At the start of 2019, I set myself the goal of sharing the story of a person who inspired me in 2018, each week in January. The aim is to give everyone who reads this blog some motivation, inspiration and of course tips as we all start working toward our own New Year goals. So far, so good. It’s the third week of January and this is my third post. My first post was an amazing story of overcoming the odds. And last week’s was about passion and using positive energy and phraseology in relation to ourselves and our goals.

This week you get a 2-4-1 special, as I’ll be writing about 2 women in my life who I am proud to call friends.

First up is JJ who has been renting in London for 12 years, if you include her time at university. About 3 years ago, she set herself the goal of owning property in London. Those of us who live in London know what an aspirational goal that is. Property prices have been skyrocketing, making it difficult to get a foothold on the property ladder. It’s difficult for couples doing it together. It’s difficult for those with access to the bank of mum and dad. But, as you can imagine, it’s especially difficult for singletons, raising the deposit on their own – which JJ was.

In 2018, she finally did it. She bought a 2-bedroomed slice of paradise … all by herself. She didn’t keep waiting for the stars to align, to meet the right person to buy property with, for the right timing, or for any of the other reasons we make for not taking steps toward the things we really want. She went for it, on her own. The flat is gorgeous, with the added bonus of being located within 15 minutes drive of my home (I’m sure that was her primary reason for choosing it). And she’s embracing home ownership. Fixing washing machines, putting batteries in the smoke detector, choosing furniture, and remodelling. I couldn’t be prouder.

Next up is Traci. Traci’s goal was to have a baby of her own while she was still biologically able to, and time was of the essence. She knew she could do it on her own. She is a professional who has the financial wherewithal to support both the journey to pregnancy and the resulting child, and with the space, love and desire for a baby. So she bravely decided to start the journey on her own and in wonderful news, by mid-2019 she will be a new mum.

This is a private decision and journey, which is nobody’s business but Traci’s. So, had she decided to keep it private, no one could or would blame her. But, my absolute favourite thing about Traci and this story, is how hard she has owned her decision and how transparent she has been about her choice. No hiding. At the end of the first trimester she posted her happy news, and her decision to be a single mum on social media with absolute clarity about how the baby was conceived and why. I read it and gave her a standing ovation and then cried a little bit I was so happy. She owned it, and in one fell swoop shut down anyone with anything to say. What could they say? She had already said it all.

I can already tell Traci is going to be an amazing mum. This baby is loved and has a fearless champion for a mum, who is willing to go after her goals.

That brings me to this week’s questions to get us reflecting and focusing on our own 2019 goals:

Do your own your goals and the decisions around them? Are you still waiting on others to get started on your goals or are you willing to go it alone? Are you willing to be honest about your goals and objectives without fear of what others may say or think? Do you let the opinions or judgments of others get in the way of achieving your goals?