Sharon [00:00:00]:
In this episode of the ADHD Families Podcast, I'm going to go through my year, wrap up. What happened in 2025? What did I do well? What did I suck at? All of the things. It's a very vulnerable episode, but why I'm sharing it with you is because what went well, because success leaves clues. We know that quote, right? And what do we want to pull into next year and what do we want to leave behind? What do we want to say good riddance to in 2025? I'm going to do the for business and also my personal life, and it's going to be a bit vulnerable. So bear with me if I get a little bit wobbly in this episode. Let's get to it now. At the end of the year, it is really common for any sort of networking groups or business groups that we do this end of year reflection. And it's a common practice for a lot of us. But I do it a little bit differently. I don't want it to be about pressure or performance. I also don't want it to be a highlight reel of look at all the cool things I did this year. It's not really those things for all me. For me, it is a discernment exercise. I'm working out what worked and what didn't work. What I am looking for is to clues as to what I want the next year to be like. Because I know that if I don't sit down and actually reflect on how the year has been, I will just keep going without intentional strategy, looking at what works, what doesn't work, and then pulling it across into the next year. So if we go into our business reflections, so what happened for the functional family? What I break it down into three different categories. So what I've loved, what I've learned, and what I'm letting go of, this is how my structure for really quick reflection helps me get the data that I need to to be able to decide on what I'm carrying forward into 2026. So what have I loved? So firstly, I love my job. I really do. I think it comes across in all the work that I do. It feels aligned for me. I know that some people say to me, oh, but you like, you leave it too. Like, you turn around and you support your family with the very same thing that you're supporting other families with. But for me, it doesn't feel heavy. It actually just feels very purp, very aligned. It's actually the highlight of my day to be able to get those aha moments for My clients. I think I'm a little bit addicted to it. I think when something just clicks into gear for one of the families that I work with just lights me up and it can make my day and so it doesn't feel heavy for me. So I've loved that, that the work has felt aligned. I've also loved that I got my pcc. So when we're talking about ADHD coaching credentialing, we definitely want ADHD coaches to have done the right ADHD specific training. If you're ever unsure of that, email me at hello, the Functionalfamily.com and I will check out your coach and make sure that they have done it. And also we have different levels of credentialing so you can be in training or ACC or PCC or mcc. It goes up in terms of you have to do exams and submit recordings and get mentoring and all of those things with the International Coaching Federation. And I got my PCC this year, which was, I got it early in the year even though I've done families coaching. That's a different elective, which we want our families coaches that work with families or kids to have done that. PCC was about getting 500 hours of one to one coaching, so I got that this year and what it enabled me to do was to mentor other coaches and that has been just one of the highlights of the year. I've really enjoyed mentoring other ADHD coaches because I've been able to support them and just to save them so much time and effort and also make sure that they are getting what they need from ADHD coaching and supporting their clients in the best way that suits them. And it's lovely seeing each coach has their own individual style. Obviously we're working within the ADHD coaching and ICF frameworks, but it's so lovely seeing what different coaches can bring to the table. So even if you tried another coach before, I recommend if you decided that it's not for you, I'd recommend going back again and having another go with another coach because everyone has such an individual style. It's been really interesting learning that. Obviously what I've loved is connecting with my beautiful clients. Oh my gosh. I feel so lucky that I get to work with such amazing families. Like the people who come to work with me are usually overwhelmed and they might be a bit exhausted, but they're also very. They love their kids fiercely and they are ready to do what it takes to make real changes to their family life. It is absolute honor to spend time with these Beautiful humans. What I've also loved is that I've really learned that the functional family. What my business has is something really special. No one else has it. It is very pract, cool and strategy focused and it gets real results. So when we're looking at this, like, I want you to think of things that feel light when we're talking about what we've loved. Energy is data. If something feels light, easy, enjoyable for you, that's data. We want to pay attention to where it flowed easily. So perhaps when we're looking at what you've loved, if you've loved something, if it's felt easy, then that is good data. You are going in the right direction. Next up, what have I learned? Oh, man, I feel like I've learned a lot this year. Like, I know I just gave you the highlights, but I've also stuffed a lot of stuff up this year. I've made some terrible financial decisions from the business. Just I have learned a lot. So biggest lesson that I'm learning this year is people don't need any more ADHD content. We're getting a lot on Instagram, TikTok. Whether it's right or not, we're getting a lot of content about adhd. What we don't need is more of that. What we do need is clear action. Especially if you're in that state of overwhelm. We need step by step action, steps that feel aligned for your family. We need to put you in the driver's seat to know what is the right action to take at the right time. Next. I have learned that my boundaries made my business stronger. I have always been a little bit of a yes person. It comes from being entrepreneurial and being very passionate about what I do and knowing that I have things that can help people. And now, as I'm getting busier and I'm getting more confident in what I'm doing, I am finding I am staying no a lot more. Because every time I say yes to something, I am saying no to something else. When you say yes to something, you are saying no to something else. So be careful what you say yes to. Remember what yes feels like when you say yes to something. Whether it be social engagement, an extra commitment, a work project or whatever. You should be able to feel it in your body. It should make you feel good. And I was doing a lot of saying yes as a future Sharon would have all this capacity, capacity. But the chances are that like future Sharon has just as much capacity as today Sharon and I should stop doing that. I should Stop assuming that I'm going to have a lot more time in the future. So my boundaries about what I say yes to. The game has gotten stronger this year, and I've learned that it absolutely needs to be. I need to be very careful about that. I have pretty much worked seven days a week, every week this year, haven't given myself proper breaks. So I definitely don't recommend doing that. It has come at a cost. I've learned that I must know the business finance data. Obviously, I started the functional family as a hobby. Like, I just wanted to help people. For the first five years of running the business, I didn't draw a wage. I didn't get paid. In fact, our family paid for it. I really didn't know because I have some things around numbers. Like, my brain just doesn't take numbers in my maths, doesn't matter. So I really didn't know. And I avoided knowing what my business's financials were. And so now, this year, making decisions from a point of knowledge rather than just guessing and hoping it'll be all right. So in 2026, you will see me. You won't see me, but you'll hear me. Knowing the finances a lot more. I factored time in for that every week, understanding what it is so I can actually be paid and to run it in a sustainable way. I also wanted to say that, that sustainability, when you're, you know, starting a business or you're running your own business, and I'm sure that everyone with their own business would understand this, that sustainability beats speed every time. So how fast you grow, and we've seen a lot of growth this year. It needs a sustainable pace. We can't grow without having the right system structure, knowing the finances, all of those things. Just because someone's got 30 billion followers on Instagram doesn't mean that they're killing it. Okay? So we need to make sure that whatever we're building is sustainable because otherwise it won't have longevity. And that's what I've learned in this year of business. The next thing I've learned is that action, even if it's imperfect action, triumphs mindset every time. I'm going to say it again. Action, even imperfect action, triumphs, triumphs. Mindset every time. I like everything to be just so, to be right, to be as perfect as it can be. I don't think I'm a perfectionist, but I like it to be good. I obviously want to get the best outcome for my clients, and I really want everything to be as good as it can be. But even imperfect action triumphs mindset. So it's better. Those who really succeed in business just keep taking action. Even if they decide later that that's not the right action, they will eventually hit on something that drives them forward. So what I don't want to do is just wait for my mindset or wait for it to be. Wait for me to be confident or to feel like doing the thing, or to just talk about doing the thing but not actually taking action. I think this applies to our family's work as well. Action, even imperfect action, triumphs mindset every time. We don't need to wait till we have the right mindset to take action. Sometimes it's better to just do the thing. That's one of the things that I notice in the business world that those who really just get in there and have a go and just take some action and then refine it, it tends to work out better than those who are paralyzed and don't actually do the thing. Because you can always course correct, you can always change, you can kill offers, you can create new ones you can do. But you're always learning and you learn the most from action. And feel like sometimes I've played it too safe. I've waited a lot for, for me to get every. All my ducks in a row before I've taken action. And I just don't. I don't think it's a good strategy. Next thing I've learned is that team is hard. I've got a very, very great, a great team now. Like I can't do all of this on my own. And I want to thank my team so their support. This year I've had a lot of staff think that I've been trying to find the right fit for the right position. And it's been really challenging for me this year because it's such a unique role. It's been really hard for me to manage staff and to find the right people, the right seat, be able to generate enough income to support these people. And I don't. I really value my team members and I need them to be the best that they can be to support my clients in the best way. And team is just hard leading on from that. I know that my biggest barrier in business is emails. Emails are my downfall. I get about 300 a day. I get stuck in there. It stops me from doing the bigger project work, it stops me from creating, it stops me from showing up. It's the biggest downfall I have. So being able to handle Element over to someone so they can manage me and get me out of my inbox is a real gift. And that is something that I definitely learned this year. That I can't handle the amount of emails that we get and how much time and energy it sucks up for me. So I've had to put some boundaries around that, that for myself as well. The other thing that I've learned this year is I really placed a lot of hope when I got overwhelmed in the business. So I know my pattern. When I get overwhelmed, I start like scanning around for other people to help me in the business. So it might be like scanning around to start new projects to do things better. And there's no one else that knows this business better than I do. And I've had to stand in that, in that power. Because when I get overwhelmed, I know I start searching for someone. Like it's like, please help me. Someone else, someone else fix this. Right? Because it's getting a bit too. Especially when you're working seven days a week and you don't have any space from the business and you completely overloaded, it's easier to feel like everyone else has a magic solution for the business. And I've just stuffed that up this year. Even though the people that I've worked with have been awesome at their job, they just haven't known the business as well as I do. So what am I letting go of in the business? Number one, I'm not letting go of booking myself to my eyeballs. Guys like, I cannot work seven days a week. It's not sustainable. And so too with the second half of this year, I'm really trying to scale that back. Making reactive decisions instead of looking at strategy and forward planning. Just like what I do with my family life, I hadn't carried that across to the functional family. I'm also letting go of trying to be everything to everyone. I know I've got tools that can help everyone, but I'm really niching down into parents of primary school age children. I want to focus in on that particular niche. I think it is the part where make the most impact. I think it's where I can put the most confidence and have the best outcomes for families. So I want to really niche down into that this next year. I wanted to also say that letting go isn't loss. What you're letting go of isn't loss. It's actually about creating capacity because you can do anything like you're an amazing human, but you can't do everything. Letting go of things, even Though it can feel hard, is about creating capacity. Okay, let's go on to personal reflections now. So what I've loved. So this year I've had a huge in line with my 2025 goals. I've really prioritized looking after my health. Health comes first. For those of you that know I have psoriatic arthritis and I have chronic pain and all of the things like, it's a very complicated world I live in. You know, the outcomes of that, because it's a degenerative condition, are very bleak. And this year I have trialed different medications and finally hit on something that works the biologic. It's been really incredible and really hit on something that has allowed me to have more mobility and bit more hope for the future. Also, I've prioritized walking every day. I have lost 17 kilos. I also have made some really good strides in health and I've had multiple surgeries this year, uncovered some things that were causing lots of pain and been able to rectify them. So, so happy about that. And a lot of that has been advocating for myself very strongly. Like going into like the best people in Australia and going, I know something's wrong, you need to look again. And then being validated from it. Because I knew my body well enough, I've been able to make some really good strides and it's really paid off. When I was setting my 2025 goals, one of my thing was to travel more because I'm an adventurer at heart. Like after school, I moved over to London by myself and traveled the whole of Europe by myself. I lived over there for like four years. I'm an adventurer and I love solitude. Taking that away from me really took apart like a shiny glimmer out of my life. And feeling trapped. I always felt like now we built our beautiful house, but it was a little bit like a golden cage, a gold cage. Because of my illness, I just feel like I couldn't book things in and I hate letting people down. So I felt like if I booked things in and I had to cancel, then I would be letting people down and it would just be more evidence that I couldn't do those things. So in 2024, when I was setting my 2025 goals, I just booked stuff in anyway. I was like, okay, this is going to be the year that we let go. I just booked crap in, booking it all in. So I had like went to multiple conferences. I went to Bali with the, with my extended family. I did lots and lots of travel. We went down to Naruma until we're like, I'm in love with the far south coast guys. Like, not only because they have oysters, but because it's just stunning. Like, I'm obsessed with the show River Cottage and we went and stayed in the actual Airbnb. So some of these things, I was in incredible pain and it wasn't exactly like, what I would wish for, but I got to go. I got to go. I got to do the thing. And every time I went, even though some of it was uncomfortable, it was building reps and building confidence in me that I can do the thing. So I was being able to travel and see the world and honor that adventurous side of me. What I've learned Sleep is everything. And it is my hardest thing. It is my hardest thing. I have insomnia. I find it very hard to wind down an evening. So I've taken different measures this year to manage that. I don't think perimenopause is helping with this at all. All but this year I stopped working nights. What I would do before is I would put the kids to bed and then I would present. So now I'm doing that very rarely. I've moved a lot of my stuff to the day number one, because my brain is better in the day. It really is. You're not seeing the best version of me in the evenings, so I'm really limiting that a little bit more. I'm prioritizing sleep. I'm getting. I've locked my phone out. I'm using the app like I'm using the Opal app at the moment. Or I was using Jomo before and just locking myself out of social media and focusing on reading books and really trying to wind my nervous system down to sleep, which has been very interesting. I've been tracking my sleep data on my aura ring and turns out like even one glass of wine. Like Anthony and I aren't really big drinkers. But even one glass of wine can stuff everything up. If I have one glass of wine or one alcoholic drink, my sleeves crap. So I've got the data on it so now I can make informed choices about it. I have learned that I need more me time. I need stuff that isn't ADHD related. I need stuff that is is lighter and fun and completely out of my realm. Like, I love ADHD stuff. I love networking. I love entrepreneurial stuff. I love building the business. But I need stuff that is neutral to that or that's different to that. So this year in 2026, I have booked into Do Pottery. I was talking to one of my best friends about it. I was like, what if we are amazing at pottery? What if we are like the best? Like, what if we are amazing at it? Like, we are truly gifted and we just don't know it because we haven't tried it. So I think we should try. She's like, I'm bored. She's like, let's do it. The chances of that very small. But you just never know. You could have a hidden skill that you like that you haven't tried yet. I learned that I need more me time, need more hobbies that are outside of work. Walking is sanity. I mentioned before that walking is really important. And also what something I've learned is that we really teach people how to treat us. It's up to us. It's not up to someone else to always offer, but we need to teach people how we want to be treated. So that's sometimes calling it out a little bit with and really saying and really being quite clear about what you need from the people around you. So that's something that I've definitely learned a little more this year. And then what I'm letting go of personally carrying the invisible load silently. So I think a lot of moms do this. We carry so much, such a heavy amount of invisible load and we do it silently. Like we just, we just get in there and get it done because it's too hard to explain it to someone else and then to take it on. So in 20, 26 weeks, I'm coming out with a new offer which is going to be called the ADHD Family Quest. And we are really going to be making some of that invisible load visible and focus on building executive function skills to get the whole family working together. And we're going to really be looking at that so that one party or whoever that primary caregiver is isn't carrying such a huge amount of invisible load. And so I'll put a link to the in the show notes if you'd like to join our free training week for that. We're going to be doing free carer training. Going to be prizes and workbooks and action steps for every day. It's going to be super cool. So I'll put a link to that. So that's I'm letting go of carrying the invisible load silently. I'm making sure that I ask for what I need and then pushing through when my body is asking for a pause. So much of this year I have tried to push through when my body has been screaming no, I'm definitely building in. When I'm looking at my calendar for 2026, I'm definitely building in more buffer, more downtime. If I have an event, I'm building in a couple of days downtime after it because I think think I've definitely tried to push through way too much this year. And also the big thing that I'm taking away from 2025 is standing in my power. I'm really confident in my abilities now. So I've been doing this since 2018, so it's a good whack of time. I know I've got things that are unique and I know that I've got things that really work for family. So I'm getting more confident to be able to stand in it and just go, no, like, like I know what I'm doing. Like, I've got reps on the board, runs on the board, and I don't need to shy away from that anymore anymore. So being able to stand in, that has been really good. So I always ask my members to choose a word and now they don't. You don't have to do that. You might have a few words and if it doesn't feel aligned to you, you definitely don't have to do it. But my word for 2026 is faith. For me, it's about being more intentional with my actions. And you might have heard that coming through as a bit of a theme in this wrap up. So being very intentional about my time, my actions, and knowing what my most important tasks are and taking action on those important tasks. I also want to implement little upgrades, whether that be, you know, for you, it might be getting cleaner or going, getting a massage or something like that. Little. I'm implementing lots of little upgrades to just support me, to just to elevate my life just a little bit. And then also I'm having a cleaner structure to the week that supports real life. At the end of the day, I've got three beautiful kids that are still very much at the stage that need my. My support and need to have also to support myself and also my kids and my two dogs and my cat. Having a really clean structure that is very intentional. It's also very real life focused is going to be a very key factor of taking that intentional action to create a spacious life this year. So I want to close out by saying, you don't need to become someone new next year. You're already great. I'm taking this as a word to myself as well. What we just need is to upgrade what we're currently doing. If it's working, then you don't need to do nothing. You can just sit and celebrate that. And we don't also don't need to do everything all at once. But success leaves clues. So what's working? We pull that over and what's not working, then we just direct our attention to that one. So you need to decide what's worth continuing for 2026. Look at your energy. What drains you is information. If it drains you, that's really good information. That you need some support around it, or you need to cull it, or you need to delegate it, or you need some scaffolding systems around it. What sustains you? That's good wisdom, right? What helps you, what buys you capacity, what lights you up, what are the glimmers in your life? This is great information to support you as you go through 2026. Thank you for being with me and hearing my wrap up for today 2026 for business and personal and for letting me be so vulnerable and honest with you about the parts that are working and not working in my life. I hope you have the absolute best 2026 possible. I'll drop a link to all those things mentioned in the show notes. I am so glad you are here and I'm so, so happy that you're listening to this podcast and sharing your time with me. Because as you might have heard in this reflection, I care. I genuinely care about all the things families that I am lucky enough to be able to serve. I genuinely want 2026 to be the best possible for you. Thank you for listening to this episode of the ADHD Families Podcast. If you loved it, please share it on your socials. I want this to start a conversation about adhd. If you want to make this mum do a little happy dance, please leave a review on itunes. If you would like to know more about what we do, check out thefunctionalfamily. Com. I truly hope that you enjoyed this podcast and you use it to create a wonderful, effective, joyful life with your beautiful children.
