A year ago, I decided to ditch New Year’s resolutions and instead embrace a word of the year for 2020, which was to serve as my mantra and a promise to myself and to others for staying committed.
My word in 2020 was KINDNESS. Last year I wrote this about the word I had chosen, “It emerged out of my reflection for my approach to work where I desire to embrace a gentler, more intuitive – and yes, kinder – way to respond to challenges in my personal life, in my work, and the unknown that I’ll be accepting in 2020 and beyond.”
“Kindness” has proven to be a helpful friend for me throughout the unprecedented events in 2020 that demanded the best from us. It reminded me on many occasions to be kind to myself and kind to others as we responded to seemingly endless challenges. This year, I want to do the same and pick a friendly word that will carry my intention for 2021 into my work, life, and play every day. My word of the year 2021 is LIGHTNESS.
There are three main lessons I have taken away from 2020 that have inspired the word LIGHTNESS.
Continue to read below the image …
Lesson 1: The Power of Adaptability
2020 can easily be described as the year of the pivot. As individuals and as organizations we had no choice but to pivot in order to adapt to the changing circumstances due to the pandemic and the resulting lockdowns. Although I am no stranger to unforeseen, life-changing events and am also accustomed to uprooting my life and moving to other countries, the pandemic added a whole new level of “SURPRISE!” and uncertainty to our experience. What fascinates me most is that this was not just an isolated event that threw our personal lives off track, but that this was a global community experience where we were pivoting together. It has made the experience both more challenging and more meaningful at the same time.
Our lives will continue to be defined by uncertainty, so the ability to respond flexibly and be agile will make all the difference. LIGHTNESS means “the quality or state of being nimble” as well as “the quality and state of being light, especially in weight”. The less weight I carry into 2021, the more I can lean on flexibility, adaptability, and a state of lightness.
Lesson 2: What Really Matters
In a lot of ways, 2020 highlighted what really matters. For a lot of us, our external gratification was largely taken away – we couldn’t travel like we used to, many of us couldn’t see family or close friends. We couldn’t go to the movies or meet our friends in bars, clubs or restaurants. Many of us were confined to our houses or apartments for months on end, working from home, or not working at all. Others have been working on the “front lines” in hospitals, care homes, retail, etc. supporting the rest of us with essential services.
When our externals are stripped away like they were in 2020, what you’re left with is yourself. This presents us with an opportunity to look at our lives and reflect on what really matters. Not often do we get a collective break from “business as usual” to take a step back and allow us to think, reflect, and draw conclusions. LIGHTNESS means that I can shine a light on my life, my choices, my values, and how I want to live my life going forward. This is a practice that I want to keep in my life in 2021, to be more aligned with what is important to me.
Lesson 3: Who’s On Your Team?
Even though I couldn’t see many of my friends and family personally in 2020, I was able to connect with them virtually. And it showed me that if your team is strong and you have the right people on your team, you will be able to overcome the challenge together. Because I have moved quite a bit in recent years, my community stretches across many countries and continents: Europe, the USA, Canada, and beyond.
The beauty of modern technology allows us to stay connected and nurture our friendships, even if we live thousands of miles apart. I was able to continue my mastermind sessions with my entrepreneur friends in Canada. I checked in over Zoom with friends all over the world. I attended virtual events and even virtual dance sessions.
Your team is as strong as you continue to foster those relationships that are important to you. LIGHTNESS describes the “quality or state of being illuminated”. My community provides that essential illumination in my life. And my goal is to expand that illumination to more people in 2021. One way I plan on doing that is by starting a podcast that will feature changemakers and future-forward thinkers. We’ll talk about opportunities for our future and illuminate ideas that have the potential to positively change the way we live, work, and play.
LIGHTNESS inspires me to embrace agility, ease, and mindfulness and shine a light on the places that can benefit from enlightenment and bright rays of positivity.
