Goals for 2021

What a year 2020 has been ! I’m sure everyone have had their share of ups and downs this year. Life as we know it, changed for most of us. Working from home, home schooling, being anxious, fear of the unknown, not being able to travel, not being able to meet family and friends are some of the things we all experienced. As 2020 draws to an end, we cannot start the new year without being grateful of the blessings we did have this year. ‘Strength’ is one of them. None of us could have completed this year without gaining wee bit of extra strength in these unprecedented times.

I choose a ‘word for the year’ with a group of friends and base my goals on that. We then revisit our ‘words of the year’ few times during the year to see how we are doing. These are the words I chose in the last few years:
2020: Stretch (I wanted to do a bit more in my professional and personal life).
2019: Breathe (First year back at work after maternity leave and there was too much going on so I wanted to focus on letting go, breathe and be okay if I wasn’t successful at any element).
2018: Nurture (I had a baby in this year so this was the best word 😊)
2017: Balance (I had been struggling with work life balance for a bit so wanted to focus on that and work on my routines).

No doubt 2020 was a bit of a stretch for all of us so I did stick to my word and did a lot more that I’d usually do 😀 My Bible verse for 2020 encouraged me to keep going even if I felt I couldn’t do it anymore:

‘I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me’. – Philippians 4:13

This year I choose the word ‘Rejoice’. My Bible verse for it is:

‘In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name.’ – Psalm 33:21

I don’t know what 2021 will hold for me. One thing I know for sure is that God is there for me and his faithful mercies begin afresh each morning. I can be assured for His faithful love that never ends and be still & peaceful no matter how chaotic life can get.

The 4 areas I will be focusing on under ‘Rejoice’ are as follows:
1. Love God more: Rest in the amazing grace and seek to love God with all my heart, soul, mind and strength.
2. Love others more: be mindful of the needs of my friends and family. Be kind and supportive of others around me.
3. Love the world more: Be more conscious of saving the planet. Reduce carbon footprint where I can and use more eco-friendly products e.g. natural cleaning products, reusable bags, water bottles, coffee mugs & shopping bags.
4. Love myself more: nourish my body, mind and soul. Invest time in things I love to do. Embrace my flaws and grow in my professional and personal life. Eat healthy and exercise more.

Here’s hoping 2021 is kinder and we all enjoy it with friends and family but at the same time carry forward the strength we gained in 2020 and continue to be grateful to God for our blessings. May we love God, others, the world and ourselves more in 2021.