We’re done with 2020…we can go back to normal, right? No…we didn’t get a miracle do over when the clock turned midnight, but we did get a new year to do the way we want to do it. I know there will still be restrictions with the pandemic not yet under control, and things will be different than they were before we all heard the words Covid-19 but maybe that’s part of how our lives are transformed. Maybe it’s up to all of us to create the world we want to live in, the feelings we want to experience, the people we want to be.

What a year we have had! I know we still have almost 2 weeks left until we roll into 2021 but this is my last blog post of 2020 so want to share some key thoughts from the year.

How did we become our own worst enemies instead of our own best champions? I applaud you if you have won the war on this one. I win some battles and lose others…and the war is not yet settled though I think the tide is starting to turn.

We take physical leaps of faith as well as emotional and professional ones. I think it gets easier the more you do them because you know that your fear was just a protector from doing stupid things but that your instincts are good and jumping is fun.

The next right thing approach doesn't just have to be an answer for the big things, it can be the answer for how you manage your to-do list or how you deal with day to day challenges.  It's beauty is in it's simplicity...you don't need a long-range plan.  You just need to do the next right thing (without overthinking "right").

When I think through these different perspectives on "enough," I land on the need to know deeply what I want in my life, what fills me up, what drains me, where I want to spend my time.

Have you ever thought about why you're doing something? What motivates you to take an action, react a certain way or make a specific decision? Often, I believe it ends up being a default reaction...we do what we've always done or what we think we should do. How often do you really consider why?

We all have many memories that stand out for us related to life milestones - births, marriages, graduations, first dates, promotions, first home purchases, deaths, etc.  We also have memories of special moments with our friends or our family members.  We have memories of painful experiences - both physical and emotional - major illnesses and injuries, relationship break ups, job loss, or work failures.  The one thing in common is that those experiences and our memories of them have helped shape who we are today.  Each of those experiences taught us something about the world around us or how we react to celebrations and crises.

Some people live for running. That's not me. It's not natural for me. My first attempt at running was pre-season high school cross-country. My friends were doing it so I figured I would give it a try. I lasted a few days (maybe) and ended up with sprained ankles. That was the beginning and end of my running experience until early into my 40s.

This season of life is bringing unexpected challenges for all of us.  Some challenges are somewhat normal in that we see them often in our world (relationships not working out, family members getting sick, loss of a job, etc.) but that doesn't make them less challenging.  They're exacerbated when you're in the middle of a global pandemic without clarity on when you might be safe to do some of the things that bring you joy like taking a trip to somewhere new or going to a concert or even just hosting a large family celebration.