We think it’s safe to say that 2020 wasn’t such a great year for most of us. A lot of things have happened since the pandemic started, so many that it would be somewhat impossible to list all the challenges that the past year had brought along. But with change and challenges comes wisdom, and even though we’ve experienced things we’d rather forget about, there are also precious lessons that we’ve learned.
Now we’re half way into 2021 and hopefully we’ve left the worst part of the pandemic behind, it’s time to look into the future and see where we can go from here. Although we’re not out of the woods just yet, there’s an infectious feeling of optimism and confidence floating in the air. And that’s enough to make us dream of better times and start making plans.
On this positive and bright note, let’s see what we can do to turn 2021 into a much better year than the previous one and improve our lives one day at a time.
Set your goals
It’s virtually impossible to improve your life if you don’t actually know what a better life means to you. It can be getting a new job, moving to a new place, starting a family, finishing a long overdue project, doing more of what you love and less of what people expect you to do and so on. You are the creator of your own universe, so start taking matters into your own hands.
Setting specific goals for yourself will allow you to focus on the things that are truly important to you and will help you grow as a person. Even though you can’t possibly control everything that happens around you, like the last year has taught us all, you can choose a path and work towards achieving your objectives. Just try to put one foot in front of the other and you’ll get where you want to be.
Learn from your mistakes
We all make mistakes and we all have flaws, and that’s quite alright. There’s no need to give yourself a hard time for not being perfect and not doing everything right. But that doesn’t mean you should just resign yourself and never try to do better. Accepting that you’re a flawed human being just like everybody else isn’t a hall pass to do the same mistakes over and over again.
If you’ve been complacent by now, maybe it’s time to reevaluate your behavior and start addressing those bad habits you’ve been nurturing for so long. This is going to be a marathon, not a sprint, so it’s better to start sooner rather than later. Your future self will definitely thank you.
Focus on your health
If there’s one thing that we should all know by now is that putting health care on the back burner is never a good idea. No matter how good you are at what you do or what big plans you have for yourself, you won’t be able to achieve your dreams if you don’t prioritize health.
Apart from regular medical checkups and maintaining a close relationship with your primary care doctor, ensuring physical and mental wellbeing can mean different things to different people. You might want to try exercising regularly, eating a healthy diet, practicing mindfulness meditation, introducing CBD products from brands such as Organic CBD Nugs into your wellness routine, spending more time in nature etc. There are plenty of small changes you can make to improve your health and wellbeing.
Practice gratitude
There’s a simple question that can help you appreciate your life more: what are you grateful for? People often have a natural tendency to see the glass half empty and focus on the bad things that happen to them, and so negative experiences end up weighing more than the positive ones, even if the latter are more frequent.
We know it’s not easy to change your mindset and become a bright and cheerful person overnight, but what you can do is start a gratitude journal. Write down all the things that you’re grateful for every day, and you’ll see that in time your perspective will slowly shift.
Practice empathy
Just like you can learn to be more grateful for the things that you have, you can also learn to be more empathic. Empathy is not always an inborn quality. Some people have to practice a bit in order to develop a sense of empathy. And once they do, life can become a lot better.
Not only will you be able to understand those around you better, but it will also help you regulate your own emotions and build stronger relationships with the people you care about. Empathy is one of the most important skills you can practice, for you and for others.
Leave procrastination behind
We all know that procrastination is a major productivity killer, and yet it’s not easy to give up procrastinating. But there are ways to kill this bad habit and stop it from ruining your life, and it all starts with just trying. Start your tasks even if you don’t feel like it or you don’t know how to do them. The hardest part is getting started, so simply jump into it with no delay and turn this into your new habit.
You have to remind yourself that your time is extremely precious, so why waste it away on doing nothing or doing things that bring zero value to your life? Once you learn how to keep procrastination at bay, a lot of good things will come your way.
Take risks
Staying in your comfort zone might feel warm and cozy, but it won’t help you build a better life. If you choose to play it safe all the time, you might miss important opportunities and regret it later. Don’t let fear of failure hold you back from living your life to the fullest.
We’re not saying you should be completely reckless, but you should take small risks every once in a while, and trust your gut feeling. You’ll never know what you are capable of if you never try.
