We all heard it at the turn of the year just one year ago... "20/20 vision!" Every marketing agency out there shouted it from the rooftops. "Start 2020 with 20/20 vision!" I'm not even going to lie, I grumbled under my breath and rolled my eyes every time I heard it. The year started off normal enough, or so we thought. Jump forward to everything being canceled, shut down, locked down, and the beginning of months of quarantines across the globe over what my Floridian friends lovingly refer to as "the rona." In the blink of an eye, all that planning we did with our "20/20 vision" washed down the drain with our tears of isolation.
You know how most of this goes. Masks, sanitizer, and please don't forget the shortages of normal household goods like toilet paper and baking supplies. We gorged ourselves on news updates and press conferences hoping for a glimpse of something brighter in our futures that looked like "normal" again. Families were forced to spend more time together than they have in the past 5 years combined. Many people found new things to do with their time. They learned to bake, learned new crafts, discovered just how valuable their children's teachers are and how hard their jobs really are. I think the best part of 2020 is that we were given the most outstanding opportunity for reflection we have had in decades. Most of us don't take the time to stop and smell the roses often enough.
During our time of isolation from others, we discovered just how much we value those connections in our lives and began to make more effort to enrich the relationships we have. It seems that in our loss, we have found what really matters the most. I have uncovered gaps in some of the relationships that I have as well as some amazing bridges I didn't even realize were there. It brings a whole new light to the phrase "finding out who your friends are." I also discovered some of the things in myself that I still wanted to work on and what better time than when we are spending so much time at home!?!
As I prepare for 2021, I am looking ahead while visiting the past. I am setting intentions for positive change and progress toward my goals. I am serving my purpose. At the same time, I am treasuring the things I have discovered in my own reflection this year. I'm so grateful for the learning opportunities and choices I have made to get to where I am now, even though it has led me down a path that was less than easy. I guess it's true what they say, hindsight really is 20/20 and everything has been worth the bumps along the way. With that, I challenge you to prepare for 2021 in the best way possible. Not by setting a massive goal for weight loss, gym time, diet, etc, but by committing to a small thing every day to get you to where you want to be in life. I challenge you to honor yourself and the place you stand right in this exact moment. So tonight, I will leave you with the most profound quote I have heard in the last 365 days. Use it to remind yourself that you are on your way to whatever your goals may be, but that it is perfectly wonderful to be where you are today. "Honor the space between 'no longer' and 'not yet.'" - Nancy Levin
Congratulations and Happy New Year!