What if…
…2021 is just 2020 with a 1? Hear me out. I saw a post on Instagram that said something like “2021 is just 2020 with a fake mustache” and I felt that in my spirit. I know that last year was a mixture of emotions and experiences for a lot of people. The refrain from many people was some combination of “Goodbye 2020,” “I’m ready for 2021,” and “Things will be different in 2021!” Unfortunately, the reality is that it isn’t that simple. As we saw with the attempted coup last Wednesday, and the continued threats for Inauguration Day, this country’s love of white supremacy did not go anywhere. Biden’s election did not erase centuries old beliefs and practices. COVID-19 did not go anywhere, and in fact is only getting worse. Yes, we have a vaccine, but the rollout of it has been slow and it will take time for it to benefit us as a whole. It looks like we will be dealing with Ms. Rona for a little while longer.
I know you must be thinking, “Thanks for being such a downer” and I don’t mean to be. My aim with this post is not to bring you down. It’s to remind you that despite all of this you are still here. You are reading this post. You may have suffered loss, felt despair, sadness, anxiety, confusion, or fear (my hope is that you also experienced some joy, peace, and happiness as well) during the past year and here you are. Still here. This is meant to help us all remember that the one thing we can certainly attempt to control is ourselves and how we move through this life.
We can’t predict what 2021 will bring. Maybe it will be a turning point in our personal lives and in our collective experience. Maybe it will be even worse than 2020. Or maybe it will be a combination of the two. I don’t know, nor do I plan to even guess. What I do know is that we all have work to do. We can all work to be better humans to each other. Better to ourselves when we struggle or fail. More intentional about our choices. More focused on connecting to our calling and purpose and using our gifts for good. No matter what 2021 brings we can still try to find ways to heal ourselves and learn how to ride the waves of life. For me that has looked like quitting my job and starting my own private practice in order to use my voice and energy in a way that is more aligned with my values. It has looked like figuring out how I tend to my emotional, spiritual, and physical needs when it feels like the world around me is falling apart. It’s been tough and rewarding and has helped me recognize the privileges I have during this time and what I am truly grateful for.
Now, don’t get me wrong. This does not mean we don’t still focus on the problems facing the world. This is not the time to solely focus on ourselves. If 2020 taught us anything it is that we are all connected. What I do, no matter how small, impacts you and vice versa. We have to continue to hold those with power and privilege accountable for the role they play in the oppression of others and the inequalities of the world. If we want this world to change we have work to do to change it and that starts with figuring out the role you play in creating that change. For Black people and people of color, that means focusing on healing from all this trauma and figuring out how to thrive in a world that wants us to fail. For white people, this means focusing on how you can dismantle these systems your ancestors built and which you continue to benefit from. To put your money (literally) and words into actionable results. For all of us, this means asking ourselves what kind of world do we want to live in? How can we make sure we are being the ancestors we want to be for future generations?
I don’t know what the future holds, but I know it isn’t wise to bank on things changing just because we have entered a new year. We have work to do and every little bit counts.
