A Love Letter to 2020 (or how we've learned to work with change)
Hear me out: 2020 was an amazing year.
I'll admit it, I'm tired. Not of 2020, but of the moaning and groaning about 2020. Those of you who know me, know I believe and practice the universal Law of Attraction. So when I witness masses of people focusing on how 2020 sucked, in various ways, shapes and forms, I know they're doing themselves more harm than good.
Where focus goes, energy flows. That is to say, when we ruminate on what we've lost, our energy is drained, low and negative. The universe listens, it responds -- and sends us more.
Exhibit A: The Five of Cups
This card often comes up in readings when the Seeker can't move on from a loss. Their focus on the past, what was lost and can't be regained due to another's freewill or an external circumstance, keeps them stuck in a cycle of grief. If you take a closer look, you'll see that while the pity party is in full swing, there are two upright cups standing just behind the figure in black. If he would just shift his perspective, he'd see the blessings he still has within his reach. TL;DR: there's always an opportunity for joy, if you change your mindset.
I was going to blog about a completely different topic today, but felt drawn to highlight what opportunities I've seen 2020 afford, personally and also to society at large. Consider what 2020 has blessed you with - this is NOT to downplay the loss of life, the economic strife or the difficulty of change. Rather, this is to pull our focus away from the incredibly easy trap of "nightmaring" over the losses versus celebrating the gains.
A List of 2020 Blessings (in no particular order)
Space and Time: In the "before" times, I felt the consistent pressure to be "on". I'd spend 3 hours a day commuting back and forth between the city, dealing with crowds, delayed trains and inclement weather. Loud, crowded office spaces with no retreat. With a global shift to Work From Home, I have 3 hours back to my day. I can sleep in when I need it, but generally wake up prior to work to exercise for half an hour, enjoy a hot shower and log-in feeling strong, refreshed and revitalized. While not everyone has the privilege of WFH, the lockdown has afforded many of us more personal time to slow down, move at our own pace and tend to our bodies and minds.
Health and Well-Being: Never before have we had such a societal cognizance of good health and what a blessing it is to be able to breathe and move about the world in a strong body. Many of us took for granted our health and the health of others as a given. 2020 has reminded us how precious, and fleeting, life can be. (Also, I'm pretty jazzed and not having had a single cold or flu this year. Perhaps the first year of my life I've not been bed ridden and miserable for a few days out of the year - that's a win.)
Friends and Family: Like many people around the world, I've seen friends in limited doses, outside and socially-distanced, 2 or 3 times this year. I've not hugged, shared a meal or travelled. So, when I did see friends, stripped of the usual encesses we used to think we needed to have fun, like a restaurant, big backyard BBQ or a nightclub, I realized how very special and rich time with a kindred spirit is, just on its own.
Technology: It's easy to moan about video conferencing, but think what you would have missed if we DIDN'T have it. Zoom, Google Meet and Facetime have allowed catch ups with family, seeing friendly faces and experiencing events I wouldn't have been able to attend in person, like a friend's overseas wedding. I took advantage of the home time this year and had a virtual coffee chat with dozens of previous co-workers and friends I had lost touch with, naturally over time and with the "busy-ness" of life. 2020 gifted me new friends and brought me back in touch with old.
Hobbies and Skills: How many of you have old new year's resolutions lists with "learn to..." and "try ...." - desires that make appearances, year after year, because you never had time? I'm definitely there with you. This year I've tackled so many "to-do" lists, from painting our house (yes, I was always too intimidated to try), to learning to sew, taking a professional accreditation online and starting THIS Tarot business! I have 2020 to thank for all of those amazing things I've accomplished.
Difficult things happened in my life, in 2020, as well. I have dear friends and family who lost their own people to COVID. I lost my dream job and spent months wondering if I'd ever find a new space while I watched my savings account deplete. I've family I've not seen since Christmas 2019. Every year has its share of strife, but I choose to see it as contrast - a helping hand lifting me up towards a better appreciation of the blessings.
2020 was a bomb-ass year. I'm thankful for every minute of it.