New Year, Old Me....

 Every year, as the end of the current year ends and a fresh new one begins we often hear people talking about a new year, new you or setting themselves goals and resolutions for the year ahead. I myself have done this in past years and I think these can be really helpful for people to do, to focus on and to motivate them for the new year. 

However this year, after the all the crazy stuff 2020 threw at us all, there may be a new year but I am afraid the New Year is getting the old me this time! 

No goals, no resolutions just little old me. And that's because this year I have learnt that we really have no idea what is around the next corner, what the next day, week or month has in store for us. I've learnt that actually the old me is pretty resilient, strong and capable. I have spent so long believing that I need to be better, to be more, to improve myself and compare myself to others. But the reality is that we are all unique and all good enough and not enough of us set our goals to be more us, less worried and less judgemental of our own selves before we try to be anything more. 

Don't get me wrong, there are lots of things I want to happen in 2021. But after so many cancelled plans this year, missing family from celebrations, cancelled traditions and missed events and milestones, my wants are so much more simple this year. 

I would love to tell you I plan on going on holiday, making plans with friends, adventures with the kids, but the reality is I worry I am setting myself up for more disappointment and failure. Instead I am going into 2021 with the hope for a better year, the strength of getting through the previous year and the appreciation for each day, whatever it might throw at us. 

Whilst 2020 feels like it has tested up, whilst it feels like we have lost so much (and for some they have lost some of the most precious things they have, their loved ones). I think in years to come we will look back on 2020 and give ourselves a silent nod, a nod to the fact we muddled through, we supported those who needed it, we taught our kids from home for months when previously we all wondered how we ever got through the 6 weeks summer holidays! We saw more kindness than ever before, we saw people supporting others and causes and we learnt so much more about our own strength. So for all of those reasons I hope that more people this year will be taking a little bit of the old them into the new year! 

So really I just want to finish this post by saying, whatever you do this New Year, do it for you. If you plan on setting yourself goals, targets, resolutions and plans, go for it, I am spurring you on and wishing you the best. If you are hoping to just get by, keep your little humans going and putting on foot in front of the other, good on you, you are not alone. If this year has taught us anything it is that being kind, love, hope and kindness trump everything. Nobody is less important than anyone else, nobodies feelings less valid and thoughts or feelings less worthy. So instead of judging or comparing yourself to anyone else, lets use that energy to support each other instead. Hold each other up when we are feeling weak and cheer each other on, even for the little wins. 

I don't know what 2021 will hold, I REALLY hope it is better than 2020. But whatever it has in store, remember you are awesome, remember to be kind and remember that sometimes you just have to do YOU and that is ok! 

Happy New Year everyone. 

xXx