2019 has been a doozy. Filled with record setting milestones that make me cringe instead of celebrate (like the realization that I’ve spent over 1/3 of the year in hotels, & flown 20,000 more frequent flier miles than I did last year). My everything is exhausted. If I can feel it, it hurts. And mentally, I’m so beyond drained that I literally can’t see straight.

But somehow, somewhere in the midst of all the craziness (probably on the stair master, or 30,000 feet up), as the final few months, weeks, and now days of this decade approach, I started focusing on what the next decade will look like for the Austins. Those thoughts led to lots (and lots) of late night gym parking lot & phone chats with Brian (usually while I drive across numerous state lines en-route to my next firm visit). And in that, I’ve managed to come to the realization that 2019 didn’t defeat me, but instead brought me down to a place where All the fuzzy, blurry roads ahead suddenly are in perfect focus. So while part of me is just frankly willing myself across 12/31/19, the spark deep down inside of me is lit. My now perfect clarity seems to be shaping up for a new day, year, decade filled with 2020 vision. I know exactly what I need to do to achieve my goals.

As Intuit CEO Sasan Goodarzi declared on stage at QuickBooks Connect, “To own the future, you have to create it!”

Just like that, day all the stress & worry seems a small price to pay for this reality I can clearly see in front of me. Ask anyone who knows me, they’ll tell you I’m no princess. I’m scrappy, resilient, determined. I’m not scared of hard work. And when I set my eyes on a prize, the only thing to worry about is anything standing in my way.

I’m not a fan of New Year’s resolutions. Just this morning I was reminded that in reality, tomorrow, January 1, 2020 is simply just another day. But as I milk a few precious moments of downtime with my husband (mind you, our version of “downtime” has nothing to do with down & never seems anywhere close to enough time), I’m going for it – here are my goals for this next lap around the big sun…

Positivity– Brian shared this lightbulb WSJ article with me this past week. Man, our minds are so powerful. Let’s be sure we’re using them for good.

Passion– over the past several years, my passion for fitness has brought me through some of the most trying times in my life. Exercise is my therapy. It’s the one thing I do for ME. I never “have the time”, I always “make the time”. And I’m never sorry I did. In 2020 I’m committing to finish my Personal Trainer Certification that I started this Fall.

Priorities– I have had such an amazing opportunity to be led & mentored at work the past few years by such a strong woman, Sue Pratt. One of the goals we set for this Intuit fiscal year was for me to remember my priorities. While the goals was meant as a work metric, Sue & I know full well that this is a life goal for Kim. I may no longer roll up to her on the org chart, but I promise to strive to prioritize each task in & out of work this year!

Play– when your world never slows, it’s so easy to brush off seemingly inconsequential happenings around you because you simply don’t have time. But in 2019, I’m proud to say I pushed pause just a few times to make sure that I didn’t miss some of life’s most important moments. Grandma turned 90, I saw my TX nephew & nieces more this year than in the rest of their lives combined, I took a trip to see the world with my soulmate, and was there on the other end of the phone when my big “kid” needed a “mom” to tell him he’s awesome. I can’t wait to have more moments with some of my favorite people in the coming year! Oh, and pancakes, there will be a lot more pancakes in 2020!

Protect– above all, I promise in 2020 to fiercely protect everything we’re building together, Brian. The reason we’re willing to haul our computers on vacation, or move 4 times in as many months. The late-night gym trips & marathon meal-preps to ensure we’re staying on track. All the highs & lows of our so-called life, and all the adventures awaiting ahead of us – I know we can do it, I can see it. My vision is 2020.

“I can see clearly now the rain is gone…I can see all the obstacles in my way”