With the end of the infamous year 2020, we are looking at the dawn of 2021 with reservation. Of course this is something that we all do every year, but this time the stakes feel higher. We are all waiting with baited breath to see where we will be in the next few months. 2020 has shifted our focus, lives, livelihoods, nearly every aspect of our daily lives have been affected by the perils of 2020. Some have lost a lot, some have shifted their way of life entirely, but all of us have changed this year in ways we never expected. Here at Bullionite, we have encouraged you to find positives in your predicaments, using this time to reflect, grow and change in beneficial ways which has led to 2020 being something of a mixed blessing. While we usually are trying to offer advice, tips and techniques in these articles, today I just want to take time to unpack this year and what it meant for me and hopefully you will find some common grounds in the journey.
For me, 2020 attempted to shake every aspect of my business and personal life. While at first I thought it was going to be nothing but distressing, I found the blessings in split second moments of ripping the band aid off so to speak. In March I had traveled to New Orleans and witnessed the shutting down of Bourbon Street and all of the landmarks of the city. I realized when I was returning that I would need to isolate for 2 weeks as a precaution which gave me time not just to be alone but to meditate and think on goals and how things could change. Coming out of my isolation we were pretty much going into formal lockdown and I previously thought we would not be allowed to drive or go outside so in the quickness of that moment I made many decisions that I had been laboring over for months. I ended a few draining relationships both personal and business wise and without realizing it, made the leap I needed to make in my life but had been hesitating on.
This isn't to say it was easy. I spent many sleepless nights and spent time crying and wondering if I did the right thing and could easily get into a panic about the future if I allowed myself to, but I used my mindfulness techniques to keep myself in the present and not allow myself to slip into worry. I write this so casually, but I can tell you not worrying has never really been my strong suit. Not that I let myself become overwhelmed by it, but I tend to never settle into anything or take anything for granted. While this aspect of my personality has not changed, 2020 taught me how to simultaneously not get too comfortable but also not worry about the change. Change is constant and stagnation is usually a type of death so it isn't a bad thing for things to shift nor is it a bad thing to expect it but I learned to release my emotional baggage around these truths. To me, this is the biggest lesson of 2020, accepting we are not the captains of the ship but finding peace in the journey anyways.
Once I was able to release the emotions around change and make the very real and sudden changes in my personal and business life, I saw blossoming in many unexpected ways. Things I had been trying to accomplish for years but was always getting blocks one way or another were suddenly just falling into my lap. Hopes I had but never really thought could happen started to manifest. It is important to note that these things were not related at all. It was simply by opening up myself I was able to see opportunities and ways to my goals I previously missed. Without getting too mystical, it truly felt that by unleashing baggage in some areas of my life allowed for other unrelated areas to also start blossoming. And while perhaps this doesn't even sound that unique, I feel the speed in which it happened this year was only possible because of all the turmoils of 2020.
I also know I am not alone in this feeling. While yes, we all have lost things and maybe even loved ones this year and have experienced unexpected challenges, for those who look for it, there were many blessings this year. Perhaps you are reading this and rolling your eyes, but I encourage you to move past the pessimism and look at your own life. Where were you a year from now and where are you now? What were your worries and goals and how have things shifted? You may surprise yourself, but 2020 was a year of unexpected blessings if you only look for them. While we may not know what 2021 holds, nor are we supposed to, we do know that this year will just be another league of our journey. Happy New Year! Reach out to us with your comments and questions at info@bullionite.com. For more articles visit https://www.bullionite.com/blog-index