And just like that, we are opening the door to welcome in September. As we look back on the last five months of quarantine and social distancing, our goals and plans for 2020 seem so far removed.
We didn’t think we’d be here. An even more critical thought is: What if the global pandemic never happened? Would you be where you wanted to be? Or would you feel lost and stressed? You may not have answers and that’s okay. One thing we know for sure is that we can keep moving forward.
If you don’t change your situation, you’ll continue to stand still. It may be what you want. If so, keep going. Otherwise, you must take ownership of your results (or lack thereof) and commit to changing, so that you have the outcome you want. With 127 days left in the year, you can still ensure that 2020 is fruitful.
Here are some key areas that I’ve chosen to focus on that might help you as well.
Physical, Emotional, and Mental Well-Being
At the beginning of the year, I said that I would get back to my workout routine. But once the gyms closed, including the fitness center in my apartment complex, I just made excuses as to why I couldn’t do it. I just decided to get out and walk every day (2-3 miles). I use a fitness app on my phone to do other exercises, and I’ve traded coffee in for healthy smoothies. When you make one positive decision, it makes a major impact on everything in your life.
Stay Connected
Life is about relationships. We’re designed to foster deep relationships with our loved ones and our close circle of friends. We may not be in a position to physically see them but the phone still works! Use Facetime, Messenger, Duo, or even Zoom to get the next best thing to being there. Don’t close yourself off from the world and people who are meaningful in your life.
Keep Contributing
You have something to offer the world. That’s your contribution. Don’t stop because you may not be able to do what you intended. We are doing everything differently now but it’s still getting done. I released a new book during the holidays last year, along with a full schedule of events. It put a damper on my plans but I learned to get creative with social media.
When you review your year, you want to be proud of the contribution you’ve made in the lives of the people you serve. Therefore, you must be intentional about your work and goals. You can still use your talents, skills, and abilities to add value to other people’s lives.