Year in Review, 2020 was tough, but good...

Well, here we are. This doozy of a year is finally wrapping up. (Trust me, I debated using a stronger word than doozy!) 

In my last article, I challenged you to find all the really great "brag worthy" moments you had in 2020. I know it was a challenge because I did the exercise myself!

When I sat down to do it, it felt like I didn’t do anything this year...

...when in reality, I:

• Created an online, on-demand course (It is my greatest work to-date, and I’m so proud the people who have taken it couldn’t love the course any more!)
• Introduced a new measurement for culture that compares organizations to the best cultures in the world (Why would you want to be the best culture in senior living or in your area when you can be known as one of the best cultures in the WORLD?!)
• Released an ebook, Ultimate Recruitment
• Got appointed to the NJ Nursing Home Administrators’ Licensing Board
• Got re-appointed as Chair of NAB’s Member Relations Committee (I’m a bit obsessed with volunteering in our field!)
• Served as a mentor for the first Executive MHA program at my alma mater, Cornell (I can’t tell you how much fun it is to get a paycheck from your alma mater. As small as it is, it brought a guaranteed smile to my face every two weeks! Not to mention the exhilarating feeling of inspiring up-and-coming students to come to our field! Now that’s priceless!)

And personally:

• Drove around New Zealand on the other side of the road for a week by myself (Only got pulled over once when it was dark out and I couldn’t turn off my bright lights because I kept putting on the windshield wipers instead. Not sure the cop was expecting an American bursting out in tears when he pulled me over, but that’s what he got!!)
• Celebrated, in Fiji, my surviving the 90 days that I was at high-risk of having a stroke after my TIA (That was a very dark time for me. Stuttering. Brain fog. Depression. So I was incredibly happy to see it end!)
• Watched my twin boys endure a very strange sophomore year of college--sniff sniff--despite all the virtual learning challenges, they made me very proud.
• Lived in Key West and worked remotely for 5 weeks (And now listen to Jimmy Buffet 24/7!). I figured this could be the only time in my life that I could truly work from anywhere so why not do it?!

Like a lot of people, I found 2020 to be really hard, in so many ways. I was beyond saddened to see what was happening in our country, especially with how this virus affected senior living. 

I questioned my purpose a LOT this year. I’ve ended the year reminding myself of my personal and business mission--to drive passion and purpose into senior living. To create better places to work and to live. And the only way I can truly do that is by inspiring its leaders. 

Your Ripple

The type of people I work with care deeply about their organizations. And it excites me to think of the ripple effect that can create. So, please, join me. 

Spend the end of this year recommitting to the purpose of your work. No matter if your goals are big or small. Because your work matters so, so much. If you are successful at what you do, so many people benefit. You, my friend, create a ripple effect that touches countless lives. 

So I want to say THANK YOU. Thank you for recommending me and the team at Drive to your friends, family, and colleagues. Thank you for sharing my book and course. Thank you for spreading the word about our work that I care so deeply about, especially now. Thank you for participating in my webinars. In my online groups. For virtually attending my keynotes. Thank you for the kind comments on my social media. Thank you for the delicious messages in my inbox that make me cry and smile. Sometimes at the same time! 

I am constantly reminded that we have the most amazing field to work in and I look forward to connecting with you in the new year!

Love,

Denise

I’ve got a super special offer coming in January, too, so be sure to join the notification list, and I’ll send you the details as soon as I can. I’m so excited to work with more amazing leaders in 2021. I know it’s going to be an epic year of simplicity, growth, and peace!

My ebook, Ultimate Recruitment: 65 Ways for Attracting, Onboarding, and Keeping the Best, makes an awesome gift for anyone looking to do a better job of recruitment and retention in 2021. And it’s just $7! Click here to check it out.

And if you are looking for some virtual (and hopefully soon, in-person) inspiration for your team, your organization, or your association in 2021, click here to connect with me and discuss your needs!