We are almost at the end of the year. Typically, around this time, I start thinking about how honest I was to the commitments I made to myself at the beginning of the year and what goals I want to set for the next year. But 2020 has not been a regular year. Regardless of our goal statement for the year, our focus was safety and survival. This primal need forced us to change the way we live. As I was reflecting, I realized some good habits which became a part of our day to day life.
– Mindfulness – Mindfulness is a deliberate focus on something. Typically, we are either too busy to give ourselves the space to practice mindfulness or highly driven to prove that we can multi-task.
For the last 8 months, I have been mindfully wearing my mask. I sweated under it, found breathing difficult because of it but never forgot to wear it. In my quest to stay mentally and emotionally strong, my goal for the next year is to deepen my mindfulness practice and eat mindfully. I will not read, watch TV or talk over the phone while having my meals. I will chew my food properly and relish the color, the aroma, and the flavor of my food.
– Self-care – is defined as deliberate actions to ensure that we are functioning at our best. Typically, we are too busy taking care of everyone and everything else to make time for self-care. We leave catching up on sleep for the weekends and spending time with nature for the weekend getaways once in a quarter. We push our emotions away because we do not want the mess and defer mental peace for when the new world order gets established.
For the last 8 months, I have been diligently taking my vitamins, drinking hot water, and doing breathing exercises. My immunity probably is at its best right now. Motivated by the desire to stay physically fit, my goal for the next year is to add a cardio routine to my current regimen and to observe silence once a month.
Have you thought about which of the learnings from 2020 will you carry forward to the future? What will drive you to stay the course and support you to meet your goals?