Out With the Old, In With the New!

 Out With the Old, In With the New!

After having a year like no other we have experienced, the same words ring true, "Out with the old and in with the new." Only this year, most of us are holding out hope for a more positive year in all aspects of our lives. A vaccine is being distributed in a respectful way, prioritizing front line workers, people who have assisted living, and people over 75 years of age. 

People do not seem to listen to the warnings of the experts, mainly because there are so many leaders across our country who think they know much more than science can explain, yet they do not have a degree in science or medicine. So our country just keeps growing with the number of cases and deaths. There has been racial unrest along with feelings of hopelessness, in some cases not being able to see our loved ones and travel to them. 

I must repeat myself: out with the old and in with the new. We will soon have new leadership and a time to work on the healing of our country. To me, it is done one person at a time. It will take all of us. Sometimes, it will mean that we must at least agree to disagree. Moving on in a positive way, one filled with gratitudes and finding what brings us joy is how we will succeed. 

On the calendar at the top of this page notice that it has a 'To Do: Make Resolutions.' I stopped doing this a few years ago. I read a great little book that explained it to me in a language that I could totally understand. Resolutions can be overwhelming. They are to me. However, picking a word for the year to help me work on whatever it is that I wish to work on for myself to grow as a human being speaks to me. The word must resonate within me in many different areas of my life; somethings I want to build on within my everyday life.

To be able to pick your own word of the year, I will share how I go about picking my word. It helps me so much in bringing in the new year with a new outlook. I always make a list of words that reflect on the past year and what I really want to achieve. The typical answer that was always given from Miss America finalists was that they wished to save the world, or they wanted world peace...yada, yada, yada. 

Yes, we all want that. One person can wish that, however it takes all of us, or at least a majority of us to work together to make things happen. So bring it down to a smaller scale and consider the parts of our own mindset that we would like to improve upon. This means to focus on where we would like to be 12 months from now. When I make my list of possible words, usually I keep returning to one in particular, time and time again. That becomes My Word. I hold this to be a promise to myself that will help guide me as my mantra to achieve whatever I want in my life.  Just to give you an example some of my former words were 'Believe, Joy, Connect, Change.' 

My word this year is, "IMAGINE."

When I think about the good news that happened in 2020, just to imagine what can happen when there is not so much 'stuff' going on that focuses on negativity.  

I know that I am not just speaking for myself, we all have had to find creative ways to live through what our world was experiencing. Just to name a few let's think about how we all mostly benefited from learning more technical skills. Zoom meetings and Face Times and Video Chat...this was to be able to stay in touch with those that we love. No, it is not the same as actually being together but we at least had that. Families grew closer, at least most of them. If you were staying safe at home then coming together as a family was important. Cooking together, playing games and watching movies together. Taking walks or short distance drives to get out of the house. There is only so much quarantining one can do. 

Restaurants that came up with creative ideas for curbside/take out business flourished. Almost everyone that I know who has tested positive for COVID ate out in restaurants or went to see live music. Even with masks, scientists tell us this is the worse place one can be. They did suggest eating outside, so many restaurants did take heed and set up domes/tents/bubbles to keep everyone in the open air and at a table in a covered bubble with only their small family and friends group did fair better. 

The other good news is that more people voted in this presidential election than any other. More people gave to good causes, lots of virtual concerts and new movies coming out on streaming devices. Creative masks were made, I mean, if I have to wear one then it may as well be a statement mask. Those that could manage, worked from home. It was safer. Schools were safer also. People set up home offices and took care of their jobs on their laptops, as well as helping kids that were at home via zoom and their teachers. 

Virtual tours or art museums took place...and zoom meetings and webinars set up by local book stores for readers to meet their favorite authors. All virtually of course. 

I think that when I chose my word from last year as BELIEVE, I had no idea what I would be setting myself up for. Yet, it worked. I also found several podcasts and a marvelous motivator named Nataly Kogan. I can honestly say that she allowed me to see that much of what I believed to be true was indeed true and it so much validated my thoughts. The other things that she taught me was that I could paint. Yes, even me. I used to call myself the stick figure queen. No longer! I find that painting changes my whole outlook. There is no good - there is no bad. Just believe in yourself. Tell that brain of yours to stop being so dramatic. You are in charge and it is YOUR choice to be happy or sad.

IMAGINE