2021 – Swimming Upstream

I didn’t write a single post in 2021 until now. I had to get one in before the year ended.

This year has gone by so fast.

View from our room at the Majestic Elegance in Costa Mujeres

Some of the highlights:

Family Shuffle- my son moved from Tallahassee to Miami, my parents moved from Miami to Winter Park, my daughter moved from Seattle to Atlanta.

Travel was limited. I did get 2 brief, but relaxing vacations to Cancun and Blue Ridge. Our annual Europe Trip didn’t happen. Hopefully, COVID will subside so we can try again in 2022.

I read over 50 books. I will do a separate post soon about what I read since many people have asked. Some of my favorites were The Four Winds by Kristen Hannah, The Only Woman in the Room by Marie Benedict, and hard to read, but important Caste by Isabel Wilkerson.

My work has given me the opportunity to speak at several conferences including participating in a panel with the UN Foundation and Brookings alongside the City of Orlando. It has also been very challenging and meaningful.

I am not going to promise to write more in 2022, but I hope to.

Yesterday, I said my word for 2021 will be kindness. I want to add a second word (I figure I am a grown adult and if there is a one word rule, I am breaking it.) FOCUS.

I have so many ideas. So many things I want to do. Places to visit. Changes to make. The thing that makes it hard to accomplish everything, is lack of focus.

Where do I start?

What is the priority?

What if I fail?

What if I succeed?

Does it matter?

Will anyone care?

So many thoughts. So many things to do.

I started a notebook of projects and goals. This year I added strategies on how to accomplish my goals. I figure if I treat life projects the way I treat work projects, I might have a good chance of reaching my goals.

So this year coming up, my words to ponder and rest on are kindness and focus. What are yours?