By E. Elizabeth Carter
There are many lessons learned after dealing with the pandemic as well as all the other issues we faced in 2020. Many people also experienced a range of emotions – some they may have never dealt with before. Throughout it though, we needed to believe (and continue to believe) that we will overcome all of this and that life will get better.
All of this got me wondering about what we will be contemplating a year from now. What do we hope to achieve? What do we want to experience? What do we want to learn? How do we want to feel fulfilled – both professionally and personally?
I am not talking about making New Year’s Resolutions which most people either don’t do or fail to do by February. I am speaking about a higher level of thought. An inspiration, a strong desire, etc. that propels us forward to a greater level of satisfaction within ourselves which hopefully also manifests to others.
This requires spending a lot of time reflecting on who we were in the past, who we are now, and who we want to be. It also includes having more thought-provoking conversations with others close to us on how they perceive us and what they wish for us. It is reading books and articles, watching videos and movies, listening to podcasts and radio shows, and attending lectures and events that challenge us to think differently on how we see ourselves and question why others view us differently.
It takes dedication and perseverance to do this all year long so what do you have to lose? Would it be better to do nothing and feel regret? Or do you decide that 365 days of this “deep dive” into figuring out who you are is really worth it? You also may want to consider… Maybe there is more that you can do but you are blind to it. Maybe there are limiting beliefs that you possess that are holding you back. Maybe you feel “life is OK for now” so you just want to “chill” for a period of time.
Regardless of what you decide to do or not to do, write yourself a letter right now about how you feel. Stick it under your mattress or place it in an out of the way place. A year from now read the letter and ask yourself “have I won in 2021?”
