Hey, welcome to the Summit Host Hangout Podcast where you'll learn how to host a high converting virtual summit that leads to your biggest signature offer launch yet. I'm your host, Krista from Summit in a Box, and today in Episode 209, we're doing something a little different. This episode isn't coming out until late January, so like 2023 goals are going to be old news for everyone by then, but I'm recording, well, I outlined this in late December and then didn't have time to record. So I'm recording my first day back in January. So it's still relevant for me. I started outlining this episode once in like early January and got all like impostory and weird feeling about it and deleted it, but I am here to share some of the biggest things I'm stepping into and leaving behind this year, and I started feeling weird the first time I outlined this for a couple reasons. First is a lot of these things are only on my goal list because of other people, so generally, the things we'll cover are things I learned or heard or saw modeled by someone else. And number two, these are goals. Like I'm not I'm used to talking about things that I'm a quote unquote expert in on here, and I've historically been really bad at the things I'm going to be talking about starting today. So those two things came together to make me toss my first outline in the virtual trash, but here's why I'm back:
First, I need accountability. So in putting these things out there, I'm gonna have a pretty decent number of people who know what I'm working towards, and my hope is that I'll use that as little extra motivation. And maybe I'll even come back at the end of the year and recap how it went, if I think to do so, if it's not super embarrassing, and I have to be like, didn't do any of it, but we'll see about that. I also hope it will inspire anyone who works like me, like go, go, go to do some of the things I'm going to talk about doing because some of us work too dang hard. And we don't need to. Another reason I decided to do it is because you all loved the last more personal type episode I did, I just got another message about it from someone this morning, say how much they loved it and they had tears in their eyes while they were listening, and oh my gosh, it meant the world to me. So I'm going to see if I can do more of those types of episodes here and there. And I also like decided to do it because I can just give the people a shout out that I learned these things from so easy peasy. I can't use that as an excuse, so let's do it. I'll also just add a disclaimer that this is going to be a very imperfect episode, I have a cat on my lap. I have my daughter in my husband's office behind me listening to the Zombies soundtrack loudly and howling occasionally. She'll probably come barging on at some point. But I am several weeks late and getting this episode recorded. So we're just gonna go with it. Imperfect Action, right.
So let's start here by talking about what inspired me to set these kinds of goals, because I've never done anything like this before. And most of us, I think, get the urge to start doing some kind of goal setting in early December, right, that's definitely me for the most part. But early December in 2022 had me in a position where I was in the middle of launching my own Summit, and in a higher pressure part of producing a client Summit. So planning launches and how I was going to make money and all of that just sounded terrible, not at all interested not going to happen. And around that time, I also saw a live video on Instagram from Jordan Gill of Systems Saved Me, who was amazing, by the way. She was sharing the things she was leaving behind and stepping into and 2023, and I was so inspired by the types of things she included in there. All things that would support her and her team and her business and her people so well and not necessarily add a million things to her to do list like my goals normally do. Usually I'm like launch this thing here, make this there do this, you know, like it's just adding, adding, adding, instead of just making what we already have better.
Then I reached out to my coach Kaitlyn Kessler, who is an absolute gem, and I shared how I was feeling about goal setting and asked what she usually does. And she shared that she usually thinks more about what she wants it to feel like and what she wants to embody and much love to embrace and let go of to make what she wants happen. Again, rather than planning launches and things like that. And she gave me some questions to work through, and here we are. So I have pages and pages and pages of notes, but I'm going to share three things I'm leaving behind, and three things I'm stepping into this year. And just a note, I'm going to talk about these things as if they're for sure happening, but I will definitely have to work for it. Okay, like I said, I have been terrible at all of this in my first seven plus years in business, so we have some work to do. And let me know on like Instagram, if you're in the same boat of any of them, we can at least like laugh at ourselves together or something like that. So let's start with the three things I'm letting go of.
The first thing and the biggest thing and the thing that's most important to me in my life is just the constant hustle. And this one is going to be hard for me, but I want it so badly for myself, for my team, for my family. Every time I come up with like this grand idea, I'm so excited and like, oh my gosh, we have to do this like tomorrow, and then by the end, I'm like, I'm never doing that to myself again. Not necessarily the type of project, but just how I go about it like, I want to do it fast. Like, I tend to like be extra and overcomplicate things because I want it all to be perfect and have all the bells and whistles. Like I said, I condense the timeline, or I say yes to too many things on top of that thing. And then in the end, my to do list is just jam packed, and I'm working nights and weekends, my team's tasks are overflowing, and it's just not how I want things to feel, right. Like, I generally have a lot of fun in business, but I don't want it to just feel like I'm constantly hustling and scrambling. And this also goes along with how task driven I am, every second of the day. And this is my first day back from break, and I already feel myself slipping back into this, like being so task driven. And I think that has a part to play in why I get myself into these situations. If I looked at my to do list for a day, or a week or a month, and I'm like, hey, I could fit more stuff in there, I do. I don't just like use that time to rest or reflect or make things we already have better or anything like that. Like I don't know how to have whitespace. I don't know how to do it, I never do. So all I do all day every day is move from task to task. And I am starting to see how it's not letting me be quite the business owner I want to be and create quite the business that I want to have. I have a great business, but I'm determined to make some changes, which we'll get to here. So yeah, the first thing I'm letting go of is the constant task-based hustle, with no time to rest or think or be creative, and this one is going to be really hard for me, but I really want to do it.
The next thing kind of goes right along with that, and that's working on Saturdays, I really want to let go of that. So after my youngest was born, she's a year and a half now, I didn't want to send her to daycare or anything like that. So I started the early morning, naptime and weekend hustle. So, that meant the only time I could ever work during the week for more than like an hour. Well, the only time ever, I could work for more than just a little bit at a time was on Saturdays when my husband was off work, and I needed those Saturdays. I looked forward to them every single week as a chance to be able to really dig into something and honestly just get a break from constantly switching between mom, work, mom, work, and always trying to think about the other one that I'm doing, you know the the opposite thing. And since then, we've gone through a few different childcare situations with like high schoolers coming in for 10 hours per week over the summer to a friend of ours who comes with her kids for 16 hours per week right now. And between that, the work time I get in before the girls wake up in the morning, and then the work I can do while the little one is napping, I don't want to need those Saturdays anymore. And that was really just proven to be even more of a desire for me after this holiday break where I had a week and a half off to just be with my family, and I remembered how much I love it and how fun it is. Oh my gosh, I want more of that. Like I want those Saturdays. I want to be able to go have little family adventures or just hanging out with all of us together. We don't get that on weeknights when we're running around to activities, or trying to get supper made, and baths done, and the house clean and all that, and we don't get it on Sundays because we're at church most of the day. So I want that time on Saturday mornings for us to be together, and even though that is a big desire of mine, I'm also trying to be realistic about it. We are losing our current childcare at the end of February, and I don't have a full backup plan yet. So those Saturdays might have to come back, but dang it, I'm gonna take a break for a couple months until then. And if I do have to start them back up, even if it's just for my sanity, without having consistent childcare, I'm going to start them with the intention that it's a temporary thing. So that's the working Saturdays is the second thing I'm going to get let go of.
The third thing I want to let go of is feeling like I'm bothering people by showing up and worrying about what they think, and please tell me I'm not the only one here. I can get so up in my head before I do something like posting Instagram stories or post in the Facebook group. Like those are two of my main places that I have to connect with people, but the stuff my mind puts me through every time I go to post, like on stories, it's like everyone's gonna hate this. I think it's dumb or unfollow or whatever. And in my Facebook group, it's there going to be someone note that I'm posting or I'm going to make someone mad all of this stuff. Why? Why? This is something I've worked on with my coach, Kaitlyn, and if you feel like this a lot, too. She has an episode of our podcast that is perfect. The podcast is called Effortless, and the episode I'm talking about was published on October 10 2022, and it's called How to Step Into More Thought Leadership without Feeling Annoying, which is perfect. But overall, I just need to stop. If someone doesn't like it when I post on stories, they wouldn't be there, right? Or they'll show themselves to the unfollow button and it's no big deal, right? Same with my Facebook group. I know people don't necessarily join that group for me. They're just looking for a group about summits or it's suggested to them, but it is my group and I know I can serve them darn well on their summit hosting journey, and even more, so if I show up. So, overall, I know I'm doing people a disservice when I don't show up versus when I do, so I want to let go of that from here on out, I'm gonna show up confidently and let it filter out the people who make their way into my world without actually wanting to hear from me because they don't need to be there, right? So might as well make it quick and, and share with others who do want to hear from me in the process. So those are the things I'm letting go of.
Let's move right into the things I am stepping into. Now the first couple kind of have a theme and of course tie back to what I said I'm letting go of, but the first thing I'm stepping into, really want to step into, is giving myself the time and space to think. I don't give myself this time right now. I am someone who has all of their ideas either like in the car or the shower, because that's truly the only time I'm ever just with my thoughts. If I'm at my desk, I'm working on tasks, if I'm away from my desk, I'm doing mom stuff, but also probably still working my way through a task, even though I can't actually do it without being at my desk, I do have a recurring task once per month on the first of the month, where I'm supposed to review numbers and how things have gone and do some reflecting, but literally all I do is go grab the numbers as quickly as possible, post an update for my team and move on to the next thing. I literally do not give myself space and time to think or brainstorm or problem solve. It's all just action. And then I had this realization when I was talking to Kaitlyn, a couple of weeks ago, where there was an idea that I heard someone else bring up on their podcast that was making me doubt how I was doing something. We were talking through it, and I said to her, I know I can figure it out, I just need to think about it, but I don't give myself that time. And she paused our conversation to point that out, and it was so eye opening for me. There are so many things I could improve and change if I literally just gave myself time to think about it. So that's gonna start to happen.
Like one of the things I thought about over break, again, talking through it with Kaitlyn was that like, our funnel is garbage compared to the experience I want to create for people and the experience we do create for our students and clients. Like if someone signs up for one of our freebies right now, as of early January 2023, they get no idea of the experience. It's like, here's this quick, simple freebie, and you get put into this email funnel, and there's no touch points or anything like that. That is not how our brand works. That is not how our clients and students get treated, we give good stuff. And I didn't, I didn't realize that or think about it as a problem until over break when I wasn't supposed to be working, I was like, we can do so much more to give people a much better experience from the time they the the first time they meet us, and it will be fun to do. I just don't give myself time to think about that kind of stuff. So I haven't made myself a schedule or anything like that quite yet. Because today, we actually, as of recording this, opened registration for our client's summit, so it has been more of a hassle day to day. So I haven't made myself a schedule or anything quite yet, but I want to add a time block every single week that's literally just thinking. Thinking through different things. I know some people who take a whole day per week for this, I might start with like an hour or two blocks so I don't either lose my mind or get anxious about not doing anything, you know, gotta start somewhere. But even that is going to be a game changer. If I can stick with it if I give myself time to think and brainstorm and problem solve. So stepping into that is one of the biggest priorities I have in 2023.
I am also stepping into taking time off. And this realization came also from a conversation I was having with Kaitlyn on one of those days, where I just felt like I was set up to fail. Which in hindsight is always really silly, because I know I didn't get this far on accident, and when I look at our numbers, everything is fine, but it was just one of those days. And I said to her that I felt like it would be easier to go find a six figure job than to keep up the numbers I'm having to hit in my business to pay myself and my team. I even talked to my husband about it. Like I was just wore down and in a bad headspace and she stopped me kind of laughing and pointed out that I had basically just stated that it sounded easier to me to go like a six figure salary job then to just take a break, which was a really big wake up call. And then I realized that I hadn't taken any time off since March of 2022. Like I've maybe taken and maybe took two weekends off last year. And I you know, that's as of December when I finally took a holiday break. We know that's not healthy for people to be worked that hard and traditional jobs right? If it were one of my employees, I would like change their passwords and be like you're taking a break. Why do I think it's okay to work myself like that? So long story short, I am building in breaks. The first thing I did when I started my 2023 planning was to go block off an entire week, each quarter where I am going to be off. I'm not going to work, and whether we go on a little family trip or do something as a family or I sit and crochet during my normal work time, I am taking a break. At least one week per quarter. I owe it to myself, to my team, to my family, and all of our clients to be able to take that time off to disconnect so I can show up stronger and excited and get that Monday excitement back that I used to feel. You can't have Monday excitement when you never give yourself time off, so I'm really excited to start feeling that again, like I do today, after having, you know, a little bit of a break. And really, those two are the biggest for me, I need to give myself space, what I've been doing is not healthy, so hold me to it, okay.
Next thing is more business type related, and that's just owning how awesome our offers are. I'm gonna toot my own horn here for a minute. We have the best virtual summit related offers in the industry. And I'll be honest, I don't know what anyone else is offering, and I don't want to. My team keeps an eye on some people who get a little too inspired. But I don't. It's not my job. But there is zero doubt in my mind that we have the best resources out there, the level of thought and care and detail that goes into every training and template, there's a template for literally everything. And the level of support we give our accelerator clients isn't matched. It's just not. No one else cares that much. And I've been not operating as if that were true. Like, I feel weird when I talk about our offers, especially on here. And I've talked started talking about the Accelerator a bit more here and there with some pushes from Kaitlyn. But I know that program is the best way we can help people. I know that for a fact, and I need to start sharing it more. And I don't know how yet, I'll figure it out. In the time I'm gonna give myself to think I'm gonna figure that out, but we'll get there.
So that's that in 2023. I'm going to stop the constant hustle, stop working Saturdays and stop feeling like I'm bothering people by showing up and I'm going to start giving myself time to think taking time off and owning how incredible our offers are. And also this episode feels like one big ad for Kaitlyn but she's frickin amazing. If you're more of a tasks and systems based person who could use a little or lots of ease and not-to-woo mindset coaching in your life. Do yourself a favor and check her out. She's at Kaitlyn S Kessler on Instagram. Her stories are amazing. Her podcast is amazing. You're welcome. Go check her out. But thank you so much for tuning into this episode. Let me know if you liked it and For show notes and resources links to Kaitlyn all that stuff. Head to summithosthangout.com/209. Now go ahead and take action to plan, strategize, and launch your high converting virtual summit.
