The term “2020” is now being used to describe a total mess or “rock bottom” situation. And yet, “20/20” is still also used to describe perfect vision. Perhaps they are best used together. Our reward for the turmoil of this year might just be a more perfect shared vision. The conflicts, grief, and weariness have imprinted us all in some way. And many of us will look back and wonder at how we got through it all. Yet strange as it may sound, much about this year was predictable. The global pandemic was simply the match that ignited an inferno of crises that had been brewing for years. Perhaps this was necessary to awaken us to the opportunity before us. Many of us will miss aspects of our lives now; aspects that we couldn’t have seen from the “rat race” of past years. Aftereffects will remain for some time, but we can still be enriched by this year.
What if 2020 is a miracle in disguise? Each of us has suffered in some way. And yet, we are discovering things about ourselves. We are helping our neighbors and trying new things. We are learning about our cultural differences and developing our global awareness. We may feel angry that freedoms have been restricted. We may feel devasted by financial losses or grief at the passing of a loved one. Wherever we find ourselves, we can use this year as a pivot point to something far better. Crises make us acutely aware of what we don’t want……which can help us clearly see what we DO want. That’s why crises often precede tremendous growth. Perhaps we will become more compassionate and more loving. Perhaps we’ll appreciate our freedoms and not take them for granted. Perhaps we’ll engage more with nature and take better care of our bodies. Perhaps we’ll use our creativity in ways we never before imagined.
Of course, we’re still in 2020. We will all make choices, because we all have the power of free will. We can make choices based on the greater good, or we can make choices based on our individual desires. Each path will lead to predictable outcomes. Reflecting now about the outcomes we want for 2021 and beyond, can help us to set clear intentions that will create them. What if we are at the dawning of a truly evolved future? Remember that you WILL have a future. Allow yourself to see that new future. Allow the new year to unfold and allow yourself to be amazed at what shows up. Imagine if we all worked together to create a future that astounds us with goodness.
QUOTE TO REMEMBER
“Imagine…..it’s easy if you try.” John Lennon
NOTE FROM LINDA
Welcome to December! Traditionally, it’s the time of year to focus on giving and receiving love in all its many forms. To make that shift this year, however, might feel like quite a leap. After all, 2020 has been a “perfect storm” of crises. Yet that actually brings me hope, because I know that crises are often followed by profound turning points. It’s a lesson I learned early in my career when I was doing short-term counseling. I noticed that clients who were “at rock bottom” got better much faster than clients who were “mildly miserable”. That makes sense. When we are in crisis, we suddenly become very willing to accept help and try something new. In fact, research measuring people’s mental states following trauma shows that two-thirds of them actually become stronger. Scientists have even coined a name for this phenomenon: post-traumatic growth. Perhaps this is the gift we are being given this season.
