How to Leave 2020 Behind and Embrace 2021
By Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN, LD
This year has been filled with unprecedented events and challenges for both our nation and the world. 2020 has certainly led to a lot fear, sadness, and frustration, and it’s hard to escape the cloud of negativity that surrounds us.
During these hard times, mindset can make a big impact on how you approach the situations in your life. Having a positive mindset can help you not only with your weight loss or health goals, but also with the difficulties that you face in other areas.
But how can you leave the 2020 negative mindset behind? Here are our best tips for embracing 2021 with positivity and open arms.
Focus on the Present
If 2020 has taught us anything, it’s that nothing is for certain. You may be the best planner in the world, but even the best laid plans don’t always work out. Instead of trying to make sense of an unpredictable future, keep your focus on the present.
Take it one day (or even one hour) at a time, especially when it comes to your health journey. Work on realistic everyday goals, and don’t stress about “what ifs” and unknowns. Can you add one more serving of veggies to your meals or an extra glass of water that day? What about fitting in 15 more minutes of movement in the next hour? If you focus on the present tasks, you will feel more accomplished and less overwhelmed at the end of the day.
And remember, it’s OK to have days where you don’t accomplish your goals. Just pick back up where you left off the next morning, and leave the past behind. You’ll be most successful when you take small steps and build on your progress along the way.
Find the Humor
Laughter can be therapeutic, and in a year where so much has gone wrong, finding humor wherever you can makes a world of difference. Even science says that laughing has health benefits, like relieving stress, improving mood, and boosting immunity.
Being stuck inside your house with your partner and kids around the clock, while everyone completes virtual lessons and meetings, was probably something that you never imagined would happen. Sure, the situation is stressful and tiring, but instead of sweating the small things, let them go and even laugh a little! Everyone feels better when they lighten up, don’t you think?
Picture this: your kid completed the coloring lesson for school on your wall instead of paper, the dog just threw up on the kitchen floor, and you forgot to set a timer for the dinner that’s now burning in the oven. Yikes! It’s reasonable to be irritated in this situation, but what about finding the humor instead? Give yourself permission to laugh at the ridiculousness, clean up the messes, and forget about it. Some days are simply better than other days.
Start a Gratitude Journal
When it seems like everything is going wrong, it can be difficult to switch gears and identify the good things you have in your life. However, gratitude is such a beneficial practice that can help you find the good in even the worst situations and feel happier.
One of the best ways to practice gratitude is to start a gratitude journal. There are several kinds of these journals that you can buy online, but you can also just use a notebook. Every morning, jot down three things for which you are grateful. This could be anything from your morning latte to your favorite TV show to your health. In the evening, return to your journal and write down the three best parts of the day. Have fun thinking about the funny thing your kid said, the afternoon walk you took, or the nice letter your neighbor dropped off.
Over time, you may find yourself embracing mundane parts of your day that you would have otherwise overlooked. You’ll start to recognize the good in more situations.
Turn Shortcomings into Lessons
Taking on too much responsibility at work or home can be overwhelming. You may come up short and fail to successfully complete your tasks. In these situations, it’s important to be kind to yourself and reflect on what you learned.
At the end of the day, if you learned a lesson in the process, shortcomings or mistakes can offer potential for growth. When something goes wrong, start by identifying how you could have prevented or improved the situation. Then, make it a goal to learn from the past and anticipate and solve issues the next time you complete a project.
At work, ask for feedback from your boss or team, and let them know that you recognize your mistakes and have a plan to improve on them. If you mess up at home or in your relationships, be honest, acknowledge the situation, and look for a solution. Don’t waste time talking down to yourself or harping on your shortcomings.
Expect Good Results
When you’re working towards a goal, like losing weight or eating healthy, it’s easy to get stuck in a negative mindset and expect the worse. But why not expect good results, instead of focusing on the possibility of bad outcomes? Don’t get stuck stressing yourself out about something that hasn’t happened yet.
Think about the great effort you put into the task, and channel positive vibes for success. For example, when you’re preparing healthy meals, think about how good you will feel after eating and how you are nourishing your body. When you submit a big project for work, smile at the hard work you put into it and relish in your accomplishment. You can’t control how others will react, so why waste time worrying about something going wrong?
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