You Made It- 2021 Awaits!

2020 Retrospective

Dear Linkedin Fam,

You succeeded in 2020 with flying colors and I am proud of you! You. Did. Great.

"But I didn't do anything!", you say. "I gained 30 pounds." "I did not get the work promotion." "I lost my job, I lost my house, I lost my business." "I started drinking too much." "My kid is doing horribly with home schooling." "I feel like such a failure." "I am depressed, anxious, I have no motivation." "I have become a hermit."

But what does success really look like in an international pandemic? Surviving. That is it.

Are you barely hanging on to health and sanity? I am PROUD of you. For just making it through. Are you breathing? PERFECT.

A global pandemic is a constant fight or flight response which elevates our cortisol levels in perpetual vigilance, and we all show it's effects in different ways. No specific coping technique is wrong or right.

So my gentle request is that while you make your 2021 resolutions, please give yourself space and time to heal. Acknowledge the incredible journey that 2020 was. Nurture your body and spirit. Go out for walks, cut the processed foods, cut down on the alcohol. Seek peace and balance. Spread love.

Learn from 2020 the profound lessons of what really mattered, and bring those things into 2021. Did we really need all the material things we surrounded ourselves with? Did we really need the frenetic pace of our lives pre 2020? What were your most profound moments and who were your most important people? How did you embrace change, transform, adapt to the new realities? Who was by your side when you did that? Bring those positives into 2021, leave behind what never really mattered. (And remember to keep yourself safe over the first half of the next year, the pandemic will still be with us.)

But, most importantly, as we end this year, please give yourself heartfelt acknowledgement and a big hug. You did it, and I am proud of you EXACTLY AS YOU ARE. You did great in the Pandemic of 2020.

Congratulations and Happy New Year!

Kay Judge, MD

#2020InReview #COVID19 #pandemic #newyear #positivevibes #whatinspiresme #innovation #workfromhome #life #success #entrepreneurship #creativity #homeoffice #inspiration

PS if you need help:

Suicide hotline

https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/

Crisis text line

https://www.crisistextline.org/

Substance abuse line

https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/national-helpline

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