Saying Goodbye To 2020 And Hello To 2021

Posted December 31, 2020 by Prairie Wife -

I think we are all ready to kick 2020 to the curb and welcome 2021 with open arms.

I’ve spent the last few weeks reflecting on what I wanted to share with you all, as we say goodbye to what has been a pretty rough year for our world, and greet 2021 with a faint glimmer of hope.

2020 was full of emotional ups and downs, and things we could have never predicted (worldwide pandemics, political unrest, and murder hornets come to mind), but I have to be honest I’ve had worse years.

The year I had two miscarriages in a row comes to mind.

The Cowboy and I have both been able to keep our jobs, our children remain healthy, and while we have been touched by loss and health scares due to COVID-19 we have been able to remain strong and continue to live our lives using faith to combat our fear.

But, I know that this is our story, and I’m not so out of touch to not be aware that there are thousands of my fellow human beings that have suffered.

Each year I pick a word or phrase to focus on rather than make a list of resolutions.

Last year, my word was “heal”.

The irony of this is not lost on me.

I am proud to say that I truly was able to grow towards the woman I want to be because of my focus on that word.

I was able to navigate my way through multiple hard conversations and situations in a way that made me proud afterward.

I was able to move past the hurts of the past and form better relationships with loved ones.

I physically grew stronger and was able to hike 30 miles in three days on an amazing adventure with my family.

Yet, as I reflected on this year I thought that maybe I should repeat my word, I can definitely see where “heal” could still help me.

But it didn’t feel right.

Then I picked another word, and when I presented it to GuruJoe in our session last week he stopped me…and explained that he thought what I picked would take me backward.

So I thought and thought some MORE and then I had an ah-hah moment.

This year I’m going back to basics.

I’m going to take a phrase I say/write/think almost daily and I’m going to truly focus on what it means and how it has impacted who I am…and let it lead me to who I want to be in 2021.

“Grit and Grace”

Grit.

To me, grit means fortitude, passion, perseverance, and a willingness to keep on moving forward no matter how slow your progress may be.

It’s focus and strength.

And grace…well that balances out the work that goes into grit.

To me, grace means mercy (which leads to forgiveness), poise, manners, and politeness.

An unnamable calm and softness of spirit.

Here are a few examples of times I’ve relied on grit and grace in my life.

I have the grit to push through a hard workout, or get moving when I really don’t want to…but I have the grace to know that sometimes what I REALLY need is a couple of hours sitting on the couch and watching TV.

I have the grit to be present in relationships that currently, in this season, take more work than they give enjoyment.

I have the grace to know when my motives for staying are purely selfish and to acknowledge we all would be better served if I quietly and lovingly walked away.

I admit that over the last few years while “grit and grace” has been something I say and think of often, I haven’t really taken it to heart in quite a while.

It’s time to go back to basics, and really TRULY start working to be a woman of grit and grace in ALL that I do.

Do you pick a word or phrase each year?

Let me know what you’re focusing on for 2021!

Categories: Health and Wellness, This and That

Tags: , 2021, change, grit and grace, Happy New Year, inspire, New Year, New years resolutions, reflect, support