With great hindsight and as 2020 breaths its final breath, I’m looking back to the past 12 months which have been unlike any others in my lifetime. We started the year with terrible bushfires and it ended with a global pandemic. Who could have predicted that? Not me, but some scientist did! And now we’re moving forwards into 2021.
Unlike many (or so it seems by the endless memes and posts I see to the contrary) I did not wish away 2020, as if the passing of one year into the next will make anything really change with the changing of the calendar year. The reality is that the pandemic of 2020 will continue into 2021 and so we must learn to live with this as a new kind of normal. I’ve learned this past year to really appreciate the small things. When most things become impossible, and often downright dangerous to yours and others health, taking time to appreciate the good over the bad, what you can rather than can’t do will give you a more positive headspace to live in and move forwards into the new year.
For me, each day is a new day full of possibilities. I don’t need to wait for a new year to experience this when I can experience it every single day of my life.
Every Day is a New Day
And every day I am alive is a good day. I am grateful for my good health and that I am still here while others are not so lucky.
This year I’ve learned that I love being less busy. That I need time to have more me time and quiet space to reflect and just potter.
I won’t be filling my 2021 calendar with as much stuff as I used to. FOMO is gone.
This past year, my focus word was SHINE and I spent considerable time and energy shining up and improving my personal stylist training program, and my 7 Steps to Style program as well as giving the blog a makeover. I also put myself into the spotlight and recorded 170 Facebook Live videos and even some Instagram TVs (which I can tell you, I’d really avoided doing in the past for fear of making mistakes or looking stupid in some way, as LIVE video feels very different to pre-recorded where you have so much more control as you can stop and start again, or just edit out the less than amazing bits).
Aligned in 2021
I’ve been contemplating my annual focus word and the word ALIGNED is calling my name. It just feels right. It feels like it’s where I need to put my energy and attention.
I need to ensure that everything I do, every opportunity that comes along, every idea that pops into my head is aligned with my overall vision, values and goals.
It’s so easy when you have so many ideas to get distracted by that shiny new one, and go off-piste and never actually fully actualise the ideas you’ve been working to turn into some concrete form.
To make sure that I’m not doing something because someone else said it was a good idea. My task now is to refresh my list of values and my vision so that I can make sure that I have my criteria sorted out so when I run an idea or opportunity past them, I can easily see if it’s aligned (or not).
And of course, my style must also align with my colours, my body, values and style recipe! With constant growth change and realignment is necessary (as I discussed here on how to align your style with the person you are today.)
Have you chosen a focus word for 2021? I’d love to know what it is and why it’s calling your name!
wonderful word, happy new year dear Imogen
So inspiring Imogen! My word is honesty….with myself. I started to see it’s importance and potential when thinking about what I like and value with regard to my personal style, and now it’s expanding to other areas. what do I really like, value, want, not what I think I “should” be or what I think others might expect.