BYBF: Let's Wrap Up 2020 on A Positive Note
A year-end summary checklist + some ways to usher in happiness and positivity in 2021.
Hey you!
Welcome to Be Your Best Friend with Anangsha - the Sunday newsletter that’s willing to look at 2020 with thankfulness and 2021 with hope.
As we draw to the close of what’s been a year full of twists and turns, many of us are desperate to say goodbye to what can be called a nightmare at best. But, as I wrote in my 2020-year-end review, this year has been 90% sitting at my desk, staring at a computer screen, and freaking out about how the Covid19 cases are exploding.
I've had friends succumb to the disease, lost some important relationships, and barely made any progress on the project I was supposed to complete. But when I look back, a lot of good things have happened. I summed up the things I’m most grateful for and made a list of all the valuable life lessons I learned in 2020 in this post.
If you’re reading this and have been with me for a while, you’ll know I love doing these year-end reflections. In fact, this little exercise felt so productive, I thought you guys, as my dearest subscribers, deserve one too.
Are you ready for it?
You’ll need a pen and a paper for this exercise. If you need to take a print out of this, feel free to send me an email requesting one and I will send it to you as a printable worksheet. You can make notes on your phone too if you feel lazy.
All set? Let's start!
What are the 3 biggest hurdles you faced in the past year?
a.
b.
c.How did you find a way out of these obstacles?
a.
b.
c.Do you see a recurring thread tying up all three in question 2, above? For example, was it your courage that helped? Or, maybe, your perseverance or resilence? Keeping that in mind, what are the top 3 qualities in yourself you are proud of-
a.
b.
c.How did these obstacles change you as a person? Or - what is the biggest lesson you learned from them?
a.
b.
c.What are the top 3 happiest memories of the year gone by?
a.
b.
c.What’s the one thing you learned about YOURSELF in this past year?
When was the last time you tried something out of your comfort zone? How did that change you as a person?
What’s the biggest change in yourself you see in yourself in 2020 compared to 2019?
PART 2
The above was like a review of the year gone by. I hope it helped you ask some important questions to yourselves and learn some pertinent truths about how you are as a person. Once we’ve done that, let’s proceed on how to make the most of the upcoming year. The following questionnaire might be difficult and I implore you to spend some time thinking about each question before you answer them.
Have you figured out what you want to do for the rest of your life?
What are the top 3 skills you learned in the past year that will help you in your chosen path? (If you haven't figured out what you want to do yet, relax. Instead, write down the top 3 most useful skills that you picked up over the past year)-
a.
b.
c.If you keep going at your current pace, how long (years, months, weeks) will it take to reach your goal (if you have one)?
Have you found your own voice or do you believe it is important to agree with what the crowd is saying?
How willing are you to try something out of your comfort zone?
Are you in control of your life or are you being controlled by someone else?
I hope this small exercise was terrifying for you. But the more scared you are, the better suited you’ll be to embrace the change in yourself. Above all, I hope it was as big an eye-opener for you as it was for me.
In case your answers to the above questions made you feel sad, please don't blame yourself. This guilt is a sign that you’re willing to change. Celebrate that about yourself and don't let anything else dim your flame. 2021 is a brand new year filled with uncountable possibilities. It’s up to you to make the most of them and trust me, I’ll help you.
Together, let’s make the upcoming year OUR year.
If you found this review helpful, don't hesitate to forward this email to your friends and share the happiness!
I will see you all again next week. Till then, stay awesome.
Much love,
Anangsha