I have started my annual review, and I just have to say, I failed 2020. Yup, no bullshitting here, I just didn’t do very well this year, and if I am honest and needed to give myself a grade, I would be hard-pressed to say I earned anything other than an F.
I do not say this lightly or to be funny.
I simply did not rise to the challenges this year gave me. In fact, I crumbled under a few of them. I think this grade was fairly earned.
I received an email from Jon Acuff, and in his email, he said he was grading this year on a curve. You know, kind of like what happened in school. For him, he gave the example of his running goal. His goal this year was to run 1,000 miles. However, he honestly knew partway into this year, this wasn’t going to happen. So, he allowed his walking miles to count as part of his goal, and he exceeded his 1,000 miles. Without it, he wouldn’t have made it to his goal, but he allowed himself some grace because this year was different.
The curve allowed him to reach his goal. He was walking more, because this year, wasn’t everyone walking a bit more. I know my neighborhood was filled with families walking or people walking their dogs.
So, he managed his A with a curve.
What would happen if I allowed myself a bit of a curve with my goals. A little grace as you will, would I at least get to a D?
Looking, I can honestly say no. I think I failed this year.
And with that knowledge, I received a failing grade; what do I plan to do with this information? What do I plan on doing moving forward? Because I may be an honest, no excuses kind of person, but I don’t really like failing at life for a full year!
And that is where I am today. Looking at putting into place ways to help me push forward when things get rough because, to be honest, last year was one of the roughest of my life. And it wasn’t just the shutdowns and the worry about the virus.
To make 2021 a better year, I am digging deep into the losses of 2020. I need to learn why I failed and how to keep from doing it again. I have two more days to come up with my plan of attack for 2021 because, to be honest, the worry about the virus and shutdowns will continue into 2021. It would be naive of me to believe differently.
I wholeheartedly hope your 2020 wasn’t a failure, but if it was, I hope you have put in guardrails and detours to help you through 2021. When we meet back here in a year, may we all have received A’s for our year. Even if we need to curve next year as well.
I failed 2020, but I don’t plan on failing 2021.
Blessings –
Catherine