staying resilient while pursuing big goals.

Why do we have big goals?

Most of us only dream about and pursue big goals for one reason: Because they matter. And that’s the most important thing to remember on the journey to achieving our goals. When things are hard (and they will be), go back to the beginning and ask yourself, "Why am I doing this?"

Years ago, when I was working with a client, I used the phrase, "Keep your eye on the prize." She told me it really resonated with her, so she made a sign with those words and taped it to her computer. I love this approach because it’s so important to keep our ‘why’ in mind, especially when we’re facing inevitable challenges.

Story time: Being Dr. Vicki is not my ‘why’

I’ll be honest: Doing a PhD is hard, and I’ve thought about stopping multiple times. When I told my mom, "Oh my Gosh, I think I'm just going to drop out of this," she replied, "No, you're not. You’re going to be Dr. Vicki." My mom wasn’t wrong but she wasn’t right either—I’m not going to drop out. But not because I want to be Dr. Vicki. That's not what's important to me; in fact, I couldn’t care less about that part.

The ‘why’ behind this goal is much more exciting to me than a few letters after my name. Through my research, I want to create a framework and a set of tools to help organizations create a better balance within the power and trust dynamics in their organization. I believe this will help companies build equality into their processes and create a more productive environment where employees, especially women, can excel. This is part of how I’m contributing to the change I want to see in the world and for making it better.

This deeper purpose is why I’m hitting the books, writing papers and spending a lot of time incorporating feedback into my research proposal.

To keep going, I’m doing two things:

1. Keeping my eye on the prize (remembering my why) and
2. Nurturing my resilience skills.

Whatever your long-term goal is, I’m certain that this approach will help you too. And if you need a story to hang onto, when things seem long and your goal seems so far away, think about Lee Kuan Yew, the

first prime minister of Singapore. He was prime minister from 1959 to 1990 and transformed Singapore from one of the poorest countries in the world in the 1960s to one of the most competitive economies worldwide. Imagine the resilience required to sustain a vision of a better world for your citizens over a 31-year period!

Today, I want to share my tips for staying resilient, which are especially useful when you’re working towards long-term goals.

Five ways to nurture your resilience while pursuing a big goal

Lean on your support system

We’re not meant to go it alone, so don’t hesitate to ask others for help, whatever that looks like. Whether you need a sounding board, a therapy or coaching session, a heart-to-heart with your mentor or some purely tactical advice, go get that help. Remember that many people enjoy helping other people, especially when it comes to being asked for advice. Who is part of your support system? And who do you need to reach out to this week?

Be aware of your needs and desires

Things change and that’s okay. If you have a long-term goal and that changes, it’s okay to stop pursuing the goal. Even if you’re so close to finishing and your parents will be disappointed if you don’t finish and you’ve spent a mountain of money on the goal, that’s okay. If pursuing the goal is no longer serving you, you can stop—without guilt, shame or other negative feelings.

Or maybe your long-term goal is the same, but the path there is different than you first thought; that’s okay too. For example, sometimes we need our current income, but we desire a career change. That’s a great time for possibility thinking. How can we satisfy our real needs while working towards our desires?

By regularly checking in with yourself, exploring your needs and desires—and revisiting your why—you’ll be better equipped to handle any obstacles that come your way. And in many cases, our needs are about my next tip …

Get your rest

A long-term goal is a marathon, not a sprint, and in the end, it probably doesn’t matter if you arrive at the destination a little late. It’s okay to slow the pace. It’s okay to take a break. And I know from personal experience, that if you need to take a break, but you don’t, your body will take one for you. This happened to me many years ago; after pushing myself to the limit, I got very sick, crashed completely and had to take a few years off to regain my health. And last year, I faced long-COVID symptoms for months, which affected both my work and my studies.

I strongly recommend being proactive about getting rest! This includes putting a rejuvenating sleep schedule in place and taking time to slow down. Every week, carve out some time for activities that fill your cup, whether that’s visiting a friend, taking the dog on a hike or leaning into something new that re-energizes you.

Practice acceptance

Radical acceptance is a concept in a branch of psychology known as dialectical behavioral therapy. It’s about making a conscious effort to acknowledge and honor difficult situations and emotions. It teaches people to fully accept things as they are instead of wishing for something different and this has been shown to make it easier to move through difficult experiences.

Whether you practice radical acceptance or regular acceptance, it’s a great way to boost resilience. When you’re giving yourself the "This too shall pass" pep talk, take a moment to ask, "What am I meant to learn during this down season?" Then continue engaging in possibility thinking by inquiring, "How can I use this learning to my advantage?"

Acceptance is not about giving up; it’s about shifting perspective and moving forward anyway.

Put smaller milestones in place

We're in a society where we want everything instantaneously. But imagine if your to-do list said, "Get PhD" or "Become a Partner at the Firm" or "Speak Spanish Fluently," you’d spend every day feeling demoralized because you can’t cross it off your list right now!

But you can achieve smaller milestones on a daily, weekly and monthly basis. What are the smaller accomplishments that add up to your big goal? When will you do them? What resources will you need to complete them? And, perhaps most importantly, how will you celebrate these small wins?

In year one of my PhD program, my smaller (but still huge) goal was to learn how to read and write all over again. It sounds funny, but reading and writing in academia is very different than my regular life and I’ll admit, I was afraid of this challenge. But I read one academic paper, then another. Then I wrote one and another. And while I was doing that, I fell in love with my study group, which really fuelled me. By the time the first semester was over, I had accomplished many smaller goals, which allowed me to set and pursue different milestones for the second semester. (Plus, I lost my fear of academic reading and writing.) And continue to do the my day job the entire time.

What’s your resiliency level as you pursue your big goal?

If you’re pursuing a long-term goal and feel your resilience slipping, why not get some support to build yourself back up? Your ‘why’ is worth it!

To talk about keeping your eyes on the prize as you work towards an important long-term goal, don’t hesitate to reach out to me for a meet-and-greet discovery call.

Hi, I’m Vicki Bradley, an executive coach in Toronto and the Founder and CEO of Women in Leadership Empowered.

I work with women pursuing success in executive leadership roles and the presidents and CEOs who understand that strong businesses are built with strong, diverse leadership.

WIL Empowered is a group coaching program where we focus on all four aspects of leadership development through coaching, networking, peer to peer mentoring and developing soft skills. Our mission is to help women develop the skills, motivation and accountability required to succeed in their business and personal lives.

Take our five-minute leadership quiz to discover where your leadership skills are now and where you’d like them to be this time next year.

Join our free mini course on how to use fear to propel versus paralyze and retrain your brain to reinforce good habits here.

To learn more about WIL Empowered, visit our website at WILempowered.com or reach out to [email protected] for a discovery call.

Upcoming Events

January 16th: "Building Your Personal Brand"

Kick off the new year by joining our dynamic online session focused on helping you create and refine your personal brand. Learn practical strategies to position yourself as a leader, strengthen your professional presence, and amplify your impact.

WIL Talk Podcasts

WIL Talk #149: Pam Buchanan, Founder of Quantum Sense & Soul Health Pioneer

In this episode of the Women in Leadership Talk podcast, host Vicki Bradley sits down with Pam Buchanan, founder of Quantum Sense, to explore the transformative power of soul health and its role in leadership and innovation. Pam shares her inspiring journey from a successful career in finance and technology to becoming a pioneer in the field of soul health. She discusses the importance of commitment, belief in oneself, and the role of a supportive environment in driving innovation and personal growth.

WIL Talk #150: How Fran Maier Revolutionized Trust in Business

In this episode of the Women in Leadership Talk podcast, Vicki Bradley dives into the inspiring journey of Fran Maier, founder and CEO of Babyquip. From revolutionizing online dating at Match.com to leading the baby gear rental market, Fran reveals the secrets behind her success. Discover how identifying market gaps, fostering trust, and embracing resilience can transform ideas into thriving businesses. Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur or navigating your own business challenges, Fran’s insights are a must-hear!

WIL Talk #151: How Jillian Gibbs Hits the High Notes in Business

In this episode of the Women in Leadership Talk podcast, host Vicki Bradley sits down with Jillian Gibbs, founder of APR Consulting, to discuss her inspiring transition from opera singer to advertising production leader. Jillian shares invaluable lessons on balancing urgency and importance in leadership, the power of collaboration, and how performance skills like stage presence and listening can shape effective leadership. Learn how Jillian turned her creative background into a thriving career and how her book, The Marketer’s Guide to Creative Production, empowers marketers to master the production process.

WIL Talk #152: Balancing Authenticity, Leadership, and Feminine Wisdom with Wendy Wallbridge

In this episode of the Women in Leadership Talk podcast, host Vicki Bradley sits down with Wendy Wallbridge, coach and founder of Spiral Up, to explore her transformative journey from overcoming lupus to becoming a trailblazer in holistic leadership. Wendy shares her inspiring perspective on balancing masculine and feminine energies in leadership, the power of authenticity, and embracing self-reflection to unlock your unique gifts. Discover how Wendy turned adversity into empowerment, inspiring leaders to rise above challenges with resilience and purpose.

You can listen to these episodesonApple,Google,Spotify,Amazon Music, ourYouTube Channeland ourwebsite.Please subscribe if you haven’t already and do share episodes you think someone in your network would benefit from this is how we grow, learn, and stretch our thinking.