For many women, 2020 was the year of exhaustion or the year of mental toughness. For others, it was the year of family time, the year of new hobbies due to extended quarantine, and even the year of fitness.

What did you have time for during the pandemic crisis that you never did before?

Whether you’re in the exhausted camp or the triumphant camp, I can relate. We had a little bit of both in our house, and ultimately it was a year of adjustment. 

Over at A Wild Lass, my content-creation company, we’re all about having adventures. 2020 was certainly one of those, and anyone who’s a member of the VIP Facebook group at Grey House has seen all of us having similar adventures during the year.

It can be overwhelming to think about the challenges, but sometimes abandoning the year and starting over feels a little like starting from scratch. You’ve been through a lot, and just forgetting it all doesn’t honor the battles you fought or the lessons you learned.

Many people assign a word to the coming year as they watch the ball drop. That word encompasses everything they hope for and the goals they want to accomplish. Because I usually fail at new year’s resolutions, this year I’m assigning a word to the past year instead. 

Choosing to summarize the year in one word will help you:

• Reflect on the time that passed
• Process feelings about the year’s events
• Say goodbye to the year, good or bad
• Recognize accomplishments

For example, this year my word is “flexibility.” We ducked and dodged, we rolled with the punches, and every other cliche you can think of. This year threw everything it possibly could at our family, and we made it. Here we are in the year 2021 with the possibility of a vaccine coming, healthy family, and somewhat stable finances.

Even if you don’t have a word yet for 2021, consider reflecting on the past year. Grateful for the time you had together and grateful that some of the struggles are behind you, using a one-word summary might help you set down the burden of 2020 with aplomb and prepare to harness your potential in 2021.

Be gentle, ladies. Remember to give yourself bonus points for simple successes, like the days you went to bed earlier for self-care, or the days you refused to compare yourself with others. Did you declutter a drawer? Did you start much-needed therapy? These are all personal wins.

How will you remember this past year?

Author Bio:

Kate Gassman is a reader, a writer, a coffee lover, and chaos coordinator for her beautiful family. Her motto is “Always choose both.” She’s also the creator of A Wild Lass lifestyle blog for adventurous moms, where she seeks to help women realize who they are amidst life as a mom. Someday Kate wants to retire early and bartend on a beach in the Caribbean with her hubby, who is her absolute favorite person ever. You can follow her on Instagram and Twitter @awildlass.