Make 2021 matter....

Time does fly ..... whilst we still seem to be heaving from the aftermath of 2020, we find ourselves already at the end of the first month of 2021. A lot of us had wished, prayed even, at the end of December last year that 2021 be kinder - so what did the first month of the year show? 

I would say - uncertainty mostly but with a splattering of hope! 

New cases of infection continue to rise amidst fears of lockdown again and at the same time, vaccination roll-outs across the globe are fostering some hope of protection against the impact of the virus,  if not total immunity. 

The confidence we saw at the end of last year has dampened for sure; but we humans, don't give up so easily and so the battle wages on. 

I believe that the past month has reminded us of what we truly control and can influence and where we are simply onlookers or receivers. It has reiterated what Steve Covey called the "circle of influence" - where we need to focus - however small that circle may be for now. 

It is true that so much is out of that circle, for most of us - that it ends up leaving us overwhelmed and stressed.

Jan 2021 reminded me to balance, even if precariously, between what I can change or control and where I have to let go as well as what I need to park for now. It nudged me to re-evaluate my sense of empowerment. 

A lot of my personal plans for last year had to change due to the Covid situation - I had got tired and wary of planning; I had let go and calmed myself down, waiting for the storm to pass whilst watching for signs that may indicate new roads. There didn't seem much more I could do as the fateful year ended. 

This past month made me realize that this "storm" is not going anywhere soon - the "new normal" was yet to take shape and it seems quite possible that it will take all of 2021 to get there. Yet the life ticker isn't stopping for any one of us, is it? 

So it was best to review what still lay within my "circle of influence" and what I could do about them. I was reminded that even though we may not have made it to safe shores as yet, there were a lot of stuff that we could still do to move our lives to a more sounder footing. We always have options - small, medium or big. 

And so I pulled out the drawing board again during the last few weeks. I lay aside the earlier blueprints and started with a fresh sheet - to see what things I still controlled and how I could chose to take them forward. I carefully kept aside a lot of big ticket items - not with regret but with a firm understanding and belief that it is not yet time for those pieces to move now. Some plans even went to the bin!

I have seen uncertainty and ambiguity play havoc on the best of us; last year rattled us all. This has to be the year to start rebuilding the new normal for the world and for each of us in it. And the best way is to start afresh and to start small, but the key is to start and not wait anymore..... 

The world continues its battle, in 2021, with hopes of a safer and prosperous tomorrow. 

We need to start adjusting our sails as well. 

Recalibrate, yet again. Review, yet again. Renew, yet again. 

Set new goals, however small, medium or big, for the next 11 months - on stuff that you still can control in these crazy times. And see how that positively impacts your mind, body and soul - and the little world around you. 

As they say, sometimes, power is not always in conquering high mountains, but sometimes in just getting out of bed every morning promising to make something good of the day that lies ahead of us. 




Let's all reach within for that tiny, brilliant light and power on ..... to make 2021 matter .....


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