Last year was the first year I decided to select a theme word for the new year and ironically, it was PEACE. I don’t think I could have chosen a word that is more opposite of how the year went. I’m hoping by selecting HOPE for 2021 I will be a little more on track with how the year goes.

Why choose a theme word? I’m not one to do New Years resolutions. I know realistically that 9 times out of 10 those are out the window by February. I like to look at a theme for the year and set some goals and dreams I would love to accomplish in the next year. Spreading it out across the year helps it feel like it is sustainable and that even when I fall off, I can still get back on track with my goals.

Hope is my chosen word because I think it’s what all of us, including myself, are clinging to for 2021. We need hope that we can start to make some headway with this pandemic, hope that we can get our kids back to school and sports, hope that we can hug our family and friends again without fear, hope that we can sustain our jobs and support our families, and hope that we can get back to some sense of normalcy, even though that may even look different than it did a year ago.

Here are some goals/dreams I would love to accomplish in 2021.

I. Be true to myself, my thoughts and my feelings. I am a classic people pleaser so I rarely ever say “No” to anyone or anything. While I thrive on helping others and it truly does make me happy to care for others, oftentimes I do sacrifice my own feelings or wishes to please others. I am not a strong opinionated person but in many instances where conflict is possible, I tend to stay quiet and go with the crowd to avoid confrontation. In some cases, it means I end up second guessing myself and my decisions not to speak up or even put my family first, when I need to. This is more of an emotional growth goal and I don’t plan on being overly vocal or outspoken but I do know that if I am questioning something, I need to learn to speak up.

II. Celebrate in any way possible, even if that looks different. With my son graduating in just 5 months, I know the reality of the fact that he likely won’t have a Senior prom or most of the senior events associated with high school (although I am still hopeful). Instead of wallowing in sadness about it, I need to find creative ways to celebrate his accomplishments and get creative with how to give him the memories that all of us have from this important stage of life.

III. Focus on what matters most. If 2020 has taught us anything, it is that the most important things in life can’t be taken away. A pandemic can’t take away our faith in God, our love for our family and friends, and who we are fundamentally as people. I love my career and I want to continue to grow and work hard but I have also learned that while that part of me is so important, making sure the other parts of my life are prioritized is critical to my mental and physical health. Getting back on schedule with regular exercise is an important part of this goal as well.

IV. Keep growing. I am 100% a creature of habit as those closest to me can attest to. I thrive that way but I also love the challenge of stepping out of my comfort zone and learning new skills. Pushing myself to try new things and continually evolving and growing is so important in life. 2020 made that difficult in some ways but also showed us that we can always find a way.

V. Work on financial stability. While we were incredibly blessed to have a savings account to lean on this year when our jobs were impacted, there are so many goals we have put off that we really need to prioritize. We need to establish a will and trust so we know that our children will be provided for no matter what happens to us. While we try not to carry a lot of credit card debt, we do have some lingering from home projects that I want to pay off and get back on track. Feeling more financially settled helps when times of crisis come up.

I could probably keep adding to this list but again, I want to be realistic and mindful of my priorities this year. I pray that we all hold on to the hope that 2021 will continue to improve and we really can start to plan out our lives again. Either way, the lessons from 2020 have taught us that we can certainly handle pretty much anything that comes our way. Happy New Year friends!