Let’s do things differently this year-end and focus on celebrations, not resolutions. It’s a good time to reflect back to recognize and acknowledge any wins from 2020.
What’s wrong with resolutions?
Several years back I stopped making new year’s resolutions because they tended to feel like hollow promises made necessary for no reason other than the changeover of the calendar. Cheery obligations.
“New year, new you!” (Gagging sound).
How about resolutions any old time or date that you feel inspired and compelled? This sounds better to me.
Not to mention, how many of our 2020 resolutions did we actually accomplish this year? I definitely missed a lot of my goals (ahem…not resolutions). I most certainly did not set a personal record in that June race which was cancelled due to the pandemic. Public speaking? That went out the window for me once our club’s meetings went to Zoom.
Look at wins instead.
Goals and resolutions aside here…what if we look at what we have inadvertently accomplished this year which we wouldn’t have expected?
I recently heard a suggestion to look back on 2020 and count 10 accomplishments or wins for the year. In a year of terrible disruption and seemingly insurmountable personal loss (for me included), looking back for wins initially sounded like a hollow and fruitless task.
But I picked up my pen and did it anyway. With surprisingly little effort and while also being generous with myself, I landed well over ten wins. I included every little win I could think of…including rearranging my home office space. Or selling my car, and separately buying another car (used with 127,000 miles, thank you).
Here are my top 10 wins (this is personal):
- Took a surf vacation to Nicaragua in January
- Delivered a TED talk to a live audience in early March
- Saw my niece graduate high school in May
- Sold my Denver rental property for an big gain in July
- Had my strongest year rock-climbing since 2012
- Helped mom into assisted living and rebuilt a relationship with her
- Positively shifted my perspective around recent family losses
- Showed dogger the best life before saying goodbye in November 😞
- Developed a web. app. for Buck the Budget (coming soon…wait for it…)
- Bunny adopted us in December
Reflecting on this list of wins – I could not have anticipated at least half of these going into 2020 – no amount of resolutions would have won me those. And even some of these which I could anticipate, like taking an international surf vacation, became much more precious given the pandemic which was brewing. The trip wouldn’t have been considered such a win in any normal year, but in 2020 it felt like an enormous win as I basked in those memories after I could no longer travel.
Recognizing these wins make me critically aware of the need to remain alert and poised to respond to life. Sometimes wins come out from under the ashes.
What were YOUR wins for the year?
If like me, you are skeptical whether you had any wins, then I suggest you pick up your pen and reflect back. Be generous with yourself. I can assure that you had some wins, and maybe even a lot of them.
Let’s recognize and celebrate our wins, especially those that weren’t in the plan.
Want to make some financial wins?
Start by taking charge of your monthly cash flows at:
buckthebudget.com.