2020 was a tough year for everyone. The global pandemic completely changed the way we live our lives, impacting our relationships, careers, and our mental and physical health. It was heartwarming to see the way people helped each other out and provided small bursts of joy in the darkest times, but that doesn’t change the fact that it’s been a difficult twelve months.
The good news is that the outlook for 2021 is looking brighter. A vaccine rollout of unprecedented scale is in motion, and in a few months, life might look very different. For many people, 2020 was understandably a write-off. It would have been very difficult to achieve your long-term goals and improve your life circumstances. But there’s no reason you can’t make 2021 your year. As the days get longer and the warmer weather approaches, opportunity is in the air.
Forget the hardship of 2020 and make this a year remember with these four tips.
With the year we’ve had, it’s easy to adopt a negative mindset about the world. Your mind becomes preoccupied with the things you’re not allowed to do, the friends you can’t hug, and the tragic news headlines dominating the internet. But there are always positives in life, you may just need to change your perspective to see them. Think about all the extra time you’ve spent with your family or the fact that things are slowly getting better.
People always put too much pressure on themselves at the start of the year by setting themselves ambitious goals. They might pledge to get a better job, lose five stone, or write a novel. But such lofty plans are only setting you up for failure. If you lose motivation or fail to hit your target, you will inevitably feel bad about yourself. New year’s resolutions are something that society tells us we need to make, but there is no real reason to follow this arbitrary measurement of success. Rather than ruining your mental health by weighing yourself each morning or working into the early hours, take some time to focus on you.
The best thing you can do for yourself this year is to be happier and enjoy life to the fullest. Don’t spend time on activities that don’t bring you joy. We only have a limited amount of time on earth, so use it wisely. Spend time with loved ones, take part in activities that make you happy, watch films and TV shows that make you laugh, submerge yourself in a warm bath, and open yourself up to all the wonderful experiences life has to offer. These are the things you will look back on when you’re old.
By the time summer arrives, the world might be in a completely different situation. The sun will be out, you will spend more time outdoors, and everyone’s mental wellbeing will skyrocket. Even though we’re still in the middle of winter, you can feel summery by preparing in advance. Plan a road trip, order that flowery dress you’ve had your eye on, and create an outdoor entertaining area for summer in your garden.
*Collaborative post