2021…now what?
Whew, it looks like we made it to 2021. Congratulations! 2021…Now what? Well, the obvious is still true; we are still in a global pandemic. There is a vaccine available, but we have no idea about when it will get to us, and there is still so much uncertainty in the world. So, where does that leave you? When I say you, I am included too. Where does that leave all of us? There are always mainly two options. We can sink, or we can swim.
Pandemic Blues
At the beginning of the pandemic, I was doing great, but then I started paying attention to the news, and I started to imbibe all the negative, and I went into a deep depression. I could not sleep at night because I was fearful every time I left the house that I would get the virus, and then I would die and leave my family. Those thoughts haunted me. Every time I felt a little tickle in my throat, I went into overdrive, dosing myself with Vitamin C and Buckley’s and whatever else I could get my hands on. I was a mess, and I am sure so many of you can relate. My anxiety levels were through the roof.
Sink or swin
I had to make a choice, sink or swim. I decided to freestyle to the finish line. The first thing I did was stop following the news so closely; it was doing me no good. The second thing I did was to start reading more, to distract myself, and learn and thrive. The third thing I did was follow the guidelines to the letter on keeping myself and my family safe, and I am happy to report I am in a much better place now.
Set Goals
I have no idea what 2021 will bring, but I am ready. Now that I have my pandemic fears behind me, what can I do with this new year? What can we all do? What are your short-term and long-term goals? What are the dates to have those goals completed? How deliberate are you with your goals? I was guilty of thinking I have all this time on my hands to get my goals completed. However, in the absence of a timeframe, I accomplished nothing since I had no deadline. Therefore, I had nothing to show for it. Can you relate?
Well, just make a small shift instead of saying I want to start traveling more. Shift it to by March 2021 (or whenever it is safe to travel); I want to travel to Hawaii to stay at X location for x number of days. Be deliberate. Say exactly what it is that you want. Once you put that out there, your message will be received, and God or the Universe, or however you acknowledge the Divine, will conspire to make your goal a reality. You will start doing everything possible to make it happen, and it will happen.
Self Improve
What are you feeding your mind? Yes, we all love to watch Netflix and be attached to social media but are we reading enough? Last year, I said I would read one book a month, which should have been 12 books a year, and I fell short by 4 books, so this year I am increasing that number, 18 books for the year. Since I started reading quality self-help books, my mindset has shifted, and now I am approaching my projects with a different mindset. I am clear about what I want to achieve and when I want to achieve it. The greatest achievement for me is learning to say no to things that are not helping me to get to my goals. I have been a “yes girl” for too long. I have hurt myself, lost money, and wasted way too much of my precious time to continue to be that girl.
The Limited Resource – Time
Speaking of time, a few nights ago, my eldest child, Eli, asked Alexa, on average, how many months does a human live; the answer was 960 months which is 42,048,000 minutes. So, do you understand the value of a minute? Do not waste your time. God willing, I have at least 60 more summers on this Earth. How much time do you have left? Let us not waste our time.
Some Advice
My advice is:
- Set goals with deadlines
- Try something New
- Travel – start with local destinations and then go abroad when it is safe to do so
- Develop a hobby
- Create a self-care routine
- Start living deliberately, start being more present, do not sweat the small stuff.
- Eat healthily, pray more, love deeply
- Have fun on this journey
- Give thanks
- Start a business, do something you love
- Put yourself out there
- Be open-minded
- Say No, even hell no to things that do not add value to you.
- Love more
- Do not be afraid to start over, do not be afraid to walk away
- Wear floral with stripes
- Be positive, be confident
- JUST LIVE.
Happy 2021; you have 525,600 minutes. Make every minute count!
Another great post! Thank you for your continued transparency. So true that many of us could relate to your experiences in 2020. Mental Wellness became the trending topic. I came into 2020 asking the “what now”. You list of advise was pretty spot on. For me it is use my time wisely to learn new lessons, keep existing connections and make new ones, be more creative, and love with all my heart.