Can you believe that we are in December already? Where has this crazy year gone? The days of TikTok and Tiger King seem like forever ago and in reality, 2020 is almost over. As we enter the New Year and the undeniable resolution posts begin to happen, what are we suppose to do? With shutdowns, holidays, and uncertainty, making our typical resolutions don’t seem fitting this time around. The days that brought us here don’t make a good formula for a promising 2021, but our thoughts don’t have to be that way.
Why don’t we fix our focus on the things we CAN control instead? What is the next right step for us individually? What should our plan of action be? What does the last few weeks of the most promising year turned frustrating year going to hold? We simply don't know. But I do know that a simple pivot and a quick perspective change can do major things in our lives.
If 2020 has taught us anything, it is that we never truly know what the future holds no matter how much we plan or dream up. It has taught us that our trust should not be placed on the things we have, do, wear, say, or want. And that anything, literally anything, can happen whether we are ready for it or not.
So again, what's the next right step?
The answer: reflect back and then ask yourself what YOUR next right step is.
You see, in an achievement driven, instagram worthy, fake news bombarded world, we think that every step should be a leap. But you see, a step is not a leap and a leap is not a step. A step, however, can be small or it can be big. That all depends on the legs of the stepper.
Some of us are tall and can easily stride forward effortlessly, and some of us (like myself) are on the shorter end and have learned to walk a little faster to keep up with those taller folk (i.e. my husband). And since my husband’s natural step and mine are not the same distance, and never will be, I should never expect our "next right steps" to be the same.
All this illustration is trying to tell you is that you, my friend, should not be measuring your step to the person next to you or how big your steps have been in the past. Rather, you should reevaluate where you want to go, how you want to get there, and who you want to become while the steps are taking place.
All this while drowning out the sounds of the world, and focusing on what YOU can do with where YOU are and what YOU have, right now.
Take this time not to set a resolution like years past, but to reflect and redirect. I believe this year of lock downs, race wars, political mishap, and life changes- has shown you exactly who you are. The real you. The you that was hidden in your over crowded life before the pandemic. I know it has for me. I now know the good, the bad, and the ugly of how I cope with uncertainty, pressure, fear, stillness, and growth. I've been forced to. We all have been forced to. And that reality may or may not sit well with you.
So I invite you to reflect on that. See what you liked and didn't like about how you dealt with or reacted with 2020. What you're proud of, what you wish you hadn't picked back up, and how you want to react the next time you're put in a similar situation.
Use this time, as we all move forward into our new normal, to truly do a mental check, a body scan, and a soul exam.
A step is an action. An action that gives you progress no matter how big or small. So I'm not encouraging you to replan your life's direction. I’m encouraging you to pivot today and every day forward. I'm here to spur you to reflect, reset, refocus and know that no matter how big your step is, it should be one you want to make. Not one the news or unwanted opinions what you to take.
One that leads you to the best version of you because of the wisdom you've gained from 2020 so far. One that, even if it leads you on the wrong path, that you'll know you can pivot and take another step towards progress and not perfection.
January 1st is coming and it’s a promising date, yes. But a flip of the calendar won’t change your heart, your life’s rhythm, or the things you still can’t control.
Remember that your step is unique, your "right" is not your neighbor's right, and your shoes look different because they belong to you. Your next right step may be teeny tiny, but over time will flourish into that thing you've always dreamed of or to become the person you were created to be. Even teeny tiny steps mean forward motion. Teeny tiny actually allow those inevitable pivots to not be so drastic.
Sit, think, reflect, pray, and reevaluate. What IS your next right step, right now? And once you answer that, move toward it, and no matter what the last few weeks of 2020 bring, or what the year 2021 will be- it won’t be so dramatic for the new version of you.
I’m stepping forward with you, friend.
