This year doesn’t even need an intro. It was just plain uncomfortable. We went through so much as humans, as a nation, and as a planet. This was probably one of the only unique times where we experienced the same rollercoaster of emotions but in isolation from each other.
I’m not going to get into the details, because no one wants to relive this, so let’s get right into it. These are a few things I was fortunate enough to learn in 2020.
How to feel:
With other modes of distractions gone, we resorted back to the simple pleasures of life. How to feel seems simple, but I realized that a lot of us are not doing it correctly. I used to hide my emotions for so long because society told us that we couldn’t fit ourselves into our busy schedules. Self care was a treat that you worked long hours to get to achieve maybe once a week. I fell into that trap and had it all wrong. We tell ourselves that we’re going to add 5 min of meditation on top of our busy schedules, putting it as last priority when it should be the first. Setting my mind and soul up for success first was what allowed me to be productive and tackle my list – not the other way around. Ultimately, I repositioned myself to think: If I choose 5 min of mental clarity each morning as my foundation, how much more can I accomplish?
You can’t run away from yourself:
Clearly we know that when everything else around you is crumbling, the only person truly there for you is yourself. Last year at this time I was so far removed from connecting to my inner being that I almost felt unrecognizable. Losing myself to other people’s opinions, and following paths that were not for me. If I didn’t treat myself with the same kindness and patience, how could I expect others to do so for me? I took time to heal this year, and understand that escapism is not the way to go. I can’t just book flights thinking that everything in my life will automatically disappear because I’m in another physical location. It was evident that despite NYC last summer being a transformative time for me, if I had healed before going through an experience like that, I would have gotten so much more out of it. In the new year, I’m working on centering my why and purpose before any future experiences.
It will never be the right time:
I have a hard time being proud of myself, but I really am proud this year. I completed 1 year at my first full time advertising job, graduated college, and am starting the new year moving back to LA with a new company. Setting goals are important but I had to set goals with a purpose. I was finally working towards something rather than setting arbitrary goals that never got completed.
In other big news, this year I finally decided to start my own clothing line, something that I wanted to do forever but created roadblocks for my own self (I’m not experienced enough, educated enough, etc). But screw that! The world turned upside down and it will never be the right time – you just have to start. Nothing has given me more of a purpose knowing that I’m creating something from ground up. Something that I wholeheartedly believe will influence others in a positive way. 2021 is going to be dedicated to this growth and hopefully a product launch!
I don’t put pressure on new year’s anymore. Just because we completed a round around the sun doesn’t mean your life with automatically get better. It’s more comforting to know that no matter what happens in 2021, even if things don’t get better, I will still have avenues to improve. Don’t get bogged up in things you can’t control, because they will suck the life out of you – but it could be a lot different if you channeled that energy back into you.
And that’s a wrap on this year. Cheers to 2021!
xx AT
ANUSHKA TYAGI 