Many of us wish we could write off 2020. It has been a most tumultuous year, even for people like me, who try to view the glass as “full to overflowing, appearances to the contrary”. Everyone’s life has been disrupted, in ways unforeseen and unimagined. Sometimes it seemed that time had slowed, or even stopped. But believe it or not, we are coming to the end of this very long, painful year.
And so we look forward to 2021 with hope – as if on 12.01 a.m. on January 1, the darkness will lift, and things will be back to normal.
I can guarantee it won’t. That’s the bad news.
But the good news is that we have it within us to make 2021 a great year.
It’s not too early to start preparing for 2021 now by taking these 5 steps:
STEP ONE: Take stock of 2020:
- You made it! Congrats! Celebrate!
- What did you learn about yourself? Others?
- What strengths did you discover that you didn’t know you had?
- Who helped you?
- What kept you going?
- What are you truly grateful for in this year?
Give thanks
STEP TWO: Visualise 2021:
On a blank sheet of paper, write “It’s December 31, 2021 and ….” then answer the following questions in detail:
- Where are you?
- What are you doing?
- How are you feeling?
- What has happened in 2021 to make it a great year for you? Describe all areas of your life – family, relationships, work, career, finances, personal growth, etc.
Give thanks
STEP 3: Create a concise statement for 2021.
This is your affirmation for the year. Print it, or write it out and place it in a prominent area – your bathroom mirror, your desk, your fridge. Play with it and have fun! I love rhymes, so this came to me:
The year 2021! A great one!
STEP 4: Brainstorm actions
What actions might you want to take to make 2021 a great year for you? Quickly write them down, without too much thought, You want them to come from your heart. Make the list as long as you wish – this is YOUR life. There are no “should” or “musts” here.
As you move forward, you will refine this list and choose priority actions i.e. those that will make the biggest difference. But for today, just make this master list.
STEP 5: What will you change now?
Choose 1 change you will make as of today to create YOUR 2021 – your great year! And then do it.
Share this exercise with your family and/or team members. Perhaps you can do it together or have a session to share (easy to do on ZOOM). This will create a sense of community, supporting each other on this 2021 journey.
You may want to write off 2020 – but maybe it was just preparation for a great 2021!
Very helpful; thank you!