As November wraps up, it’s time for my monthly review. Did I stay on course with my plans? Honestly, nope.
And guess what? That’s totally okay.
Life has a way of throwing in unexpected side quests, and this month was no exception.
I signed up for two amazing opportunities that required way more preparation than I anticipated. Add to that a bout of illness and some family and home responsibilities that needed attention, and suddenly, my carefully planned schedule took a backseat.
But here’s the thing: tracking goals and reviewing your progress isn’t about perfection or beating yourself up when life happens. It’s about having a roadmap to help you find your way back when you veer off course.
While my blog posts dropped from four in October to just one in November, for example, the important part is that I know that because I’ve been tracking and comparing my activities to my plan!
Despite the detours, I’m glad I took on those opportunities. Now, I’ve got two different talks prepared, plus signage and materials ready for a table at a live event. These are things I’ve been meaning to tackle, and having them done feels like a win—even if they weren’t originally on my November to-do list.
It was also a great experience to get out to a live event and connect with people in person again. I made some amazing connections and had a lot of fun! Plus, it’s been awhile since I’ve given a talk into a mic, so it felt good to get back into the groove and shake off those nerves with some much-needed practice.
And although this event took me off course from Plan A, it still moved me towards my bigger goals of building community and being seen and known as an expert.
These monthly reviews are my chance to reconnect with my priorities, learn from what worked (and what didn’t), and prepare for the next month. Sometimes, progress looks like forward momentum, and other times, it’s more about lurching towards something awkwardly.
Reflecting now, I’m realizing a huge bonus of taking on this event was spending the day with Trista!
This is WHY it’s important to build community – because you end up with awesome friends who you can do stuff with!
We carpooled from west Toronto to Ajax, and never ran out of things to talk and laugh about.
Having business besties makes having a business way more fun and profitable too!
Anyway, back to monthly reviews—they’re not just about tracking progress, but also about clearing away the mental clutter of wondering how things are going.
They help you bring in fresh energy, tidy up your business activities, and refocus on what truly matters. It’s like hitting the reset button so you can move into the next month with clarity and purpose.
How did your November go? Did you face any side quests that pulled you off track? And more importantly, how are you planning to move forward into December and beyond?
I would LOVE to know more about you and your business and plans!
Feel free to email me anytime at laurajean@laura-jean.ca and let me know.
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Since October 1, I’ve been sharing my Q4 strategy with you, so you can follow along and see what parts might work for your business.
Catch up here:
- My Q4 Business Strategy Revealed! – and you can do it too.
- Building Community and Generating Leads
- How Tracking Metrics Can Transform Your Business
- Trick or Track: Reviewing October to Avoid Spooky Surprises
Thanks for coming along on the journey with me!
*The event that Trista and I were at was the Mix and Mingle with Heart of Networking. This is a lovely community lead by Marlene Marco. They’re based in Pickering so their in-person events are out in that area. Each month there is online networking, and then other workshops online, as well as twice yearly in-person events. I love the community, and it’s one of my favourite places to connect with other entrepreneurs.
