This is how I decided to ‘reframe’ 2021 – much differently than 2020. To take responsibility and ownership of my life in a new, more deliberate, way. Last year, I definitely paused too long on my path with nearly everything that was thrown my way. I didn’t take action quick enough. If it was related to my son, family or close friends, I jumped immediately to save the day. If it involved me, my career, my life, I froze and felt victimized a lot. I gave in to wine on the weekends to take away my stress and anxiety. I gave in to starvation and coffee during the week to make up for the calories of the wine on the weekends, which made me tired and addicted to coffee instead. I was either jittery (during the week) or as relaxed as a slug (on the weekends). In either case, I felt more useless than useful.
Corona became the go-to excuse for everything that didn’t work.
And in most cases, it really WAS.
Yet, I realized before the holidays that I couldn’t go on allowing Corona to drive my life. It was in control, not me. One lockdown after another meant more schedule changes, cancellations, stress, and problems. This had to end yet not one of us can end a pandemic, so I woke up on the 1st of January and decided I would END IT in my own way. It would start with me. It had too.
I remember exactly how I felt that morning – cold, withdrawn, lonely, sad. I felt like my life was no longer exciting, interesting or fun (it was up until Corona). Corona had become a huge pain in the ass. I missed my friends, parties, I wanted to fly back to America to visit familiar places and faces, I longed to plan a vacation or simply use the sauna at the gym. I wanted a fresh start, a fair to attend, friends to hug.
I KNEW NONE OF THIS WAS POSSIBLE YET (VACATION, PARTIES, FLYING, FAIRS).
I KNEW I HAD TO LIFT MY OWN SPIRITS BECAUSE I WOULD BE DOOMED OTHERWISE.
I KNEW I NEEDED TO BE STRONG AND MIGHTY FOR MY SON.
I KNEW I HAD TO RE-FRAME CORONA AND STOP FEELING SORRY FOR MYSELF.
I thought about what is needed during times of hardship. What do you need to do to come up for air? You make the most of what you have.
What did I have that I could control?
That was the burning question that kept presenting itself to me.
THE ANSWER: My home, my business, my health.
These are the things that I realized needed all of my attention. On January 2nd, I woke up in a different state of mind that I did a mere 24 hours before. I was in control. I was ready to tell Corona to kiss off. I was ready to push the reset button and begin.
