2020 has, for sure, been a whirlwind of a year. It has been a year of unexpected surprises and many of those haven’t been good. I feel as if I can speak for many people when I say that 2020 was a year that tested our strength as individuals as well as the strength of the country. This year has been a prime example of the fact that no one knows what the years ahead hold, but no matter how much negativity and stress 2020 has brought, we need to move on in a positive direction and begin 2021 with heads held high.
Last year, the world experienced COVID-19, which has disastrously affected people on a physical level. However, moving into 2021 in a positive light is not just about moving on and assessing one’s own physical being. A lot of it can be a mental game as well.
Assessing my mental state and knowing that I have made it, reassures the strength and power that I need to begin the year on the right foot. 2020 was a year of many defeats, but what matters is assessing myself and understanding that many defeats don’t leave me defeated because I’m still here and still going. It’s all about knowing that 2020 was simply an obstacle, not an endpoint.
It’s also crucial to take inventory of the good things. Many people can get so caught up in what they have unfortunately lost that they lose the ability to realize what is still in front of them and the many good things that are still present.
Again, this goes back to moving on in the sense that it is a mental game. Coming to realization with the good that is still present, such as still being able to attend college and work towards a wealthy career, have a job and being able to work or have a relationship to lean on, can help one see that they have definitely not hit rock bottom and there is still room for growth and new signs of light.
There are also various ways that people are physically moving on from 2020 and beginning 2021 with a clear mind. An example, which has become very popular through TikTok, is the #lettinggoplate trend. This is a great way to leave the stress of 2020 and any negative feelings from the year behind by buying cheap ceramic plates and using a marker to write down what one wants to express in an effort to leave it behind and move on from it. Once all feelings are written on the plate, there comes the stress-relieving part of smashing the plate on the ground. This method is great because the plate smashing symbolizes letting go and is the first step to growth and starting new.
Every year is a fresh start. It is important to move on from 2020, both physically and mentally, and allow 2021 to be an opportunity for new areas of growth, understanding and happiness.
