By Shefa Ali
Oh, what a difference a year can make! One year ago, on December 10, 2019, we lived in such a different world than we do today. Since then, almost everything in our lives has changed.
In 2020 there has been love, loss, accomplishments, disappointments, redirection and limitation, however I could write a list of things that despite the backdrop of Covid-19, I managed to accomplish this year. But I am not writing to impress you with ‘accomplishments’; rather, I want to impress upon you the power of a year. As human beings, we often overestimate what we can accomplish in a short period of time but we drastically underestimate what we can accomplish in a year or two.
Most of this year’s ‘accomplishments’ weren’t goals I had developed at the beginning of the year. They just happened, organically, as I worked hard to add value to other people’s lives. As always I was reminded that when I add value to other people’s lives, everything else tends to fall into place.
If during this year, you didn’t manage to make any positive changes or work on any of your goals, remember the big life changes don’t happen overnight. Give yourself some time to work towards them, put in the necessary effort, keep at it, trust me you’ll be surprised with what can happen in a year.
I know we are not over corona just yet and with all this talk of vaccines giving many people anxiety, my advice going into 2021 would be to adopt the late Maya Angelou’s words from her famous book, I know why the caged bird sings “Hoping for the best, prepared for the worst, and unsurprised by anything in between.” In my experience, successful people have the capacity to anticipate and plan for setbacks, but this tactic works best when balanced with positivity and an ability to enjoy and experience the present moment, through optimism, mindfulness, and social support. Being both planful and hopeful can improve your wellbeing and can make us more resilient if the worst-case scenario comes to reality.
* The author is a consultant and coach. Instagram handle: @miss_shefa, Website: missshefa.com
