One of my favorite posts to write every year is for my birthday. I love looking back at what I’ve overcome and learned the previous year as well as setting intentions for the future. But in classic 2020 fashion, it feels like the best way to cleanse myself of the old energy is to acknowledge it with gratitude and move forward. So let’s dive into what I learned in 2020 and how I’m letting it make me a better person for 2021.
I learned how I do and don’t want to run my business
I’ve never been that great at asking for help. It’s been a learning curve for me as an entrepreneur. But 2020 absolutely taught me that to protect my energy and my sanity, I need help. And I also needed to acknowledge how I want to expand WSS as a business. BTW expansion is my word for 2021. Let me know in the comments below what you’re focusing on!
There are lots of ways to run an online business as an *insert chosen descriptive word here* (i.e. blogger/youtuber/content creator/influencer). I’ve tried them all at some point with the exception of Tiktok. For now, I’ll happily consume all the videos of George opening his packages because that is what I love.
Depending on your niche and what brings you joy, there’s not really a one size fits all outfit for internet jobs. But I can 100% say that 2020 has taught me which of those things are for me and which are not.
I Learned That My Energy And Intentions Impact Everything
I used to hear the word manifest and think, not for me. But then 2019 happened and I set out some pretty lofty travel goals for year 29. I had zero ideas of how they would play out or how I could even make them happen. And yet everything went down before the chaos of 2020 began.
But as we started 2020, my mindset began to shift away from listening to my intuition and the things that have always safely guided me to almost a need to do things like everyone else. I’ve never wanted a life like everyone else so you can see how this would backfire quickly. Thus, this was the beginning of my own mental spiral for actually accomplishing things last year.
There are definitely certain people that really helped me along the way to reshape my thoughts and get back to center (thank you Amanda Frances). As well as there were people and things I needed to readjust in my life. But realizing how much power my thoughts had over things was major for me.
I Learned How To Run
I’ve wanted to become a runner for as long as I can remember. The idea of settling into a long run was something that sounded amazing. Yes, I know that sounds like hell for a lot of people. For me, it’s very calming. Running is the one time when I’m alone. No dogs, no texts. Just me and an activity that literally forces me to focus on my breathing.
Now I won’t say I’m a pro at it. There are little things I’m still adjusting in my life to make running work for me as I look to increase my mileage. But for now, I’m really enjoying having a space where I can just breathe. I’ve also written a Beginner’s Guide To Running so if you want to add that to your routine for 2021, I’d highly recommend it!
I Learned How To Live In The Middle
Of the many things I tried in 2020, The What Savvy Said Podcast brought a few unique gems into my life. And while new episodes are on hold for the foreseeable future, there’s something that Madeline (Gemist founder/Shark Tank alum/all around badass) said in our conversation that has stuck with me. Her advice to her younger self was to learn to live in the middle.
Now I can’t say that I’m successful at doing this all the time. And to really cultivate positive energy around me, I try to hang out in the high vibes as much as I can. So when the low ones come around, I’ve learned to correct and get back to center quickly. Often times this is me going to listen to a song because music fully consumes my brain. But learning to live in the middle has helped me when it feels a little chaotic.
Looking Forward at 2021
I can safely say there’s a lot I feel like I learned in 2020. And it will turn into a blog post at some point because sharing is how I fully wrap my head around things. But I also don’t love to look back a ton so let’s focus on the beautiful year ahead and the goals I’m setting. Shall we?
Expanding the WSS team
This has been on my heart for a while. But it’s only been recently that this has become a possibility. So I’m excited to grow the BTS team which means I can create more content for you!
More Pilates & Sculpting Lean Abs
I’ve recently been rotating reformer pilates into my routine and it’s been lovely. I’ve also had a goal for lean abs on the list for a while but was giving way too much power to everyone else’s fight about what it means to “look healthy”. And I’m very much of the opinion it’s your body to do with whatever you want. If you want curves and giggle, go for it! If you want to be lean and compete as a bodybuilder, you do you boo. Again, there is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to body love. Sometimes the loudest voices are loud because they are in pain. Don’t let them overshadow what you want for you!
More Virtual Friend Nights
I know many of us are sick of the friendship from a distance thing. However, it’s pretty much been the standard for my life for the last 10 years. And while I certainly hope that we can find our way back to a more normal, normal this year, I do want to use all the new things out there to spend time with long-distance friends doing virtual things.
Investing In My Wardrobe
On the list of what I learned in 2020, I can add how I mentally level up in my life. For me, it’s the little things. It’s how I create my best me in the now. Do I know what I hope she looks like down the road? Yes. But I’ve also learned that it’s the little steps that really give me the power in going forward.
This means investing in pieces that make me feel bomb and elevate my mental state. I currently have a list of affirmations/behaviors that embody my best self as a screen saver on my phone. The little tweaks I want to make. And finally buying my Dior bag as well as a few other luxury pieces are on that list.
I’d love to hear from you about your goals for 2021. Let us know in the comments below so we can encourage each other! Until next time friends. Xoxo, Savvy
