Today I would like to ask you just 3 questions.

  1. What 3 things are you proudest of accomplishing in 2020?They can be big things, small things. Things that are important just to you, that made a difference to your family or made the world a better place.
  2. What 1 new thing do you want to accomplish in 2021?This should be your number one priority, the one thing you focus on every day and that you want to have finished by the end of next year. It can of course be something intangible like being a good partner to your loved one, or being a good parent. But I presume this is something we all strive to achieve.
    So, make your goal different from your family. Make it something that is part of who you are, the dream you have. Something like hiking through Nepal and setting up a charity, starting your own business or learning a new skill.
    You do not have to know the HOW. But you should be very clear on the WHAT.
  3. What is your Word of the Year for 2021?Since I heard about and met Christine Kane, I learned about how resolutions have a tendency to fail because they only address the DO level of your life (quit smoking, loose weight – the classic to do’s for a new year). Christine started selecting a word to guide her through the year which puts you and your actions much more in the BE level of your life. The word you choose becomes the guiding force throughout the year – it grows with you, changes meaning and goes much deeper than a simple ‘I need to get more organised’.

Think about the above questions for a while and write them down for yourself. If you want, you can share them with me via email.

Here are my answers:

Things I am proud to have accomplished in 2020:

  1. Self-care:
    When the pandemic hit, I needed to step up my game and become a teacher, cook, cleaner, teenage mitigator, and oh so many more things all at once. It was very revealing, often emotional and above all quite stressful. So I decided to take extreme care of myself. I adapted my fitness regime, I planned less and better, I created space for just me and my re-charging. It was exhausting, but I managed.
  2. Art and Creativity:
    Besides taking care of my physical self to stay sane, I created a lot of art. Art is great therapy and a wonderful outlet for emotions.
    I also managed two Visionboard workshops in 2020 and plan on scheduling another in March.
  3. Growth:
    This was not a n easy year. My word for 2020 was FEEL. And gosh have I felt it! I did a lot of digging, soul searching, accepting, resisting, accepting some more. I had some very difficult conversations. I have put up necessary boundaries, broken unhealthy patterns and created new habits. And now that we are at the end of this crazy year, I can see how far I’ve come and how much I’ve grown. I can also see that there is still a long road ahead. But I know I can tackle it.

The one thing I want to accomplish in 2021:

Bring my creativity to a new level by participating in a global online art collaborative (soon to be announced!) as well as other creative projects.

My word of the year 2021:

SOFTEN :

  • Soften EVERYTHING. Soften into and around situations.
  • Soften into my day in the morning, and into the end of the day at night.
  • Soften my day and agenda by creating breathing space..
  • Soften my actions and reactions in any given situation
  • Soften my goals, plans, workshops.
  • Soften my step, my fitness.
  • Soften my expectations and my perspective.
  • Accept the softening of my body.
  • Soften around my teenagers while they are becoming adults in these difficult times.

So off you go to write down your answers to these 3 questions.
And be proud of what you have achieved! Celebrate! And then focus on that one thing you want to get done!