As we are coming to the end of 2020, we can collectively let out a big sigh and say “thank goodness that it’s over.”   This year entered unchartered territories that included unimaginable loss, grief, fear, uncertainty, isolation, scarcity, exclusion, anger, righteousness, and kindness, compassion, gratitude, strength, creativity, resilience, hope, inclusion, and community.  Whew!

It has been a stressful year that has spun in every direction and  despite all of this uncertainty, I still think it is wise to take some time to reflect on the previous year.  You might be thinking “why would I want to think about anything to do with 2020?” But as we move forward into a New Year, it is essential to look back and reflect.  You need to know where you came from to see where you are going.   

The end of a year is the perfect time for some self-reflection, even this chaotic year. So, before you jump ahead with great anticipation of the New Year and a desperate need to put 2020 to rest, take a moment. 

Take some alone time by getting cozy with some tea or a glass of wine. Have a notebook and pen handy and make sure you are uninterrupted as you reflect on 2020. I like to spend a lot reviewing the previous year and review all aspects of my life. This isn’t for everyone, and maybe you only want to think about a few things in your life.  

Approach this with kindness and an open heart, not through the lens of the critic and judgment. If you are reading this, then you survived one of the most challenging years in decades.  You may have experienced significant loss and sorrow, but you are still standing.   

2020 sucked, but as you reflect on it, spend more time thinking about the good moments. You don’t want to be Pollyanna about the challenges, just don’t spend too much time dwelling on them, unless of course, you are dealing with deep grief over the loss of the loved one. If this is the case, your time in reflection will hopefully involve sweet memories of your loved one.  

If you were fortunate enough not to experience this level of loss, take some time to ask yourself What good came out of 2020?   What do you think your most significant accomplishment in 2020 was? Maybe you managed to figure out how to work from home and homeschool your children, and you are all still speaking to one another.  If you’re an essential worker in health care or a truck driver, or you work in a grocery store, you put yourself at risk every day to serve the rest of us.   These are accomplishments of great magnitude that made it possible for all of us to survive. It’s possible that your achievements were more straightforward; maybe you learned how to bake incredible bread, walked every day for 30 minutes, connected more with your family and neighbours, than ever before.  

What are you the most grateful for?  This is a year where my level of gratitude reached sky scrapper heights.  There are always things to be thankful for, even if you had a challenging year. Life lessons can be discovered in the bad times, as our most challenging moments can be our greatest teachers.

What did you learn?  This year we all had to spend more time in our homes; completely alone or with family members.   Did you discover that you are a very patient person, or maybe you can’t believe how impatient you are and this is something that you want to work on?  

What mattered?  Did your priorities change and the things that you wanted to achieve in 2020 no longer matter?  Was it more challenging to accomplish these things because of the pandemic? 

Once you have gone through this reflective practice, then release 2020 and let it go, so you’re in a position to move onto the New Year with no regrets.  

Farewell 2020. I doubt that I will miss you. The next blog will focus on how to approach 2021. 

Be well.

Anita