With just days to go before we enter in to 2021, I took a few moments to reflect on the remarkable and life-changing 2020 that was, and am profoundly grateful for what I have experienced and learned over the last twelve months. This is in contrast to the previous review this time last year and forecast for the year to come, which could be summed up as the same as usual. I couldn’t have seen the great challenges ahead, which I believe have brought out the best in me, developing my self- belief and allowed me to work more efficiently, increase my writings, and enjoy more of the day-to-day of present living.  

As it happens, the company I was working for, were going through a bad patch. Our recruitment drive was not fruitful, with other members of staff bought on a year earlier to help build more sales, hadn’t been as successful as hoped, while my own figures had also dipped. So, because of a poor end to 2019 at work, the starting of 2020 began under somewhat of a cloud of uncertainty, as far as work-life goes. I also knew I had helped the company grow in the four years there and it was time for me to move on. Aware there were interesting opportunities to review and respond to, as I weighed up my next career move, I had a long and heart-felt discussion about this with the director of the company, and we agreed I would move on. In the meantime, I had a job to do and worked with the team to do as well as I could, while exploring he next chapter in my career. I even had a going away party and, on the last day of February, was officially out of work and looking for a job again. I’d had a few interviews and was well in to the second round of interviews with a number of companies, when Covid19 happened.

It pays to get along with people, or in my case, to get along with my ex-boss. Because, as soon as the government proposed the furlough scheme, then my ex-boss was on the phone offering to take me back for the duration of furlough. This was a timely act, as the interviewing stages had all ground to a sudden halt, with so much uncertainty about the future, prospective employers were worried about taking more people on. So, from late march to late July, I was furloughed by the company I’d officially left almost a month earlier and grateful for it.

Thus, the summer of 2020 offered me a rare period of reflection on my life so far, with more time on my hand’s as never before began to think a bit about where I was going in life, what I wanted to do, and who I was. Waking up every morning with no particular need to work, nor having any work to worry about, I developed a new perspective on my life, after years of a work-cantered existence, I found myself concentrating on the development of new capabilities and abilities. I wrote more, read more stories, more poetry, more articles and biographies, as well as philosophised more, and learned to smell the rose more often and the ability to stay seated for a number of minutes without worrying about what to do next and what meaning or effect that next move may have.

As a result, one of my stand-out achievements this year, was a growing capacity to challenge many of my deeply-ingrained old views, old patterns of behaviour, and old prejudices, that were ultimately counter-productive. When the Covid restrictions were temporarily relaxed in August, and with a renewed sense of stability, I set out to look for my next career move. I went on a number of interviews, turned down three, and finally chose to take a great opportunity with a long-established, branded company within the construction sector. This satisfied my desire for work, income, and a fascination with the product. Thus, even though we were all soon back in to a new lockdown, I was able to continue with my career and build for my future with a great company. The move has not been easy, but life is not meant to be easy, it’s meant to challenge us so we can respond to the challenge and grow. A new career, new challenges that make me a stronger, more productive and resourceful person.

Concluding what 2020 was for me can be summed up with two words; Challenging and rewarding. And as for the outlook for 2021, I expect there to be much of the same in the way of challenges and the reward of rising to the challenges.

One thing that was completed, and not to everyone’s satisfaction, appears to have been Brexit, with the signing of a deal just a day ago, and, like many up and down this country, I’m pleased to see it is complete. Hopefully this will herald the beginning of a new outlook for our country outside of the European Union

Over the next 12 months there many things I want to do more of, such a write more articles, complete a book I have started with the publishers. I’d like to care more, for others and those I have little in common with and share my compassion. I wish to save a bit more, so that I can afford to make the changes I desire, and sell more, so that I can save more. And, Covid19 notwithstanding, I’d like to travel to the continent more, practice my French and enjoy French cuisine at its finest. Conversely, there are those things I’d like to do less of, such as thinking, procrastinating, and worry less, so that I might enjoy the present moment more and on a more consistent basis.

This takes me to my Mission statement for 2021. My mission statement for the next twelve months will be to increase my Health, wealth and well-being, and strive for a wiser, more compassionate, life ahead.