Soaring into 2021: Prioritizing Self-Reflection for an Authentically Healthy Year
Here we are… just a couple of days away from 2021.
As I look forward to what the new year will bring, I’ve been doing a lot of reflecting on what 2020 has been. I thank God for keeping us through the uncertainty this year’s global pandemic has brought us. Many of us have tried to keep a positive mindset; finding creative ways to navigate lockdowns while making face masks a necessary yet unwelcomed fashion statement. And as if COVID-19 wasn’t enough, we have also had to face the challenges of both political upheaval and social unrest.
James Clear, author of the life-changing book Atomic Habits, often shares his 3-2-1 framework (3 thoughts, 2 quotes, and 1 question) in emails to his readers. In the spirit of going deeper in preparation for 2021, I want to borrow from his method and share my 2-2-7 framework (if you’re a product of the 90s, you might appreciate that number) to help us see where we’ve been in order to move into 2021 with clarity and hope. Self-reflection is necessary not only to name our wins and losses but to also plan our next move.
Two Thoughts
The reality of COVID hit me hard back in March, when I realized I had all the symptoms (loss of taste, fever, night-sweats, fatigue, etc.). I didn’t know if my asthma would make my situation worse, as it had for so many others, but I prayed daily for healing. I’m grateful to have been healed, even though I’ve seen the devastation the virus has caused among friends and even my own family. Below are two thoughts that I pondered during that time. I leave these thoughts with you for your own reflection. Hopefully, they will resonate with you
Thought 1: God is speaking... do I hear Him?
I don’t believe in coincidences. As devastating and tragic as COVID and the racial tensions have been this year, it was no surprise to God. And He doesn’t keep His plans a secret from us… we just have to open our ears to hear Him. What am I supposed to learn in the midst of all this tragedy and despair? How can my life be a beacon of hope and a testament of God’s presence and goodness?
Being forced to slow down meant I could re-evaluate where I had placed God in my life. We often get so caught up in doing our own things that we easily neglect what matters to us, even putting our faith on the back-burner or as an after-thought. When I embraced the stillness that this pandemic had afforded me, I was able to hear so much more clearly what God was trying to show me. For many of us, God has definitely used this time to get our attention. How has God gotten your attention this year?
Thought 2: Who am I living to please?
Before this season, I didn’t realize that what was keeping me busy was my inability to say, “No”. I was a people pleaser. But saying, “Yes,” to that project at work or the requests from friends and family often meant that I came in last place. You indeed cannot pour into others if you are on empty... but what if existing on empty was the norm? What if my own self-care routine needed re-evaluating, and this was the time to discover what I needed to change?
For many of us, the quarantine gave us a much-needed reprieve from being all things to all people. It gave me the break I needed to ask myself what would make me happy. I had to discover which areas of my life were stagnant and what I needed to do to change it. Once I shifted my mindset, I was able to take several leaps of faith, even in the midst of a pandemic. I was blessed with a new job, and I was able to make one of my dreams a reality by becoming a certified life coach. By investing in my own self-development, I was able to see growth in both my business and myself. Are you a people pleaser? In what ways has this pandemic caused you to re-evaluate how you show up for your own self-care?
Two Quotes/Scriptures
If you’re a person like me that loves to use affirmations as a source of encouragement and positivity, then you know that there is power in what we feed our mind, body and soul. I want to share with you a quote and Bible verse that have sustained me through 2020:
“God is striding ahead of you. He’s right there with you. He won’t let you down; he won’t leave you. Don’t be intimidated. Don’t worry.”
I meditated on this scripture a lot, especially during the early days of the pandemic. Surely, if God was with the Israelites during their darkest moments, He was right beside me during mine.
“Never be in a hurry; do everything quietly and in a calm spirit. Do not lose your inner peace for anything whatsoever, even if your whole world seems upset.”
Inner peace is everything. I refuse to go back to the “hurriedness” of life. When I was forced to take a step back from the hustle and bustle of life, I was able to see the changes I needed to make in order to cultivate a life of peace, and what we nurture will, in fact, grow.
What go-to affirmations or words of wisdom have been a continual source of encouragement to you in this season?
Seven Self-Reflection Questions
Self-reflecting is good for the soul. In doing my own self-reflecting, I was able to put down my “super woman cape” and stop apologizing for not doing it all during in 2020. Instead of letting my schedule dictate what I needed to do each day, I adjusted my schedule to fit where I was mentally each day. It was important for me to institute boundaries that protected my mind, my inner peace, and my emotional well-being. I learned the power of doing what I could and choosing to show myself grace on the days I couldn’t push or maintain a front when I wasn’t doing well.
Reflection is about seeing the trajectory of where we’ve been and how far we’ve come. As we prepare to close out 2020 in a couple of weeks, take some time to work through the self-reflection questions below. 2020 was not a waste. We all gained a deeper understanding of ourselves, and that deserves acknowledgement.
What are three ways who you were prior to this year changed as a result of living through a global pandemic?
What deeper understanding have you gained about the meaning of friendship and community this year?
What boundaries did you put in place in order to navigate your own emotional needs this year? How did you protect your inner peace through the implementation of those boundaries?
What areas of your life did you discover needed healing as a result of gaining some quiet time during the earlier part of the lockdown?
How has this global pandemic affected your social life? In what ways did you have to adjust? Are there any changes you hope to keep after the pandemic is completely over?
For many of us, our physical places of worship closed and switched to the digital arena. What new ways did you learn to stay connected and plugged in to your inner faith and your church community?
Remnants of this pandemic will indeed follow us into 2021. What are three ways you will strive to make 2021 a better, bolder, and more transformative year for you?
I pray God’s peace, love and blessings follow you not only into 2021, but all the days of your life. May 2021 not only bring you what you’ve been praying and waiting for, but may God continue to be the center of your life, always.
Stay blessed and fabulous!
Xo,
Book Recommendations:
If you’re interested in going a little deeper into self-reflecting and self-care during these upcoming weeks, After the Rain: Gentle Reminders for Healing, Courage, and Self-Love by Alexandra Elle is a great book that was recommended to me, and I want to share it with you. Let me know your thoughts on social media, if you get the book!