I can definitely say that 2018 was certainly the year of learning for me. I think I learned something new in just about every corner of my life. I made a deliberate choice to learn certain things, like how to build machine learning models or how make chili pepper infused dates. Other things I learned because relying on someone else’s knowledge didn’t work out so well, like running payroll and navigating the complexities of the Dutch business codes.

The past year was also full of learning moments related to people. With so many transitions this year, there was more than enough educational moments in this area.

I am standing here, 9 days into the new year, looking at the finally sleeping pets and asking myself what I will do differently? I am still answering that question. I like to think of it as an elastic question, one that I can come back to and update.

One of the things I have decided to do is write more offline. Since starting my own little company, I have used far more paper and pen. It gives me room to think. It also connects the idea with the strategy and the action required very completely if it makes it all the way through to the To Do list. This also has been helped by the amazing amount of available notebooks I found when I was unpacking the office. 😉

I’ve decided to go to more movies. Netflix makes it too easy to stop going. With an independent filmhouse 150 meters from our front door, it doesn’t get any easier. This part of my initiative to get better at leading a full life and not feeling guilty if I am not spending every hour of the day on the company.

However, Netflix also brought us two evenings of “I love to tidy” inspiration/intimidation and GG and I were both inspired to get rid of even more stuff. We have discovered that we have different Marie Kondo timezones. I am much better in the early morning with sorting through my batch and she is much better in the evening. Yesterday morning, I started at 630. Of course, by around 2 PM I was ready for a nap!

As much as I hate to disturb the hardwon peace around here, I think I am going to wake up the boys and take them for a drag. It’s sunny today and in sharp contrast to the high winds of yesterday, two little dogs should be able to keep all four feet on the ground today. 🙂