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10 Steps to Thriving in 2021
Positivity, mindfulness, and a caring heart are all we need to make the first steps forward to start thriving this 2021.
This year is indeed full uncertainties. Whilst some are slowly moving forward with their lives, some are being pushed back because of constant lockdowns. As we continue to make sense of the new normal, may this 10 Steps to Thriving in 2021 help you overcome your challenges and restart your journey.
- Practice Mindfulness
Mindfulness is a great practice to start this year. Reflect on your emotions and actions, and learn from them in a calm and meaningful way. The goal is to avoid dwelling on regret and start embracing positivity.
If 2020 has taught us anything, it is to be kinder to ourselves and others—especially in stressful environments. My Guide to Mindful Living can help you through learning to be more mindful every day of your life.
- Recognise the necessity of connection
For many of us, 2020 has caused great stress and made us neglect the love, care, and time we should have shown to ourselves and the people we hold dear. Isolation and loneliness were big themes from last year. What can we learn from them to benefit this year?
We didn’t realise just how important connection was until it has been taken away from us—particularly, the physical connection we, as humans, need to thrive. Whilst social media is a great way to keep in touch with friends and family, it doesn’t provide the physical and emotional connection that genuine meet ups can.
Make 2021 the year you reconnect with your friends, family and yourself. Take this year as an opportunity to strengthen the relationships you have and start building new ones.
Find the time to socialise with those you love and cherish those moments. Most importantly, make time for yourself.
- Grit and resilience
Are you tired and beat down? Did you get a new job? Missed that goal at the gym?
Indeed, 2020 took it out of a lot of people. At least you tried and you will try again.
Grit and resilience are the two fundamental things we can learn from to thrive in 2021. They are the greatest things we should all have taken from last year to get us through our best and worst times.
Whether it be in work, hobbies or relationships, resilience and determination will always pay off in time and the reward will feel that much sweeter.
- Remain hopeful, but prepared—don’t self-sabotage
The crises of 2020 has not been fully left behind and will possibly continue to affect us far into 2021.
Remaining hopeful and driven is all well and good, but of course, setbacks can be upsetting and uninspiring. Hope should not overcome reality to the point that we have unrealistic goals that we are unprepared to cope with. Similarly, we should not let our fears of failure overcome our determination.
As with everything, balance is key. We can move past these obstacles by making sure we are emotionally prepared. This is why we should put into place our mindfulness, and create a balance between our rest and work that allows us to mediate our emotions.
The goal is to thrive this year. Find your best you and achieve your dreams or begin the journey to achieving them. Continue to show gratitude and to take care of your holistic health to ensure that you are mentally prepared to push through any obstacle and continue to pursue your goals.
- Moderate the use of technology
Yes, technology saved us from loneliness last year, and it did indeed pass some time. But take this year to moderate your use of it and not become too attached to it.
Whilst lockdown allowed us to sit down for hours watching Netflix or scrolling through social media, we all know the negative effects it can have. By moderating our use of technology, we can better appreciate it uses for connecting with friends and family from a distance.
Enjoy the quality time away from our phones. Cherish the connections you can have in your immediate surroundings and make new ones.
- Show love
They say what goes around, come back around. This saying might be overused, but you can’t deny that it is true.
Ever noticed how your super whiney, negative friend always has something to complain about? Or how that super positive, super kind friend never complains?
You attract what you send out. Positivity and love bring in friends, opportunities and peace. Meanwhile, negativity and anger just bring in more emotional and situational suffering—self- sabotage.
You didn’t have a bad day. You had a bad moment that annoyed you, and you allowed the rest of the day to be ruined. Saying that, of course, bad days do exist. But for the most part, your attitude and love that you put out into the world, no matter the situation, will come back to you.
So spread love to receive love.
- Reach for your goals
COVID-19 is still likely to affect us this year, so lockdowns and isolation are still possible. But don’t allow these to prevent you from reaching your goals. Instead, turn them into opportunities.
Working from home? Do a yoga session during your break. Read a book. Research on something of interest or something new. Make the time to do things that will allow you to move forward in your dreams and don’t make excuses to stop.
With the positivity that you are manifesting within yourself, you may find it helps in achieving your goals this year. Whether small or big, make an effort to achieve the things you have always wanted to do.
- Take up a new goal
This year I decided to take up a fitness challenge to cycle 200km over 6 weeks. I have taken up the challenge alongside a friend. Early mornings and sore legs feel like success and I know I’m doing something good for me—physically, mentally and socially.
Your goal may be to learn something new or put yourself out there more often. Whether small or huge—it can be life changing. It can be as simple as deciding to make your bed every morning, or as complicated as learning robotics from online classes.
Set yourself a simple goal to start with and once you have achieved it, set another one and work towards it for yourself and your own gratification. Sometimes it’s healthy to be a little selfish.
2021 may not be your year to change the world, but it can be the year you start to change yourself for the better.
- Understand your limits
Whilst pursuing your dreams and reaching for new goals is a great way to thrive in 2021 and encourages you to grow, like everything it requires balance.
Take this year to push yourself, but also respect and understand your limits. Recognise the symptoms of your stress and fatigue and rest when you need to. We cannot complete our goals if we don’t rest and recuperate—mentally, emotionally, and physically.
You can find more information on caring for yourself in my Guide to Mindful Living.
- Be an upstander
Making a change in yourself can affect your immediate surroundings. Ever seen butterfly effect?
Take this year to become an upstander—not only in cases of bullying but also for your other beliefs and values too. Be proactive in your efforts towards environmental sustainability, equality and mental health awareness.
Think about what you want to help and support with to benefit society and how you can do it.
What are the steps you are committing to take
now, and throughout 2021?
Do you have your own 10 Steps to Thriving in 2021? If you’d like to talk more about my guide to mindful living, find out how to arrange an Upstander Training at your business or book Jessica to deliver a compelling keynote, please contact Jessica Hickman at jessica@jesshickman.com.
