Welcome to 2021!

Happy New Year! It's January 2, 2021, and another new year has quietly (and cautiously) slipped in. And although its arrival is gratefully welcomed, it unfortunately brings with it the leftover frazzled and tattered remnants of a year we'd all just rather FORGET. For GOOD. 

2020 started out much like any other New Year - full of celebration, hope and resolution. Little did we know that there was already a trojan horse riding in on its coattails. A deadly virus that would soon not only infiltrate our lives, but turn it upside down in ways many of us have NEVER seen in our lifetimes. A pandemic that would infect almost 85 million, and claim the lives of nearly two million worldwide. (Current stats according to Statista.com) A monstrous plague, if you will, that became the epicenter of our universe, and unfortunately, has followed us all into 2021, leaving a trail of death and destruction in its wake.

But COVID-19 wasn't the only nasty intruder to bully its way into our New Year, lest we forget the controversial and complicit scrappings of the 2020 Presidential election. An election that, like COVID-19, will go down in history (and maybe Time magazine) as one of the ugliest events of 2020. And also like the pandemic, will likely cause MORE havoc and mayhem as the year progresses - despite who ultimately resides in the White House.

treading cautiously

With the coronavirus AND a nasty Presidential election both nipping at our heels, its no wonder we're treading cautiously into 2021. After all, many are still being infected with COVID-19, and many are still dying, even with most of us practicing all the CDC recommendations such as social distancing, sanitizing, handwashing and wearing masks. Even after practically shutting down our cities, towns and businesses, we're still seeing cases spike with no real relief in site. Even with an approved vaccine just released, we're told it STILL won't protect us and that we still need to carry on the bizarre rituals they now call the "new normal". And there is still tense anxiety about how the Presidential election will finally play out with both sides constantly taunting and striking at the other. Tensions are high, as well as the stakes of an election that has turned into nothing short of a gunfight at the OK Corral!

Yes, with these two bullish contenders in our new year arena, its understandable why we're all treading cautiously as we reluctantly put up our 2021 calendars. 

But what ELSE will 2021 bring us? With the stench of 2020 lingering in the air, is there still HOPE for a BETTER YEAR? I'd like to think so, but I think it's going to take a few attitude adjustments involving two key components - resiliency and resolve.

Resiliency and Resolve

Every new year comes with its own unknown ups and downs. We'd be foolish to think otherwise. Even while we're setting off fireworks and toasting champagne glasses at the stroke of midnight, it's only human nature to start wondering if the New Year really WILL be better than the last. Especially if we're coming out of an already difficult year behind us. But I believe there are two things that will help us maintain a sense of hope and expectancy as we look forward into 2021. Resiliency and resolve. Lets look at how these two strong competitors can help beat down and overcome the villainous foes that have followed us into 2021.

RESILIENCY. In a word, resiliency is FLEXIBILITY. When unknown forces come against you, it's imperative that you have an attitude of resiliency. You HAVE to learn to be flexible in order to move forward and rethink strategies. The worst thing you can do is become complacent and stand still. Anyone knows if you freeze on the railroad tracks, the train is SURE to run over you! Unfortunately, for people who are rigid and "set in their ways". this could be a problem. Many people don't like change, or are AFRAID to change. I used to be one of those people. Typical Type A personality. Uptight if things didn't go a certain way, and resistant to change - especially last minute changes! Fortunately, I married a man who was just the opposite. A man who taught me how to let go of my preconceived notions of how things should go, and just let them BE, and to deal with whatever the consequences were in a calm, unaffected manner. Not that I'm happily accepting of everything that happens around me. I've just learned to be more RESILIENT to the things that I can't control. I've learned to be more flexible in my thinking and my actions. No, it's not easy and I still get upset when certain things don't go "my way", but I'm learning that if I try to be more resilient to those things, they don't bother me as much. And many times, they turn out BETTER than I expected! With a deadly pandemic becoming more and more a part of our normal lives, and the blighted decision of who our next President will be hanging in the balance, I'd say we ALL need to practice being MORE resilient to the unexpected events that are sure to unfold in the New Year!

RESOLVE. Naturally, a new year brings with it the tradition of making "resolutions". An opportunity to improve old habits or start new ones. So often that involves a physical change such as losing weight or quitting smoking. And some new year's resolutions are more mental or emotional, such as developing a more positive attitude or letting go of negative emotions. Resolutions are a way of making ourselves BETTER so that the incoming year will be a BETTER one. Resolutions also require great effort in order to achieve the desired end result. And practice on a daily basis. In 2021, I think it's momentously important to make a resolution to focus on the GOOD that's still around us, and make every concerted effort to contribute to its progression and longevity. To not only WISH for a better year, but to firmly resolve to use everything within us to MAKE it one. We've got to develop an iron-clad determination to overcome negative with the positive, darkness with the light, and evil with the good. And its got to be a resolution we make over and over again EVERY DAY. Because, lets face it, challenges and difficulties face us EVERY DAY. A weak resolve will result in a weak resolution. Just as starting a diet involves dietary LIFE changes, so does facing a new year involve a strong commitment to making changes on a daily basis to cope with an ever-changing world.

Gains and losses

Every new year is a year of gains  - and losses. Some good. Some not so good. If you make a resolution to lose weight, and succeed, that's a GOOD loss. And if you get married and gain a husband, that is a GOOD gain. But as we sadly saw in 2020, there were FAR too many losses - especially in the deaths resulting from COVID-19. Not to mention other losses - businesses folding due to shutdowns, people losing jobs, and families losing contact with each other due to social distancing. The saddest loss I experienced was the loss of my own Mother. Not from COVID-19, thank God, but a monumental loss in my life nonetheless. Then there were the losses of many great celebrities and notables who were established icons, and who brought us much needed entertainment, laughter and wisdom. (See the list of those we lost in 2020 here.) And even sadder still, was the loss of dignity, respect and honor our country suffered due to a poorly run and potentially fraudulent Presidential election.

Even though the losses far outweighed the gains, not all was doom and gloom in 2020. It may take a little head-scratching to remember the GAINS of the previous year, but there WERE many if we take the time to look for them. The early first quarter of 2020 saw many businesses enjoying a prosperous and successful business year unlike any other they'd seen in over eight years, my own small business included, as well as that of many of my small business clients. "BUSY" was the keyword whenever I talked to a client, and it was music to everyone's ears! People were also enjoying the sweet fruits of a burgeoning economy as unemployment and gas prices dropped to historic lows. In fact, until the COVID-19 pandemic hit hard in early March, the United States was flourishing from MANY government initiated gains established from the previous three years Presidential administration. And even AFTER our world was so coldly shut down from COVID-19, there STILL were gains to be made and seen, despite the constant doom and gloom (and sometimes overinflated) reporting from the main stream media. Through researching various news sites, I was encouraged to be reminded of the following GOOD things that happened in 2020, despite being overshadowed by the deadly pandemic and a botched Presidential election:

• Pet adoptions and fosters increased dramatically in 2020
• Puzzles and board games made a popular resurgence
• Popular automakers were able to make ventilators and other medical devices to help with the pandemic.
• Drive in movie theaters made a comeback
• "Staycations" became popular as we learned more about the local cities and towns around us
• MORE people survived COVID-19 than succumbed to it
• Parents became more involved with their kids as they learned together
• Stores became more creative at making it easier to shop and pick up purchases
• Healthcare workers finally got the attention and recognition they deserved
• More people than ever turned to God for comfort and solace in the face of adversity

These were only a FEW of the many positive gains from a year that seemed to be nothing more than a TOTAL LOSER. I'm sure if you research, you'll find many more, as well as some from your own personal experiences. As a matter of fact, if you're reading this now, you can count that as a HUGE gain. Sadly, there are many who never got to see the start of 2021.

a new beginning

Regardless of the weighty baggage that comes with 2021, its STILL a NEW YEAR, and holds the rightful promise of a new beginning. For better or worse, it's only fair that we close the dark door to 2020 and throw open wide the doors of 2021 with welcoming arms, and a hopeful heart, while staying resilient and resolute to whatever challenges or difficulties cross our paths. For a new beginning always come with new hope for a better outcome. That, coupled with a strong faith and trust in God is what will make THIS New Year BETTER for us all!

Wishing you all much peace, joy, happiness, prosperity and love in 2021!

~Lisa