Yesterday, I started thinking about my big picture goals for 2021 and, tomorrow, I'll set some monthly goals as I have for the past several years. Unless I miss my guess, a lot of people are pondering their goals for 2021. On my Twitter feed, I'm seeing a trend toward increased productivity.
It's like we haven't learned anything at all.
Sure, I hope 2021 means more time in public wearing something besides leggings and a tee shirt/sweatshirt (seasonal choices may vary) with a mask as my most important accessory. I hope I still fit into my church clothes when it's time to worship unmasked in a public space again.
But I don't want to forget that 2020 showed us what mattered in a fashion more stark than we could ever have imagined. Health. Loved ones. What essential really means.
The value of downtime.
Yes, I want to be productive in 2021, but I don't want to forget the lessons of 2020. I want to accomplish things, but I don't feel a need to make up for lost time. So, with that in mind, I'm sharing three things I want to keep in the front of my mind for 2021. I don't do New Year's resolutions (more on that next week), but I do want to make sure I keep "progress" in the term "work-in-progress."
Practice gratitude. There is always something to be thankful for, even if we sometimes need a bulldozer to unearth it. Ending each day with thoughts of gratitude for things large and small helps us sleep better and improves our overall outlook. Maybe we're only grateful that a seemingly interminable day came to an end or that the sheets on the bed are clean or that the heat (or air conditioning) is working. Our gratitudes don't need to achieve the status of world peace to remind us of the things that are going right in our world. Very often, it's the little things that make a difference.
Self-care. 2020 has shown us that living on the edge has limited appeal. When we are run down, we get sick. When we are overwhelmed, we get cranky. When we burn the candle at both ends, we make mistakes. I often find myself going back to the overused comparison of putting our own oxygen masks on first. This analogy gets used a lot because it makes sense. When others are depending on us, it's hard to take a break but often that's when a break yields the greatest payoff.
Don't take on other people's stress. Part of self-care is knowing what's ours to resolve and what's not. Other people's emotional states can be contagious; when they panic, we can absorb that panic and behave in a similar fashion. Occasionally, those around us might even be offended if we manage to keep calm when they don't feel the situation calls for it. Before we act, though, it's wise to ask ourselves if the problem is ours to solve. Chances are we have plenty of responsibilities of our own. We can still be helpful without taking on those that belong to others.
How about you? Are there any lessons from 2020 you hope to carry forward into 2021?
No comments:
Post a Comment