I can’t believe we’re already nearing the end of December! As we say goodbye to 2020, I did a lot of reflection on what this past year has taught me, and it has inspired me to create a list of hopes and aspirations that I have for the new year! Read on to see what I’m looking forward to in 2021.
- Revisiting Old Hobbies and Developing New Ones
Due to stay-at-home orders this past year, I spent a lot of time indoors, and although I missed going out, I was able to revisit a lot of my old hobbies, like reading, music, and photography. It felt great to tap into my creativity again, and in 2021, I want to continue developing new hobbies as I take on challenges. For instance, I’ve been wanting to create a website for the longest time, and I’m very excited to expand my knowledge of HTML and SEO. I think it’s important to stay curious, and I hope to learn a variety of new skills in 2021, especially in areas I have never explored.
- Connecting with Friends and Family More
In the past, I was guilty of blowing off hangouts with my friends and family because I was either too busy or just didn’t feel up to being social. I naively thought that there would be plenty of time to hang out another day when I’m not bogged down at work or stressed out from school.
Then the pandemic struck, and suddenly, I couldn’t see my friends or family for the foreseeable future. I’ve been trying my best to stay in touch with everyone, but there’s nothing that can quite replace the feeling of giving or receiving a warm hug.
If 2020 has taught us anything, it’s that life is short and unpredictable. That’s why in 2021, I want to be more present for the people in my life. I’m going to try to be with them every chance that I get. Our time with the people in our lives is never guaranteed, and we need to cherish each and every one of them.
- Living in the Present
Our generation has been taught to live for the future, and I’ve definitely fallen victim to this mindset in the past. Rather than taking a vacation from work when I felt stressed and overwhelmed, I always told myself, “I’ll go after I finish this next big project or assignment.” This is most apparent in the way our generation thinks about happiness as a destination and how we would magically “get there” once we’ve accomplished X, Y, and Z. In 2021, I want to live in the present, and just appreciate all that life has to offer, instead of always living for the future by endlessly chasing some obscure meaning of happiness. Happiness is not a destination, but rather, a process, and we’re meant to find the little joys in our everyday lives.
What are some of your hopes and aspirations for 2021?