AND ACCEPT 2020 FOR WHAT IT WAS
Before your dive in, you should probably know that this blog post is not going to be what you think it is. I am not going to magically tell you how to manifest all of your desires in 2021 and make the pain of 2020 go away (though if and when I find out how, I’ll let you know!!) To be quite honest, this past year got way too real and I intend on leaning into that while I carry myself into 2021. How, you may ask? By starting by accepting 2020, being practical, and adding a dash of hope.
How many posts have you read with the aggressive headlines of WRITE YOUR RESOLUTIONS, MANIFEST YOUR DREAM LIFE IN THE NEW YEAR, DO THIS DO THAT, DO MORE AND REST LESS, yada yada yada… I know that I have read waaaay too many of those in my (almost) 25 years on this earth. Actually TOO many, to the point where when I entered 2020 I was actually convinced that it was going to be MY year and I was gonna make shit happen! Ohhhh boy was I wrong.. and with naturally being the type of person who always wants to learn, better themselves, and level up, when I finally accepted that I was wrong about 2020, it was hard to digest. This past year was full of burn out, defeat, plans being rearranged, and just flat out pain. (And of course great things happened simultaneously, but more on that in tip #3.)
Which brings me to the first tip on How to Make 2021 Your Year:
Pump the Breaks on the Pressure
In a society that encourages the go-go-go autopilot lifestyle, it is so easy to feel a certain type of pressure for ourselves to perform, improve, and advance. And if we’re speaking about New Years Resolutions, many times they are exactly that. So now that we have experienced this past year of shut downs and everything that the pandemic has brought along, let yourself have that space where you can release this societal pressure, take it easy, and simply allow yourself to enjoy whatever it is that you are doing.
After you let off some steam, it’s time for tip number 2:
Accept 2020 for What It Was and Let it Go
Easier said than done, am I right? Okay but really though. We can’t really move on until we can accept the mess that last year was (to say the least) and try our best to find the lessons and slivers of joy that were woven into 2020. Accepting what happened does not mean forgetting and it also does not mean that you have to agree with everything that happened, and I think that’s kind of the beauty of this tip is simply accepting that we cannot change the past as well as accepting that we do not have the control over everything.
Next up, tip #3:
Write Down the GOOD Things
The lessons that you learned, what you are grateful for, and moments that brought you joy this past year. This can be anything, even the smallest of things! Writing it on paper and having it in front of you will help bring it to surface and I promise that there is at least one thing. For me, one thing that I learned this year is that sometimes what I think I want is not always what I need. Another one, more simple is that I learned to tie my shoes the loop-way rather than the bunny-ears way. Legit not joking on this either, LOL. And the moments that brought me the most joy was when I was able to spend time with my family and loved ones.
Now that we have let go of 2020 and thanked it for it’s lessons, it’s time for tip 4:
Start Fresh – Start Somewhere
There is something beautiful and blissful about the start of something new. Which maybe that’s why New Years Resolutions can be so ~livelaughlove?~ (No hate though, I do them every year, lol.) But really, when you look at the beginning as a fresh slate, and the perspective of anything can happen, it really is beautiful. So why not give that to yourself? If there is a goal that maybe got redirected during last year, bring yourself back to it and see how you can apply it if you just start now, and you just start somewhere. (And remember from tip #1 – pump the breaks on the pressure, Rome was not built in one day!)
And above all, tip number 5 I think is the most important,
Be Kind to Yourself and Others
This was a hard year, don’t be too hard on yourself, friend! For the year that we have had, and the continued challenges that we all face individually and collectively, I think we could all use some kindness, grace, a good laugh, and probably a thick glass of wine (or shot of vodka if you’re into that.)
Though these tips may not have been what you expected, I hope that they brought you some comfort in knowing that yes, last year was hard, but if we can get through that, we can get through anything. I truly believe that this year made us all stronger as individuals and together, so when you take strength + a little dash of hope, it will give you something beautiful to lean into for the start of 2021.
Here’s to 2021!
Now And Then With Jen 