What I’m Keeping in 2021

“Out with the old and in with the new” is a phrase many are familiar with, and it’s a perfect depiction of how we approach transitioning into a new year.

We talk about what we’re leaving in the old year (especially this time with 2020), but I don’t hear enough of us talking about what we’re keeping and bringing with us into the new year.

We’ve learned a lot and there are many lessons, habits, values, etc. that we should take with us. That is how we grow and change. So I did some reflecting on what I gained from the past year that I want to continue in 2021.

Doing Less

2020 really taught me the benefits of not trying to cram too many tasks into one day. I’m not as anxious trying to get everything done, and I stopped beating myself up at the end of the day. In this new year, I’m going to continue scaling down my to-do list and focus on just a few priorities for each day. I’m sure many of you are feeling the same way, yes or no? Let me know in the comments below.

Being Intentional

This past year I have become much more intentional with my time and with what I share in the content I create online. I am also more intentional with the tasks I set and making sure they are aligned to my goals. Having a child and working from home has made me evaluate each part of my day and what I want to use that time for. With my content, I’ve started planning ahead and being thoughtful of what I want to share and why. I’m also keeping my goals front and center to help me stay on track with daily tasks and to not get as distracted as I used to. I’m still very much a work in progress so being intentional will continue into the new year.

Preserving “Me Time”

I’ve always known that I need my “me time”, but when it takes place and what it looks like has been changing. I’m also being more vocal with my partner about when I need a break or time to myself. I used to get “me time” in the car on my commute to and from work. That isn’t happening right now due to the pandemic, so I’ve had to figure out what it looks like at home, where I spend the majority of my time. What hasn’t changed is that having time to unwind is a non-negotiable for me. I don’t function well without it and will turn into a grouch otherwise. So keep it as a priority is definitely a must for 2021.

Guilt-Free Breaks

This has been a big one for me because over the years I have often felt guilty for not doing anything or not using time off to the fullest. 2020 helped tame that guilt a lot because it became necessary for my mental health to have days where I just sat and didn’t get much done. It has been such a breath of fresh air to allow myself to unplug and not have any guilt attached to it. The work will be there when I get back and can mentally plug back in. I encourage you to remove the guilt when you take time off as well.

Protecting My Peace

I can get overwhelmed easily, and once that happens I tend to shut down. My brain is a noisy place with all the things I’m trying to remember in a given day, so I don’t have the energy for taking on other people’s noise/stress/drama/whatever. Having peace in my life is super important to me and this past year I got really intentional with needing to do that, especially with consuming the news.

We dealt with A LOT in 2020 – the coronavirus, continued police brutality and systemic racism, the election, people losing their lives/jobs/and more. I knew it was important for me to stay informed, and I also knew how heavily I can be impacted by all the sadness, hurting, and anger happening in the world. So I limited how much I consumed, who I followed, and what I focused my attention on. It made a HUGE difference in being able to stay connected to the world but also having peace within myself.

Maintaining Boundaries

I spoke on what I learned about maintaining boundaries in my previous post, and this is definitely something I want to get better at and continue in 2021. Boundaries are directly related to what I just said about protecting my peace, and as we get older it becomes even more important to have and stick to them. They aren’t easy to create and stick to, but setting boundaries in your life will truly enhance your mental health.

Giving Myself Grace

I’ve been on the “give myself grace” train for a while now, which is why it keeps coming back year after year. I also shared about this in my previous post, and what I like about the need for grace is that it can show up in many facets of life. You may be graceful with yourself in one area but not another, and that’s where you can shift your focus in the coming year. For me in 2021, I will definitely be giving myself grace in motherhood.

Those are the seven things I want to keep and bring with me in the new year.

————————————–

Now it’s your turn! 

Grab a pen and paper and take 10 minutes to write out what ideas, habits, lessons, etc. you want to keep and continue in 2021. Also include the reasons why.

————————————–

Comment Below: What is one thing you’re keeping in the new year?

Follow me on Instagram for more content like this.

This is part 3 in my “2021 New Year” series.
You can read part 1 here and part 2 here.