A year of uncertainty, discomfort, fear, isolation, cancelled plans and dreams, staying at home, waiting, slowing down, reflecting, fewer expectations, less ‘things’, remembering what is important and an interesting year of learning.
If there was ever a year of testing patience, 2020 would be it. As much as I would love to harp on about how lonely last year felt at times, I also want to make it clear that it put many things into perspective and it made me realize that living with less expectations and experiencing moments that actually carry more value is the life that I would much prefer leading. There were moments where I was just getting by. There were times when I felt incredibly sorry for myself and wondered why everything was happening to me all at once and the really scary part is that every second person felt this way too.
It was a time of testing and feeling alone. A year that had forced me to change my priorities. A year of letting go of any unrealistic expectations I had placed on myself. A year of learning that we could do with less. A year that consisted of many “damn, we did it’s”!
There is a lot that I could say about 2020. Many words that I can use to describe it actually. So much happened behind the scenes. Things that will still roll over into 2021. Many “What did I even accomplish last year?” moments. I just giggled typing that.
What 2020 did teach me though, is to never take things for granted and to always focus on what is truly important. None of this fickle nonsense.
As always… I wrote down some things that I took from 2020.
I actually do not need a lot in life to be happy:
Life can be made up of many things that actually carry zero value. These things can be mistaken for importance but in actual fact if you took them all away, you would realize how very little it actually means. I am sure many people, after the year that we have just had, will say that as long as they have a roof over their head, food for their family, and love, they will be genuinely happy. We do not need a lot to be happy. All we need is simplicity. Pure simplicity.
We need things that we can look forward to:
I learnt that I needed a few little milestones here and there to look forward to throughout the year. If you do not create that space for yourself, no one will. I made sure that there were things that I could work towards. Little holidays to look forward to (restricted holidays of course), time created for myself and many other little things that made my heart feel happy. This helped a ton. I began to come alive every time I tried something new.
Taking risks:
I had a strong desire to take little risks. I loved creating change in my life during 2020. Taking risks gives you that space to grow. More often than not you are surprised by the outcome. Growth happens when you leave your comfort zone.
Be okay with not being in control (Candice Millar’s favourite line):
2020 is a testament to how little control we have over certain situations. We may not have been able to control the pandemic and how it affected us BUT we were able to take control of our thoughts and feelings. Anyone who knows me knows I am someone who loves being in control. But in saying that, 2020 was a breath of fresh air. I could finally grasp the fact that I could not be in control and there was nothing that I could do to change what was going on around me. It was still really tough but what I learnt is that it is okay to let go of all expectations and control and to just have faith that everything will work out. It always does. Always.
2020 was a wake-up call that nothing is ever constant. Things are always changing and evolving but we get to choose how we respond to it.
I really hope 2021 brings you peace. I hope you remember that this life is yours and no one else’s. Cherish it. Nurture it. Do not let anyone else dictate how your life should unfold. Compare less. Create a life that you genuinely want to live. How much do you really need to be happy? Go at your own pace. Do not let the previous year define the next. There will be difficult days and there will be glimpses of hope and light that remind us of the good things that are around us. Take advantage of every season.
Leave the mess.
Forget about time.
Live your life.
Savour every moment.