2014 In Review: A Look Back To The Year That Was

It’s the last day of 2014, and before I get really busy in the kitchen, I just want to sit here and write a short entry.  Call it my last hurrah for 2014.  It’s been an awesome year, and I am grateful.

Let’s see…

Both my major goals panned out.  I’m sitting comfortably in my office while I write this, and the thrill of having a professionally designed blog has not diminished.

The minor ones also came to fruition, although not all of them were accomplished 100%.

Here’s a rundown:

Finish three online courses – I only got to finish one.  Barely. It was like learning a foreign language, and the degree of difficulty is like a climb up Mt. Everest. I set out with a goal of finishing it with distinction (a 90% rating) and I fell flat on my face with a dismal 86%.  As a consolation, I just tell myself that it was what I deserved for studying in a moving car for the whole duration of the course.  I was taking on too many projects at that time, and the only time I could study has been on the car ride to the grocery.

Re-structure our homeschool – We’ve decided not to enroll this year, and go independent.  We’re totally interest-led now, although I have downloaded the K-12 curriculum of DepEd and refer to it from time to time, just to make sure that the kids will be prepared for the PEPT when the time comes.  The husband is also more involved now, since he no longer leaves home to work.  The freedom of being interest-led has paved the way for the kids to pursue what they really want.  Bea finished a Basic Chinese course online, and is now into coding.  Jude, at nine, has his eyes set on NASA.  So these parents need to hustle.

Buy a piano – Our kids learned to play using a Casio keyboard, and our piano teacher advised us to invest on a real piano, or a digital one with weighted keys.  We settled for a digital one. Our house is too small to accommodate even an upright piano.  This is a good thing, as not only are the kids getting the required training, but us adults get motivated to learn, too.

Learn something new – I learned how to crochet, yey!  And I’m hooked, pun intended.  🙂

Write a coaching module – Finished the structure and all the points, but still need to improve on it.  This goal will spill over to 2015.  It has become a challenge to finish, because it is no longer just about my niche.  It started off with just virtual assistance, but it evolved to a module on home-based business set up in general.  Blame Prof. Ed Hess!  His Grow to Greatness courses really inspired me to just go for it.

Add income streams – I was able to set up an internet/affiliate marketing site this year, which I hope to launch sometime in January.  The site has been professionally-designed, too, so I’m very excited to have it live. I’ve been dreaming of having such a site for years now, since my very first client as a VA has been an internet marketer.  I learned so much about the niche that I’ve been wanting to put the knowledge I gained into practice.  The real push came when I stumbled into Mindware Toys.  I started to set up the site with just KEVA in mind, but just like the coaching module, it evolved into something more.

With the site still on maintenance mode, I was able to get in a few dollars of income, so my motivation to work on it just increased a hundred-fold.

The year has not been all rosy.  There were trying times, but we pulled through.

My husband losing his job. Glenda. That very recent scary accident.  And being torn between doing mainstream blogging, versus simply focusing on my niche.  Husband’s seven-month hiatus made the decision for me.  I had to focus on the income-generating activities to support the family, plus the fact that our firstborn will be in college next year.  I just can’t afford to lose my footing on what I do best, which is virtual assistance.  The writing will be my respite.

The last quarter of 2014 proved to be pivotal.  My husband finally debuted as a WAHD, and it was also during this period that I fully embraced collaborative work.  Finally came out of my shell, so to speak.

And this is the part that I get cheesy.

Truly grateful for the friendship of The Techie Mom and Martine de Luna, for it has been with them that I have worked with the most.  Then came Artique, Manila Workshops, Mrs C’s Sugarcoated Life, Fancy Girl Design Studio, and the latest is with Chasing Dreams.

Looking forward to more projects with these fabulous ladies next year, as working with them has proven to be professionally gratifying, and personally enriching.

Just as I did this year, I’ll hit the ground running this coming 2015.

A re-designed business site, an affiliate marketing site, officially making e-commerce set up as an added service offering, domain and hosting services, a series of webinars with Manila Workshops, virtual assistance workshops with the Make It Blissful and Manila Workshops tandem, home-based business set up coaching, and hopefully, the launch my hubby’s site, too.

A lot in the works, and so I’m claiming my one word for 2015 to be… DISCIPLINE, because at the core of all these lies my true purpose, that of being a MOM, above all else.

Have an awesome New Year!

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