HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Happy New Year! The Holidays are a great time for self-reflection. We took a brief pause and found ourselves missing the connection we have with our clients. What our clients bring to us is truly a gift, and I wanted to say, “THANK YOU!”
Always grateful for my time with family, I recognized how thankful I am for clients (always) but especially during this time. Focusing on gratitude took the place of some of the uncomfortable feelings that the Holidays inevitably bring—especially in the midst of a pandemic.
It was in the “busy-ness” of the Holidays and recognizing the necessary social distance between my extended family and me, that I found myself experiencing sadness. I was missing family and friends. I was anxious about how I was going to do everything that I wanted to do for our parents.
Coping with all of these feelings required me to begin looking for things to appreciate right now: in the present moment. And I found myself focusing on my gratitude for my clients.
Most of my clients probably have no idea how much I value what they share with me. Recently, a client told me about receiving a raise at work. She wasn’t expecting it—especially in a time when most companies are tightening their belts and furloughing employees.
I was so happy for her success and gratified that she shared it with me. It wasn’t necessarily something she wanted to share on social media, but it was something she celebrated with me: a gift.
Later, I had a conversation with a prospective client who said it took her a year to muster the courage to reach out to me. Her transparency and willingness to be vulnerable with me was another great gift.
How grateful I was to meet this incredible person who asked to keep me in her back pocket as she considers what she wants to do with her department and as she continues to develop a plan for creating the legacy she wants to leave.
During these past months, when nearly all of our meetings have been virtual, it has been a great gift to connect with my clients who are not reluctant to share their successes, their challenges, and their goals. Allowing me to be a part of what they are sharing and creating has helped me immensely.
Despite the challenges of 2020, I am extremely thankful for the connection with my clients. My world has seemed less lonely. Thank you for trusting me with the good, the bad, and the ugly. Know that your trust is a gift, and one I value greatly.
I also share the good, the bad, and the ugly and strive to be transparent on things like social media and in my blog. So thank you for connecting with me here, in virtual meetings, and over-the-phone. Know that we are not alone. We are connected, and I wanted to thank you for that.
I am looking very forward to connecting with you throughout 2021 and beyond!
Kristin Votta
