My 5 Goals for 2021
and why I’m not calling them New Year’s Resolutions
2020 has been a trying year for all of us, between the pandemic, the highlighting of racial injustice, economic instability, and the election it felt like we couldn’t catch a break. For me personally, I lost my job and lost my stepfather, so this year was particularly bleak.
As bad as this year was though (and as much as I am looking forward to it being over), I also was able to grow and learn and really focus in on what I want for 2021.
I don’t believe in New Year’s resolutions, for a few reasons- we shouldn’t have to wait until January 1st to start implementing new changes into our lives. I also find the ‘new year, new me’ idea to be a fallacy. You shouldn’t be looking for a “new you” you should be committed to developing your goals and dreams and then bettering yourself along those lines. I also find that some industries (ahem, health & fitness) prey on people who are feeling burnt out and lost by the end of the year, particularly in 2020 and offer quick fixes instead of the real and difficult fundamental changes that are needed.
I’m the type of person that gets anxious at the thought of sudden and extreme changes, so if I know I need to change something I prefer to start with small incremental changes and giving myself the time to grow.
If I know that I need to cut back on the screen time a little bit I do so slowly and substitute with a book that I know is light-hearted and entertaining. Doing a social media detox for a month and starting a Dostoevsky novel is not going to lead to long term success for me.
I’m a firm believer that goals should be concrete and actionable. With that being said here are my goals for 2021.
1. Develop a greater sense of focus.
I’m passionate about so many different subjects, which is great but it also means that I have trouble focusing. In order to gain proficiency in a subject you need to develop the discipline to delve into it properly.
A perfect example of this is with language learning. It’s easy to learn a few phrases in a language, but to be proficient in a language requires almost daily discipline. I’ve definitely been slacking in this area and I look forward to refocusing on this this upcoming year.
2. Stay grateful.
I know it seems cliched but if 2020 has taught us anything it’s to always stay grateful for the little things. I appreciate a good happy hour now more than ever, I appreciate travelling (and can’t wait to go abroad again someday).
I’m also really grateful that, throughout this pandemic, my family has stayed safe and healthy and we’ve all been able to keep food on our tables and a roof over our head. Not a small feat in 2020. Gratitude and appreciating what I have are what I need to take with me in 2021 and beyond.
3. Develop a routine.
The only way for me to stay somewhat sane and focused during quarantine was to have a daily routine. (No I wasn’t one of those crazies still waking up at 6 am everyday) but having some sense of a schedule made the days go by faster. Even breaking up my day with a daily walk around the block gave me more focus.
4. Read more.
Being in quarantine upped my screen time but it also got me back into reading. It cut out my distractions, like going out that prevented me from focusing on what I really love, which is reading.
I’m always reading 3-4 books at a time, because sometimes I’m in the mood for a light-hearted celebrity memoir and other times I get super nerdy with a good history book. I think we should all use this year to find out what we’re really passionate about and focus on that (not everything has to be a money maker- some things can stay as hobbies).
5. Slowing down.
How can we truly focus on our goals if we’re constantly running from place to place? Saying ‘no’ to things that drain our energy was a big lesson for me this year. Being super selective with my time and what it brings back to me is important for this upcoming year.
What about you? Do you believe in New Year’s resolutions? Or are you more goal focused? What are yours for 2021? Leave a comment below.
