The start of a New Year always brings a tingle of excitement, hope and anticipation. We set our mind on achieving those things we cherish most, as well as reflect on how the past year has transpired, and what we would like to leave behind.
Whilst it is just a matter of a day between the close of the past year, and the start of a new one, it does feel like a completely fresh start, that enables us to make some significant changes in our lives. Simone Thomas shares her thoughts with us as she reflects on the highs and lows of 2020, and what she is looking forward to in 2021.
Simone, how have you experienced 2020 and what changes has this brought to your life?
Looking back at 2020 I have learnt a lot about myself and my business, and what I truly want from 2021. 2020 has been a tough year for everyone, but it has also helped us regroup to focus on what is important in our lives.
It has certainly been a hard year. I have spent nearly six months working at my kitchen table daily, which is not healthy for the mind or the body. But I have also learnt a lot as I have adapted my life to the “new normal”.
Before everything changed, I would wake up at 5am so I could have an hour to myself before starting work early at 6am. Then, when my boys woke up at 7am, I would have an hour with them before school and then I would be out the house all day until the evening.
Working from home I have given myself more time to rest in the morning. I also get to spend more time with my boys before they go off to school and, in the afternoons, when they get back. It has been a great time to connect with them both, they are becoming more affectionate wanting cuddles and kisses, which really warms my heart. Having that extra time with them is certainly a silver lining in these strange times.
There have been several great things to celebrate in my business – for a starter we have won many awards throughout 2020. From winning Marie Claire’s ‘Best Hair Care Supplements 2020’ Award with our Ginkgo Hair Care Plan to our success at the Global Green Beauty Awards and the list goes on (see the full list here), I’m so pleased to see that the hard work has paid off, and nothing gives me greater pleasure than when I receive a note of thanks from our customers, to say that the supplements have helped them with their hair care concerns. I love having a positive impact on people around me and I hope to continue bringing good health and wellbeing changes to people’s lives now and long into the future.
What have you learnt from the adverse events of this year?
My key takeaway from the upheavals of this year is to always have a plan B and plan C. For me, this manifested most when thinking about how I connect with my customers. We might not be able to do things in person, but there are so many opportunities in the digital world. It has been very exciting to think differently about how I reach out to people, and I look forward to learning more on this.
Was there a particularly low moment for you this year and how did you overcome it?
There have been a few and now I can see now that it all came down to how plans can change unexpectedly and how you need to adapt your thinking.
Simone Thomas Wellness was meant to go into several high street retailers. Sadly, with retail struggling, those opportunities have not gone ahead. It felt like failure, which I am very sensitive to as I can be quite hard on myself.
But it is what it is, and as one door closes another opens! I have been working hard with my team for 2021 to find new opportunities to get Simone Thomas Wellness out there.
I am so glad we can go ahead in new directions because our products have such amazing benefits that I want to share to ensure that we can all enjoy good health and wellbeing.
Have you got any New Year’s resolutions?
At work, I aim to spend more time on monthly business plans. I also plan to keep my vision board right above my desk for daily inspiration as well!
Personally, I hope to work on my health even more, particularly my fitness with cold water swimming, spinning and Pilates.
I love my work and I love my family. Centering these in my life, I do not need much else other than time to switch off in the fresh air, beautiful forests, and revitalising oceans.
What are you hoping 2021 will bring for Simone Thomas Wellness?
I hope it will be a very successful year in changing people’s lives through vitamins, supplements, and nutrition!
There has been so much change in 2020 and it has prompted me to chase my big ideas because the best chance to seize an opportunity is always now!
I really enjoy sharing my knowledge, so I am hoping to get my own column with a magazine or on a radio show. I have written over 70 articles this year and I think the conversation around vitamins, nutrition and health is so valuable. To have an ‘Ask the Expert” segment would be incredible.
One amazing project that has come out of 2020 is my book! It has been wonderful having the time to write this year and I really hope it will help people all over the world. There are just a few finishing touches to go, then it will be ready for an early 2021 release on Amazon. Watch this space!
Can you give us a sneak preview of what you have in the pipeline for 2021?
Yes, I am super excited for what we have in store!
Alongside my book, I have been working hard on several new products, two of which will be launching later in 2021 or possibly early 2022. One is to help those who suffer with panic attacks and anxiety. The other is a menopause support supplement for those that are pre- and post-menopause.
I have also been doing lots of research and development into stem cells as well as honey and probiotics and I hope to launch a few products in this space soon …
What do you hope to achieve in your personal life in 2021?
I have a few aspirations in mind:
Spend more time with my boys and watching them grow up. The older they become, the more I sense we need a bigger house, so that they can have a dog and lots of space to play. When international travel is safer, I would love to take them on a holiday to Europe and perhaps further afield.
Working on my health and wellbeing every day. I am taking a business-come-personal trip at the end of next year to Costa Rica for a week’s yoga experience and to discuss potential new product developments.
To have my friends around me and to always give love to the world.
Finally, any hints and tips to help people stick to their New Year’s resolutions?
Do not overcomplicate things.
Keep your list short. If you write a massive list and try to do it all at once you are setting yourself up for failure.
Say you start with six things you would like to achieve. Put them in order of priority, then pick the top and bottom ones and make them your goal for the first month. Do the same again for next month and work your way inwards. Make sure you work on them every day.
Then, when the first three months are up, you can then write a new list. This is how I plan for business and when I first started it amazed me how much easier it became to really stick to my goals!
Change takes time, invest in yourself for the long term.