One topic that keeps coming up on social media right now is that 2020 was the worst year and that 2021 has to be better. You also see memes and pictures that say that we need to go into 2021 quietly so it isn’t a bad year. 

This year has been different. As much as I hate all the memes and pictures on social media about 2020 being the worst year, it definitely has been a different year. In my personal experience though, I have survived much worse years than last year. That may be because I still have a job in an “essential” industry. That may be because, financially, this has been one of my best years. My family has pulled together and become closer. I have been very blessed in this last year. 

I have no doubt that some of you were extremely challenged by the events of 2020. You had health issues come to the surface or had gotten ill from the coronavirus. You lost loved ones, your jobs, or your homes. You were isolated from family and friends. You had to learn to work from home and/or be a very active participant in your children’s schooling. You may have experienced a lot of stress and anxiety.

I view those as life-changing challenges. I don’t like to dwell on my problems so I use a mind flip to change my perspective. When they happen, you are a bit panicked and overwhelmed. While those are natural emotions to have, you shouldn’t live in those emotions. You have to change your thinking so you can deal with these challenges. 

I believe that you learn a lot more when you are challenged. Whether it was a personal challenge or a life challenge, you learn and grow from those times. You might be exasperated, but you still have learned something to better deal with the next time. You might have picked up some new skills

You have heard me say that I have been learning flexibility this last year. When I say I have been learning flexibility this year, I haven’t been joking. I always thought I was fairly flexible and adaptable. I am not really phased by much. My kids seem to be proud of that trait. 

However, I really dislike unknowns and inconsistency. I don’t like it when my routines and plans are shifted. I know I have needed to work on this the last few years, but I hadn’t experienced anything that made me work on it. This last year has seen me grow a lot in this area. I have also been challenged by being a parent of young adults and teenagers. As you lose your control over them, you have to roll with their decisions especially when they don’t live under your roof anymore. That is tough when you don’t agree with what they are doing or where they are going.

Another way I have been perceiving these challenges that I have more options if I choose to see them as challenges instead of life stoppers. I find that options are good since life is rarely black and white. You can choose how to deal with what is coming by reviewing the options. You can make the best choice then when you are facing options instead of struggles. 

That brings me to the new year. Like I have said, I have had much worse years than in 2020. This year was full of challenges, but it wasn’t the worst year for me personally. That being said, I do believe 2021 will be a very challenging year because the problems from last year cannot be solved with a vaccine. There are political, economical, global, and social issues that have been exasperated in the last year. They haven’t been dealt with, but instead, have been poked and grown larger. 

You have options and choices. I have said before that I would rather be prepared and have nothing happen than to be unprepared. You can choose to ramp up your preparedness efforts. You can choose to become more self-sufficient. You can choose to become better financially by becoming debt-free and turning that side hustle into a full-time income. You can choose to work on your physical and mental health. You have so many choices!

Choices give you options which then can become goals.

In that respect, I have set a lot of goals for this year for myself personally. I have business goals, financial goals, preparedness goals, gardening goals, personal goals, and homesteading goals. That may seem like a lot, but I don’t think it is for me. I had goals last year that I succeeded at and goals that I didn’t accomplish. Life is like that sometimes. 

I also know that the goals I have not accomplished in the past are due to my poor planning and me getting in the way of my goals. When we have a plan in place, goals are usually attainable. We might not get them done in our timing, but they do happen. 

I will leave you this: Change your perspective. Whatever life throws at you, choose to see them as challenges that give you options. Those chosen options then can become goals to accomplish. Make 2021 the year you better your situation and your life. You can prep harder, save more money, work harder, and be a better provider for yourself and your family. 

You are not a victim of 2020. You have been handed the controls to change your perspective and change your life for the better.

Thanks for reading,
Erica

Related posts:
10 Prepping Goals You Should Be Setting For The New Year
13 Ways To Save Money In The New Year

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