New Year’s resolutions & goal setting 2021: Themes
With 2020 out the way, what a year it has been!
With Covid-19 dominating the headlines, lockdowns, furloughs, zoom calls, home parenting, travel restrictions and more you’d be forgiven for not sticking to any goals you set back in January 2020. Along with all these new words that weren’t even part of our vocabulary back in 2019 we’ve been met with plenty of uncertainty and change but where there is change there is opportunity for growth.
Reflecting on this year in many ways has felt like a rollercoaster ride and it has not been easy for many parents dealing with the practicalities of family life. Many aspects of our lives have seen shifts that have required us to become more comfortable with uncertainty in ways we could not have imagined and temporary restrictions have been placed on freedoms we enjoyed such as travel.
However where there is difficulty and uncertainty lies opportunity for growth if we adjust our mindset.
If you are reading this then you are stronger than you know and as we reflect back on the year we can see where we might have done better and also where we have grown into these challenges and new reality.
From a business side while some people have been furloughed or laid off, there are many that can be thankful to still have work. This is also a great time to be an entrepreneur whether you’re building a blog, a side hustle or the foundations to a bigger business.
Ecommerce and online shopping has been booming and a number of people who are running amazon stores are doing quite well, which I’m sure makes Jeff Bezos quite happy.
Besides dealing with the evolving pandemic, the UK has also had its fair share of added uncertainty with Brexit and as the year rolls into 2021 and the US Trump presidency continues to play out like an exaggerated reality tv show, although we don’t have all the answers we now know a lot more about Coronavirus and we are in a stronger position than last year.
Academic and clinical research continues to provide scientific data and an evidence base for vaccines and future therapies and hope for new ways to tackle the virus as these are rolled out as treatments.
In terms of goal setting I was inspired after reading Emilie Wapnick’s post on goal setting for 2021 on Puttylike with one main takeaway being ‘to hold onto things lightly’.
While specific goals can be great if you stick to them, many people often set them with good intentions and then they lose focus after a few weeks. If anything, 2020 has taught us that flexibility is key by throwing many of our goals out the window.
Although it’s not always been straightforward, I’ve still continued with a number of projects and it has also been an opportunity to focus on what’s important (family).
Many solid routines have been thrown to the wind but that doesn’t mean they can’t be brought back in due course if they will be of benefit. If you need structure, by all means set some specific goals, but go easy on yourself if you don’t hit them. Perfection is never the goal (hint: it’s unachievable!).
Instead of setting goals my aim is to set ‘themes’. Themes that provide light structure as to what I want to achieve and may include some specific goals, but enable me to remain flexible in my approach. In other words I can work towards them but I’m not bound by them if the universe has other things in store for me!
In reality, approaching goal setting as ‘themes’ is probably something that I’ve already been doing in some way for a few years but this year seems all the more pertinent.
Some of my themes include self, family, fitness, business, learning and travel.
As well as being a parent and growing business projects, I miss water sports in warm weather, sandy beaches and the snowy mountains. While we don’t know when travel restrictions will be eased or lifted I know many people are keen to get around and see new places.
I know it has been difficult for many people as we continue to weather the storm but this is a new year and new opportunities will open up no matter what gets thrown our way.
As parents and entrepreneurs who enjoy traveling, for the foreseeable future, I expect the trend of staycations and traveling within our own countries will continue and undoubtedly be easier than going overseas. However being multinational is literally in my blood and I’m keen to travel internationally when it is safe to do so.
For now I’m fortunate to live in a beautiful part of the English south coast and will continue to explore my own surroundings.
Remember sometimes you can find the most unexpected things on your doorstep.
Health and prosperity to you in 2021!
Over to you: What goals and themes have you set or are you thinking about?
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