GOODBYE 2020!
Many people are taking stock on the past year it comes to a close and we get ready to ring in 2021. I’ve heard people say 2020 was “crazy” or “horrible” or “the worst” year. In many respects, this is true. The pandemic sideswiped our stability, knocked us off our game, stole family members from us and basically forced us to rewrite our visions and redo our schedules.
It makes sense that we are sad, that we have FOMO, and that we grieve for all we have lost or for what could have been. The pain is real and deserves to be acknowledged and felt. Without pausing to acknowledge our feelings, we might get stuck in them and worse, bring them forth into 2021.
Here are 3 ways that you can effectively say GOODBYE to 2020 and welcome in 2021:
Reflect upon the negatives:
Don’t allow the “bad” parts of 2020 get stuck in your mind and body. Identify what you’re feeling so that you can process and shed it now. The psychological impact of a pandemic can be deep and long-lasting so it’s important that you take time to understand how you are feeling so that negative feelings, urges and behaviors don’t cement into your thoughts and actions.
An effective way to do this would be to write a letter to 2020 to tell it how you feel:
Yes, this sounds very corny AND it works. Taking time to sit and reflect about the last 12 months will help you get CLEAR about its effect on you. It will help you to see the ways in which you crumbled under the pressure or handled it with ease and grace. It will help you identify your strengths or areas for improvement for the year to come. Here is an example:
Dear 2020,
NO THANK YOU! You robbed my daughter of her college graduation ceremony, you reduced my family’s income by half and you forced me into a depression. I am angry and sad! I never signed up to be a parent who home-schools. I didn’t ask to be locked within the same four walls as my family 24/7. I’ve had no down time, no ME time. I couldn’t even take a morning walk or do my yoga classes because I had to be ON all the time. Thanks for nothing 2020.
Acknowledge 2020’s blessings:
What opportunities did 2020 bring you and your family? Were you able to stop commuting to your job and work from home? Did you have time for more family dinners, more together time? Did you have the chance to peek at how your child learns and identify some areas that really need attention? The blessings may not be super clear, but there might be a few, so take some time to think about what’s been different that’s actually been better and add them to your letter:
On the other hand, I appreciate the time that I didn’t have to drive to work, to pack school lunches. I LIKE seeing my partner’s face every day. I enjoy seeing my kids play together where there wasn’t time before. I appreciate the time to cook and bake more, to clean out that closet that I’ve been wanting to for months. I’m grateful for resilient my family has been, wearing masks, socially distancing and managing the stress. It has shown me our strengths and for that, I am grateful.
Create a VISION for 2021- what’s your “new normal?”
What will you be doing differently with your time and energy in 2021? What have you learned about your past habits that you know won’t serve you anymore? How can you create a sustainable action plan so that you and your family move forward better and stronger into the new year?
Think about your IDEAL vision of your life for the new year in 3 areas – personal, professional and financial. Sit down with pen and paper and write down exactly what you would like to achieve or obtain for the new year. Make sure it is measurable so that you know when it’s happening and you can celebrate your successes. For example:
Personal: Continue to take online workout classes 2x/week. Clean out one closet or drawer each month and donate all of our unused items to charity.
Professional: Give notice at my current job and land and start a position more aligned with my personality. Take continuing education classes that interest me and receive a certification for them.
Financial: Save 10% of every pre-tax dollar we earn in 2021 for our retirement. Open a college savings plan for our kids and make a commitment to adding to it every quarter. Obtain a position with a higher salary or start my side hustle to add monthly income.
2020 has taken its toll on all of us. We have been cheated, derailed and forced to endure discomfort, pain and loss. As the year comes to a close, get clear on how the past year has impacted you and take this knowledge forward to the next. Instead of saying, “I’m so glad 2020 is over,” understand how you rose or fell this year and be intentional and strategic in your planning and execution for 2021.