We’re all saying it—What a year 2020 has been. And as we close out the year and look toward a new year—a fresh start—colliding feelings can emerge.

Do I even bother making plans, setting goals, setting new intentions? Why?

YES! Because, look, I get it… 2020 threw us into unknown territory that we all had to pivot and adapt together. And I don’t know about you, but I feel like we all did a great job together, and I am speaking to those with whom I’ve worked and collaborated with who I have that first-hand experience. We fought through it. We didn’t sit back to wait and see; instead, we charged forward, even on the toughest of days. This was a year of resilience.

In collaboration with DalyConsulting Linley and I have had some great conversations working together, and we wanted to share some tips to support our goals and intentions in the new year.

Looking at 2021, we have learned enough from 2020 to make smart decisions. We know how we can work with the climate to support each other, our communities, friends, and family, now that we have some idea of the cards dealt.

How do we make plans when planning is so challenging right now?

Set your goals and intentions, your game-plan for 2021

Please do it. Make a plan. Having a plan gives you a guideline to work from that puts you on a track for success towards whatever size goal you have in mind. Keep in mind that you can make changes along the way, but to have a foundation to work from is already giving you grounds to stand on. For more on setting intentions, check out Linley’s blog.

Maintain flexibility.

The game has changed for us—“the field is different” as one business owner shared with me in a recent conversation. Know that things may change at any moment. Have a backup plan and a strategy to work from different angles.

Try gratitude.

Gratitude grounds us, especially when we feel like so much has been taken away or has been challenging in 2020. We’ve learned to do without a lot of our favorite things. We miss hanging with friends, dining in restaurants comfortably, being at full capacity for restaurant owners, organized events, live music(!), etc.  And we have indeed lost a great deal. Let us not ignore the grief in that loss. Name it, acknowledge it, feel it. And when you have the moment to breathe, maybe offer some gratitude for that which you have.

We’ve learned how to adapt to new technologies that were not all that new but became staples in our lives. So many of you/us have reinvented in new ways from this year’s experience. Perhaps you’ve rediscovered an old hobby, renewed a friendship, or validated that you really like the folks you’ve been living with for the past 9-months.

Try this:

Reflect on the year and pull out 3-5 things of which you hold gratitude. Now, do the same each day. Don’t wait for 2021 to start—track your daily gratitude.

Tip: Put up a small dry erase board and write down your gratitude daily. My husband and I do this together. If you are more private, write it down in a journal.

Be well.

Wellness and happiness are tied together and can form a tighter bond when we take care of ourselves.

• Physical activity: We noticed this summer that there was a lot more activity with people of all ages walking, hiking, running, and cycling. Compared to the year before, and as a cyclist, the extra crowds were new navigation that had me yelling “on your left!” as I passed foot traffickers. I loved seeing the boosted activity, but we know it was because people just needed to be out of their houses during the lockdown. You do too! We all do! Take a walk, burn off steam from some good cardio—your body will thank you.
• Mental activity: This can come in various forms, but one tool that has been helpful for me, even pre-pandemic, is meditation. Insight Timer is a great app! The freemium version has so much to offer.

Personal bonus that I enjoy—You can also pick from meditations in so many different languages. If you’re studying 1 or 2 new languages, this is a nice treat to expand your listening skills.

• Read a good book. Get out of the news and social media! We’ve shared a few books of our favorite reads for 2020 that you may enjoy. Take a look!
• Speaking of social media and the news, take a break! It will give you space to breathe and invest in that new hobby you picked up this year.

2020 taught us a lot. And while there’s still some ambiguity ahead, we can move forward with what we know about the pandemic, how to support each other, and how to navigate a challenging time. And remember to be gentle with yourself and each other. In relation to the pandemic, as we are not out of the weeds yet; we do encourage you to take these three requirements into 2021:

• Wear a mask
• Wash your hands
• Create distance

Cheers to 2021, Friends.

This piece was written in collaboration by: