In this episode I'm sharing some of the transformation my personal and business life are undergoing right now. I'm leaving behind the hustle of the past year and learning to slow down and embrace a new guiding principle: surrender.

We'll talk about my personal journey of re-evaluating life and business priorities, the spiritual signs that encourage me to trust in God's plan, and my intention to build a sustainable, fulfilling business that aligns with my values (faith, family, and more fun!). Tune in to learn how to reflect on your own past achievements, set meaningful New Year's goals, and balance business with family life, while embracing "joyful contentment" and faith-driven guidance.

Download my free guide to getting your coaching business up and running in ONE weekend.

Ready to work together? Schedule a call to explore your goals and learn how I can help you.

01:43 Reflecting on the Past Year

03:54 Shifting Priorities in Business and Life

05:04 The Power of Surrender

07:45 Balancing Business and Family

12:54 Embracing Joyful Contentment

14:20 Looking Forward to 2025

I found myself constantly

pushing and always feeling

2

like nothing was ever enough.

3

My efforts were not enough.

4

My results were not enough.

5

My income was not enough.

6

And by the end of 20, 24,

I felt honestly exhausted.

7

And I thought this is not

the business I want to build.

8

This is Burning Brightly, a podcast

for Christian moms who are feeling

9

called to build a business and

share their light with the world.

10

I'm Bonnie Wiscombe, a life coach,

mom, and entrepreneur, and I'm honored

11

to be your guide as you face this

business building adventure full of

12

highs, lows, and everything in between.

13

This is where we help each

other find the courage to shine.

14

Hello, and welcome back to burning

brightly, who is excited for a new year.

15

Are you guys as big a nerd as I am

that the new year and fresh start just

16

makes you so giddy with excitement and.

17

I hope for the future and just.

18

A wonderful feeling of looking

forward at what is coming up ahead.

19

Maybe I just have a really positive

outlook in January, and I think everything

20

is going to go fantastic this year.

21

You can't yet see a lot of the

bad stuff that's going to come.

22

And so I just find myself always

so excited in January, ready

23

to hit the ground running.

24

But this year is looking a

little bit differently for me.

25

And so I wanted to do a podcast

about it because I feel like it

26

might resonate with some of you.

27

Maybe you're feeling the same as me.

28

Maybe you're feeling the opposite.

29

But I think that January can be a

wonderful time to lean into what

30

God is trying to tell us about our

lives and our businesses, what our

31

intuition is trying to tell us what

our past results are trying to tell us.

32

And instead of continuing to

do things exactly the same.

33

Instead, reflecting a little

bit more deeply on what we

34

really are trying to build here.

35

So that's what this episode is about.

36

And first I wanted to start off by saying

that reflecting on the year previous

37

is one of my favorite things to do, and

I think it's really, really critical.

38

I did two things this year.

39

That helped me a lot.

40

when it came time to reflect

on the previous year.

41

The first thing I did was last

year, I bought a wall calendar

42

that shows my entire year.

43

It's very long.

44

It's like three feet long and I

hang it on the wall next to my desk.

45

And I just penciled in like big

trips and fun adventures and things

46

that I had planned as they came up.

47

And then I was able to look back

over my year and remember some of

48

the fun things that I had done.

49

Like I hiked the grand canyon

with friends last year and

50

we did a couple of fun trips.

51

My husband and I, and

a couple with my kids.

52

So that for me was a fun way to look back

at the exciting memories we had made.

53

and coincidentally, it reminded me how

much I enjoy traveling and that I want

54

that to stay one of my top priorities.

55

So that was one thing I did that

really helped me reflect on what

56

had happened because half the time

I forget what happened in the year.

57

I'm like was that this year,

last year, I don't remember.

58

So that was really useful for my

poor brain forgets all the things.

59

And the other thing that

was really helpful was.

60

The way that I journal now, I think

I've mentioned this before, but I

61

no longer try to journal everything

that's happening in my life, or

62

even the big things of consequence.

63

Instead, I only journal when I really feel

like I feel or see God's hand in my life.

64

And this has given me so many

different blessings as I reflect

65

on the way that God talks to me and

communicates with me and influences me.

66

And so when I reflected on 2024,

I also opened up this journal

67

and looked at a few of the things

that God was trying to teach me.

68

And I learned a few things.

69

I learned what is important to me.

70

I learned just what a wonderful

life I have right now.

71

Right.

72

You can't help, but look.

73

Over the past and be appreciative for what

you've been given or at least I can't.

74

That, that seems to be a pretty common

theme for me is when I reflect over a

75

long term period in my life, like a year.

76

I feel so grateful for

all I have been given.

77

And I hope that you do the same because

I think it's a really healthy outlook,

78

no matter how bad things can be, there

are always things to be grateful for,

79

and it's a much happier and more joyful

place to sit in than to focus on the bat.

80

So those two things really

81

And when I did that, I noticed.

82

That.

83

My priorities were shifting a

little bit in business and in life.

84

I was noticing that I no

longer really wanted to hustle.

85

Like I have been in my business.

86

So

87

just to kind of catch you up.

88

I have been building side hustles.

89

You might call them small

businesses alongside growing my

90

family for the past 10 plus years.

91

And it's been really fun, but I have

very often been dragged into this

92

mindset of hustle, harder hustle, faster,

make more money, be more successful.

93

And it's not entirely all my fault.

94

The online.

95

Marketing environment very often.

96

Kind of encourages this mindset

like, oh, so-and-so made a

97

million dollars in 90 days.

98

You can't do.

99

And even though I thought my goals

were realistic, I found myself

100

constantly pushing and always

feeling like nothing was ever enough.

101

My efforts were not enough.

102

My results were not enough.

103

My income was not enough.

104

And by the end of 20, 24,

I felt honestly exhausted.

105

And I thought this is not

the business I want to build.

106

I want to build something sustainable.

107

I want to build something that I love.

108

I want to build something that does not.

109

Die.

110

If I decide to take a 10

day vacation with my family.

111

I was thinking a lot about that.

112

And simultaneously I started to

have a pretty strong spiritual.

113

Inclination premonition, whatever

you want to call it, that it was

114

time to slow down a little bit.

115

And to trust God.

116

And.

117

I found that to be very interesting.

118

I thought, okay, the Lord is

trying to teach me something here.

119

I wonder what it is.

120

And right around that time,

a friend sent a really great.

121

Podcast episode to me.

122

It was an interview with Jonathan

Rumi, the actor who plays Jesus on

123

the chosen series, which our family

loves and is such a delightful series.

124

If you haven't watched it,

you need to go watch it.

125

But I really admire this actor.

126

I think he's done some amazing things with

the role and, with his life in general.

127

And he talks about faith

a lot in his interviews.

128

And in this interview in particular,

he talked about the beginning of his

129

acting career and how he was basically.

130

Completely broke and contemplating whether

this really was for him just months

131

before he was cast as Jesus in the chosen.

132

And he said during that time of

life, he just felt like God was

133

saying, it's time to surrender to me.

134

And so he did,

135

he just kind of stopped pushing

his own itinerary, I guess his own.

136

Will you might say for his career

and instead gave it all to God.

137

And when he said that word, it

just kind of resonated in my soul.

138

And I thought, there we go.

139

Surrender is the word.

140

Now I know picking a word of the

year is a pretty trendy thing to do.

141

I actually personally have never done it.

142

I just kind of sit down and jot down

some goals that I'd like to work on.

143

But this year, it felt right.

144

And so I bought another one of those

calendars and I put it on my wall

145

and I've jotted down some of the

trips we have planned this year.

146

And at the very top in big blue

Sharpie, I wrote surrender.

147

And so I want to talk a little bit

about what that's going to look

148

like for me, I'm not entirely sure,

but I do know that's what God is

149

trying to tell me about this year.

150

Whether it's be for business or life,

or maybe a combination of the two.

151

And so this is what I anticipate this

looking like, although I don't fully

152

know because it's not really my idea.

153

This, wasn't my word that came to me.

154

It was definitely God.

155

So I anticipate this looking like a little

bit of a slower pace for my business.

156

I have talked to a friend a couple of

times about how I approach my business.

157

And the phrase that keeps coming back

to me is having it in a choke hold.

158

That is kind of how I've

looked at my business.

159

The last few years is like, I

am choking the life out of it.

160

Cause I'm just trying so

hard to get things to work

161

the way I think they should.

162

And I just don't think that's

really healthy for me these days.

163

I want my goals and my business outcome

to just come a little bit more naturally.

164

It's going to look like

becoming a little bit more okay.

165

With what is, and not constantly

pushing for something else.

166

It's going to be trusting God,

more looking for his will and

167

not constantly pushing my own.

168

Agenda.

169

Now, this is not mean that

I'm going to stop working.

170

It doesn't mean that I'm gonna

allow myself to be lazy and

171

just watch TV all the time.

172

In fact, the other day, I was like, oh,

I really need to get this project done.

173

But.

174

I have a really good book.

175

I'm reading it.

176

I had to remind myself no, I have

prioritized my business for a reason.

177

So that looks like doing

work during work time.

178

But it doesn't look like

forcing the results.

179

It just looks like allowing

things to be the way they are.

180

Now, why do I feel this way?

181

And why is this.

182

Such a strong.

183

Inclination for me.

184

Well, I don't really know, but I

do trust God, and I know that he

185

has my best interest at heart.

186

And also I'm remembering that I just

do not want any regrets with my family.

187

Because my business is not

required to support my family.

188

I want to be very careful about

how much I prioritize it over

189

my family now, to be fair.

190

Sometimes I do prioritize

my business over my family.

191

Sometimes I leave my family to go on.

192

To business conferences or to go to

a coworking space or the library.

193

So I can get some uninterrupted

time work time in.

194

It doesn't mean that I'm always

giving up work priorities in favor

195

of my family, but it does mean.

196

That my family comes first.

197

I have to keep reminding myself

that I can build a business,

198

literally any year of my life.

199

Even when I'm 79 years old or 89 years

old, I can build a business really, truly.

200

And I can go hard whenever

I have the time for it.

201

But I cannot always spend

time with my kids and.

202

Not that I wasn't spending time

with them last year, but very

203

often my mind was not with them.

204

I was not fully present because I was

constantly thinking of the next project.

205

Or the next thing that I could

be working on in my business.

206

One thing that I noticed, like

I mentioned, when I looked at

207

the calendar from last year

and reflected on my adventures.

208

As I call them.

209

That travel has become

very important to me.

210

I've noticed that I relax

best when I am not home.

211

I love my home and I love relaxing

in my home, but because there are

212

so many people here and there are

always things to be done, whether

213

for my business or home management

or organization or whatever meal.

214

Prep and planning and

cooking and cleaning.

215

It's very difficult for me to just

let go and fully relax at home.

216

So instead I've prioritized more trips

and those can be simple ones like

217

driving to another state to visit a

friend or a family member, or they

218

can be more elaborate this year.

219

We actually have a trip to Europe

planned, which we're very excited about.

220

But regardless of where I

go or how much it costs.

221

Those are prioritized for me, those

trips are prioritized because I

222

know how critical it is for me

to relax, to be able to spend.

223

Uninterrupted quality time

with friends and family.

224

They just fill me up so much.

225

So that was a good reminder to me.

226

And I have learned to love.

227

Outdoor adventure lately this last

year, I know I've talked probably

228

four or five times about my first

hiking trip down the grand canyon.

229

And it was honestly a

spiritual experience for me.

230

I learned to love nature.

231

I learned to love.

232

Physical effort and I've been exercising

more and more in training for races.

233

I loved.

234

Connecting with friends

and family in the outdoors.

235

So these are things that I'm realizing

are just as important to me as

236

building a business and that my

business can be built around them.

237

And not instead of them.

238

I guess what I'm trying to tell

you in this episode is that you can

239

build a business without an intense.

240

Focus on achieving more and achieving

more and accumulating more and doing more.

241

' cause I wasn't doing that last year.

242

You might already be doing that.

243

And if so, I applaud you because

it is very easy to get sucked into

244

something that feels so fulfilling

because when you make money and when

245

you accomplish things and when you have

an impact, it's a wonderful feeling.

246

That's one of the reasons I love

to build a business and I love to

247

help other people build a business.

248

But when it gets to the point

where it is distracting you from

249

the things that matter most, it

might be time for a recalibration.

250

And that's kind of how

I'm feeling right now.

251

So my.

252

Encouragement to you is to ask

yourself, what is God leading

253

you to discover this year?

254

To let go of.

255

Or maybe to accomplish.

256

To lean into, to lean away

from, or to trust this year.

257

Is there something that is kind of.

258

Niggling you in the back of your mind that

needs a little bit more of your attention

259

or a little less of your attention.

260

In what ways can we shift and alter

our priorities to be better in

261

alignment with what matters most to us.

262

And what matters most to me is not going

to be the same as As you, it might

263

be similar, might be vastly different.

264

It doesn't matter.

265

You get to decide, and then we get

to work making and building a life

266

that's in alignment with those values.

267

So how do you want to

stick with those values?

268

How do you want to make sure

that they are implemented in

269

a way that is building a life?

270

That you love, not just full

of fun stuff all the time.

271

But full of the things that matter most.

272

Now each of our personalities

have different propensities.

273

Right?

274

I've mentioned multiple

times before that I am.

275

Prone to pushing, to

producing, to accomplishing.

276

For example, in 2024, I just pulled

out my goal sheet from the year

277

I had no fewer than 17 goals.

278

Yes people.

279

17 goals, new year's resolutions

in six different areas.

280

And I honestly accomplished most of

them because that's how I live my life.

281

But was it exhausting?

282

A little bit.

283

That's kind of how I roll.

284

And this year just felt like I

needed something different this year.

285

I decided to sit.

286

In what I call joyful

contentment over what already is.

287

I want to step into that gain.

288

Remember the gap in the game that I

talk about so much, the gain means.

289

The things that I've accomplished and

I've gotten to so far, the habits I've

290

developed right now, I'm really proud

of a lot of the habits I've developed.

291

I drink water consistently every day.

292

I exercise almost every single day.

293

I'm getting better at being

in my scriptures every single

294

day and better at prayer.

295

Am I perfect at any of these things?

296

Absolutely not.

297

But I'm getting better at an

amount of place where I can

298

just enjoy how far I've come.

299

I'm looking for lots of fun ways to

enjoy my life and to challenge myself.

300

But I'm not adding more to

my plate than already is.

301

Now you might have a propensity for

taking things a little slower than

302

you should or not prioritizing your

business and maybe for you, it's

303

going to look a little bit different.

304

It's going to look like.

305

Working, even when you don't want

to, or it's going to look like.

306

Putting aside, some of the more

fun ways that you'd like to buffer

307

like scrolling Instagram or.

308

Sending a friend a message instead

of working on your business.

309

But you probably already know your

mind, your spirit, your soul is probably

310

telling you we need to work a little

bit better at this, or we need to

311

slow down a little bit more in this.

312

So every year is different for me.

313

And I know every person

out there is different.

314

So I challenge you to look inwards.

315

Ask God, what he wants.

316

If you ponder about it.

317

And then just be willing to go forward

with faith, even if it feels scary.

318

I'm so glad you're here

on this journey with me.

319

Welcome to 2025.

320

Let's do this thing.

321

Are you ready to start or

grow your dream business?

322

Click the link in the show notes to

download the free starter guide to

323

building a business or to schedule

a free coaching call And if you

324

loved this episode, Don't forget

to leave a review and share it with

325

a friend who might be feeling the

call to burn a little brighter.