Tuesday, January 12, 2021

New Beginnings by Eleri Grace

 

I'm not a huge fan of New Year's in terms of the big, glitzy parties on New Year's Eve. Even when younger, I much preferred to stay in with friends/loved ones, a good movie, and a glass or two of champagne.

I did, however, typically embrace the concept of resolutions. Big, sweeping ones ("lose weight" topping the list) were the norm. As with most people, the resolutions were usually out the window before the Christmas decorations were fully packed away.

This year feels different. A group of friends invited me to join them in a new goal-setting planner system. In November, we ordered the planner and met a few times to do the planning exercises and brainstorming. Though I initially worried that this would end up with the same end result (discarded and failed resolutions that were too unrealistic), I am cautiously optimistic that this system might work -- at least for many of my goals, if not all. The reason is that it doesn't allow you to simply write down "lose weight" -- it challenges you to dig deeper and break that lofty goal down into bite-sized action steps and mini-goals for daily, weekly, and monthly steps (as well as quarterly goals). So for that one, I'm focusing on hydration during January, and then each month after that, I'm adding in something else meant to spark healthier eating habits and subsequent weight loss.

2020 was such a traumatic year filled with stress, tension, anxiety, and upheaval at the micro and macro levels. My heart is full of hope for 2021 -- not only will our country take a different and hopefully more positive trajectory, but maybe I too will make incremental and positive progress toward my personal and professional goals this year.

I'm reminded of Churchill's famous quote in an address to the US Congress in late December 1941, after Pearl Harbor: "Sure I am that this day -- now we are the masters of our fate; that the task which has been set us is not above our strength and toils are not beyond our endurance."

As with my heroes and heroines, no matter how bad things have been of late, I want to focus on progress, positivity, and optimism for a better and brighter tomorrow. I want to "accentuate the positive," as the 1940s song goes. 

May 2021 bring us all much health and happiness! 



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3 comments:

Judith Ashley said...

Eleri, I have the same planner (the one on the left in your picture) that you do. Same color even. I've found it really helpful although I am doing it alone. Usually I start out with the morning page before I do anything else. Today, having Zoom meetings, I turned on computer first. But this is my last morning computer task (checking out RTG) so as soon as I click submit I'll be heading to the couch and filling it in.

Love that you have a group of people you are doing this with. That makes a huge difference.

May Health, Happiness, Love and Joyful Light fill your 2021!

Lynn Lovegreen said...

Great Churchill quote--thanks!

Maggie Lynch said...

Eleri, I'm not a printed planner kind of gal, but I do know many authors who absolutely swear by them--particularly the ones which start each day with an affirmation.

I'm a glued to the computer planner and use Google Calendar as my tickler file. I set up four or five notifications for every deadline, dates to start writing and recording word counts, and all meetings. The multiple notifications is because I can easily forget what day it is or what time it is once I sit down to the computer and start working. ::)

May your 2021 be filled with great plans, realized goals, and the ability to jump over boulders or pivot when an obstacle is thrown in your path.