HELLO 2021

HELLO 2021

I’ve made it a tradition to create intentions for every year. Last year, I wanted to focus less on comparing myself to others and the year before that it was focusing on getting into good habits and breaking bad ones. (I also set goals every year, which I’m going to recap how I did on my goals for last year and what my goals are for 2021 tomorrow.)

My 2019 intention of creating better habits and sticking to them proved to be beneficial through 2020 as well. I woke up at the same time every day, continued my French lessons, meditated every day, and stuck with my workout routine… even when I no longer could go to the gym. Reflecting on 2020, while it was far from easy for anyone, I think my good habits turned into a grounding foundation. When the world turned upside down and so much of our everyday life was different… I still had my daily habits and routines to fall back on. I don’t think I realized it then, but those really, really helped me.

As for my 2020 intention of not comparing myself to others? Well, I would say I wasn’t as successful.

There were periods of the year where I was better and worse at this. I definitely spent too much time on my phone which is… terrible for the comparison game, obviously. Looking back, I think a big part of what I was feeling was less comparison in a “wow, I wish I was as beautiful as that person” (though there were moments of this) and more, I don’t know, frustration? Frustration at people traveling, frustration at other influencers not properly disclosing ads, etc.

While I still think both things are wrong (and annoying), getting worked up over it only hurt myself and what I thought wasn’t going to change their behavior. The best thing to do was to change my own. I just started muting people on Instagram and unfollowing blogs. Honestly, it worked. People are going to do what they’re going to do and it’s okay to say, “I opt out of supporting this” and not driving myself in the process.

What’s my intention for 2021?

After a crazy 2020… my only intention for 2021 is to focus on taking things one day at a time. There’s a certain sense of dread and hope I feel going into 2021. On one hand, we are starting the year as a continuation of the pandemic. (We were blissfully unaware on January 1 of last year.) On the other hand, I do have some hope that next year will start to get better and better. But if 2020 taught us anything is that we really have no idea what’s going to happen with this pandemic. So…. I’m just going to take this year one day at a time.

I want to be present every day. Try not to worry so much about the “tomorrows.” Find good in every day. Aim for productivity and positivity every day. Celebrate the wins as they come and give grace for the losses as they come as well.