There’s something so satisfying to me about a bookend in time. As someone who likes things to be organised, for everything to have it’s proper place and who thrives on simplicity, it’s not surprising to me that I like some kind of organisation in my time, too. I gave up on things like resolutions a long time ago, but there’s something about a new year and the way it provides a neat little pocket of time to reflect on and look forward to, that I really love.
I’m not one for big goals these days. I’ve learned that I like to live a simple life, that the day-to-day living of it is the most important thing for me, and so far fetched ambitions aren’t really my style. I prefer to focus on the small habits that I can do regularly, that make life a joy to live. I’m not about living for the weekend and counting down the days until some big event, I’m about appreciating each and every day for what it is, and doing my best to make sure I find something to enjoy in each of them. And it’s with that in mind that I’m looking forward to 2021.
There are two things that really stand out when I think about what I want 2021 to hold for me – simplicity and growth.
Simplicity is no surprise for me. I’ve absolutely come into my own since focusing on simplifying my life, and so to want more of that is only natural. I’ve tried to do lots of things all at once before, and that really doesn’t work for me. I’m prone to overwhelm, and when I experience it I tend to stall, burn out, and give up on doing pretty much anything, usually for a number of months. It’s a pattern that’s repeated enough times for me to become very aware of it, and so keeping things simple is the best thing I can do for myself, for my mental health and my wellbeing.
So for 2021, I’m keeping the pressure off. There are so many things that I think about doing, often creative endeavours, but if I put too much pressure on myself to do them all, as I’ve done before, I know it’s going to be a recipe for failure. So while I’d love to sew more and practice my calligraphy and try lots of new sweet bakes, I’m not including any of those things in my hopes for 2021, because they’re not my priorities. Inevitably, I’ll get to them at some point, but I’m committing most of my energy to other areas because I know that I can’t do it all.
Which leads me to growth. After a couple of years of really scaling back, returning to my foundations so I can learn what it is I really need, I’m ready to start growing again. I picture myself as a little seed – I’ve spent time nurturing the soil and preparing my roots, and now I’m ready to break through and start to flourish.
In an effort to combine both growth and simplicity, I’ve focused my attention on just 3 areas that will be my guides for 2021. I haven’t set goals in these areas as such, I’m not looking for an end result. Instead, I’m looking to nurture an attitude toward things that will hopefully allow me to feel more positive about these areas of my life at the end of 2021 than I do at the start of it.
The first of those 3 areas is Knits Please. This little business of mine has been around for four years now, and looking back I can see quite a clear divide. There were two very committed years at the start, followed by two much less committed years. I know that moving away from Knits Please was absolutely a result of having to do significant work on myself, but now that I feel like I’ve got my own foundations solidified, I’m ready to see what this business could be to me. I’m not setting targets for sales or views or anything like that, but instead I’m making a commitment to do my best to show up for Knits Please consistently throughout 2021.
The second area is about learning and developing my skills. There’s something so satisfying about grasping something you didn’t previously know, and I know that with more knowledge and skills I could do a better job at pretty much anything I set my mind to. In 2021 I want to make a commitment to investing in myself in this way. In seeking out opportunities to learn new things and encouraging myself to grow in this most rewarding of ways.
And finally, I want to focus on my relationships. Keeping in touch with people has never really come naturally to me. I couldn’t say why, it’s just something that I have to work at. And in 2021 I really want to work at it. I value and appreciate my friends and family, and I want to commit to showing them that more than I have before. This one feels a little less tangible than the others, but I have a feeling that it’s really going to be the most impactful.
So that’s what I’m hoping for 2021. That my commitments to Knits Please, to learning and upskilling myself, and to nurturing my relationships will pay off, and I’ll feel much more positive about these areas of my life come 31st December!
What are you hoping for 2021?