Goodbye 2020, Hello 2021
Written by: Reya Siby, 3rd Year Medical Sciences
I think it’s a universal feeling to admit that 2020 was not the best year. Who would have ever thought that when we were counting down to 2020, we were also counting down to a pandemic, Kobe Bryant’s death, political unrest, forest fires, and more. On top of this, we were all going through our own personal hurdles.
Personally, 2020 was a rollercoaster of a year with many new and exciting moments turning into monotonous and dreary ones. 2020 started off for me in a new country that I was exploring. Then in February was my birthday where I turned 20. This was a monumental time for me because I was officially no longer a teen and I got to celebrate this moment. Then all of a sudden, it was like a snowball effect. WHO announced that we were in a pandemic, the school closed, and everything was in lockdown. What I thought would only last a couple of weeks, snowballed into an entire year. A lot of plans and extra-curriculars I had got canceled, and I felt like I was wasting my days away. It eventually led to an avalanche that I felt like I was drowning in and there was nothing I could do to stop it.
I know that a “new year” isn’t really a restart button and things from 2020 will only spill over to 2021. But if there’s anything I learned from 2020 it’s to not take things for granted and to be patient. Complaining about how our new environment has ruined our lives will only make things worse. I learned that life isn’t about traveling to all the countries in the world or winning a prize to give it meaning, it’s about living life that gives it meaning. Whether this includes sad moments or happy moments, everything is a part of life. So make the most of it by focusing on being happy whether it be indoors or with your family; challenge yourself in a positive way. I’ve comprised a list of things I plan on doing this year to maintain positive energy and make the most of my year, some things you can try out for yourself as well!
Journaling:
You don’t have to have a specific routine to your journal. I don’t do it every day but I try to at least once every week. You can write whatever you want: your goals, how your day went, something you hope to happen, etc. I usually like to journal in the morning, so I can start my day off by being thankful for the new day, talking about what happened in the previous day, or planning on what I want to accomplish throughout the day (this could be small things like finishing your homework, etc.).
Trying new things:
Trying something that you’re not used to can be a challenge to yourself and makes things more exciting. For example, reading a new book, starting a new show or movie, even picking up on new hobbies! Buy a drawing book and start painting or sketching. Teach yourself to play the guitar! Into photography? Create an album of your favourite photos!
Exercise:
The goal of exercise for me is to mainly keep my body healthy. It used to be really hard for me to stay motivated to exercise but keeping a schedule, planning what time of the day, and what exercise I want to do really helped in encouraging me. Also, don’t always expect to get results immediately, this was also another reason that kept me from exercising. Like I said if you just have the purpose of trying to remain healthy, exercising will work out for you.
Live a value-oriented lifestyle:
When I used to make new years resolutions it used to be stuff like: “I’m going to exercise every day” or “I’m going to get straight As this year”. While it’s important to keep goals, having goals such as this every time can put a lot of pressure on yourself and make you unhappy because you’re always going to expect these results. Instead, have value-based goals such as: “I want to be more compassionate” or “I want to do something kind for a stranger today”. These goals don’t only help with self-growth but they are also way more achievable.
I hope some of these things have motivated you into maintaining positivity this year. Here’s to another year, happy 2021!
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