What Did You Learn from 2020?

In difficult times, you should always carry something beautiful in your heart. ~ Blaise Pascal

I've been thinking ...

About the year of Covid. So many things changed last year. There were losses and there were gains. Many people have talked about the silver linings. I’ve been thinking about what I want to hold onto and what I am willing to let go of. What will be the new normal at home? The new normal at work? 

 For me, these are my thoughts:

 For several years, I taught a graduate leadership course using Zoom. While I was skeptical about it when I started, I realized I could create almost the same kind of environment as in-person and even faster by using breakout groups. I could mix the students up faster than in a regular classroom. We got to know each other well.

 For some of my community meetings, I prefer Zoom. It saves driving time to and from the location. I also use Zoom to interview people and it automatically makes a recording. It is a great asset in qualitative research.

 I conducted a strategic planning retreat using Zoom for almost 60 people. It was very interactive and productive. Even more effective and efficient than if we had all been in one big room.

 I am taking an online course from the Modern Elder Academy that has been on my wish list. This is the first time it is offered online because of COVID. Typically, I would have had to go to Baja California to take it in-person at a very cool place. While I still plan to get to the home campus someday, I am able to learn and use the content now which is much more affordable.

I'm also taking a writing course online with Natalie Goldberg. While she is the author of many books, the one I knew the best was Writing Done the Bones. There is always more to learn about becoming a better writer. I was shocked! There are 2200 students in this course. It is as if the whole small college is taking the course at the same time. Technology makes this possible.

My husband worked from home for months. That was quite a change. As his workplace opens up, he is working in the office three days a week and from home for two days. We are learning how to navigate each other's space. I can't imagine being working parents while homeschooling kids! 

 My yoga studio pivoted and is all online now with about 200 students from around the country. That would not have been possible with a brick-and-mortar studio. I miss many aspects of the personal interaction, but I understand the business model.

 For those of you who know me well, I am a social person. But I have tried to appreciate the slower pace of life and not being overbooked. Sometimes I take the mantra “make the most of every moment—every day” to an extreme. Slowing down has been good for me.

But I have missed socializing. And it is coming back as more people get vaccinated. The nicer weather is making me want to plan patio parties again. 

 What are you thinking about the past year? How are you doing?

 Following are some questions to inspire your thoughts. These are just prompts to get you thinking. 

• What do you want to hold onto from this past year?
• What do you want to let go of?
• What are three important things you’ve learned about yourself during this year?
• How has work changed for you?
• What have you substituted for in-person physical contact beyond your own pod?

“In difficult times you should always carry something beautiful in your mind.”

Blaise Pascal

 I'm reading...

Wake Up Grateful by Kristi Nelson. I discovered it through another newsletter I subscribe to and support (since it is a NFP) A Network for Grateful Living. 

I'm listening to...

Sounds True podcast with Tami Simon, founder of Sounds True. First, I love Tami’s voice—so calming. And she interviews such interesting and smart people about holistic living.

I'm watching...

A French Village (streaming on Amazon) set in the 1940s before and during WWII. It is a dramatic and historic story of life during these tough times. My husband and I are not sure we can watch all of the seasons because it is heavy. The acting is almost too good and we are exhausted after each episode. You have to read subtitles because is it all in French and you have to read fast! Maybe that is another reason we get tired.

Do you believe in magic? Do you like to watch magic tricks? This video is about hope and we all could use a big dose of hope and magic these days.

I'm wondering ...

Why we don't laugh more. No doubt this has been a tough year, but we have to find ways to find humor in life. A few newsletters ago, I talked about the value of humor. We need to laugh more. Then I was watching the Golden Globes when Norman Lear received the Carol Burnett Award. Lear, known for creating groundbreaking comedy series such as All in the Family, The Jeffersons, and Good Times. Lear said, "At close to 99, I can tell you that I've never lived alone, I've never laughed alone and that has as much to do with my being here today as anything else I know.” 

I am also wondering when people will be free to visit their loved ones. Even though people are vaccinated, many health facilities are still not allowing visitors. This was so hard when my dad was ill and we were not able to visit him in the hospital. We were able to see him when he was under hospice care where he lived. That was a blessing.

Stay healthy. Stay hopeful.

~ Dr. Jann