How many people have you heard say something like: “Oh, thank goodness! 2020 is over!” Or “I can’t wait for 2021 to begin!“ I’ve heard some version of that many, many times, and I’m sure you have, too. Well, I for one, am not willing to throw away one whole year of my life. Maybe when I was in my 20’s or 30’s I might have been willing to. But on the far side of 50, I’m not. Women Over 55: Welcome to 2021!
I know that there are many, many people who have had and are having a very difficult time during this pandemic. I think one of the things that has been highlighted during this time is the significant difference between those of us who “have” and those of us who don’t. My heart also goes out to all those who have lost loved ones and friends during this time. This blog is for those of us who are very fortunate. We have been “inconvenienced” during 2020, but not significantly hurt.
What Are You Going To Miss About 2020?
In the past couple of weeks, I’ve asked several people “What are you going to miss about 2020?” I won’t repeat here what some of them said, but it was fun to listen to many of the responses. So, I’ll ask you, “What are you going to miss about 2020?” I invite you to just sit with that for a little bit and see what comes to mind after the expletives and groans. These are some of the things I heard from several people: I’m going to miss the quiet. I’m going to miss having less traffic on the roads and the remarkably cleaner air. I’m going to miss the sense of slowing down. . .of not rushing around to this place and then that place. Take a minute and jot down anything that comes to mind.
It’s important to keep a record of those things because at some point we will begin a “new normal.” How will things have changed? No one can possibly know now, but some good guesses are changes in how health care is delivered, in various forms of on-line education that remain, in more permanent working from home with far less business travel. You can make your own list. . .it is at least as good as anyone else’s!
What Won’t Change?
What I fear is that very little will have changed. I suspect we’ll go back to driving everywhere. Rushing from here to there. Not taking the time to really connect with those nearest and dearest to us. I’m afraid we’ll forget about how much less of an impact we had on the environment, of how unimportant, actually, going to the mall is.
So, make a list of “The greatest lessons I learned in this past year,” and keep it somewhere convenient so you can add to it or at least look at it often. If you’re willing, please post some of your most important lessons below so we can share our learnings. I know some of the women I coach found 2020 very hard both personally and professionally. But I think we can help one another by sharing our wisdom.
I invite you to be grateful for all the good that came in 2020; let go of the truly bad; and go into 2021 with renewed resolve to live your fullest, most robust life, taking care of yourself, those you love, the planet, and all beings everywhere in whatever way you can. You are in the prime of your life and have much to offer to others.
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