Here we are on New Years Eve 2020.  The world is waiting to end this year that has seen us make changes beyond what we could have expected. Our global, transient nature has plummeted. Our ability to connect with our friends and families at the end of plane flights has ceased.  Our borders are closing. Our sport and recreation are being impacted.  We are being restricted in ways that we had not previously encountered.  We are seeing a disease spread around the world infecting people at an alarming rate. We have seen around 1.8 Million deaths from 82.7 Million reported cases around the world. All these factors, and more, have shaped 2020. 

We are all looking forward to a ‘better’ year….. 2021 will be a ‘better’ year.

What I find interesting is that we run our lives based on a belief that we know what will happen.  Looking at statistics like the probability that if you did something at 5.00 pm last Wednesday then you are 95% likely to do the same thing at 5.00 pm next Wednesday then we are likely to know what will happen.  This view makes me wonder – Are we all so predictable?  This element of ‘certainty’ shapes our lives.  No doubt 2020 has thrown a spanner in the works.

Our lives are always shaped by unknown elements. We worry about things like – “I don’t know what Adam’s going to say”, “I don’t know what people will think”.  But we never actually know these things. We just spend unnecessary time worrying about them. It is our default human condition.

How we view our lives is up to us as individuals.  The world has always served up adversity in many forms – at an individual level, at a local level, at a National level and at a global level.  This 2020 adversity has rarely impacted so many.  Regardless we still get to choose how we respond.

Do we:

• join the fear bandwagon?
• take on finding out the facts so we can make informed choices?
• speak to our loved ones to determine what approach to take?
• disregard what is being requested of us?
• hope our lives will return to normal?
• adopt a wait and see approach?

We can choose any combination of the above and plenty more.

What are you doing to shape your life?

Are you:

• developing New Year’s resolutions?
• thinking about areas of your life you want to progress?
• thinking about your attitudes and how they impact others?
• Taking some time out to get to know yourself?
• Factoring in vacations?

It has been a tough year and I wish you all a 2021 that will bring favourable change.

Hope you are seeing in the New Year with a wonderful Adam and great friends.

Happy New Year

Surely Eve