2021 Yearly Theme
With the worst year of our lives coming to a close, how has my Year of Commitment held up, has it been a success, and what will my focus be for the year ahead?
JOHN NICHOLS
DECEMBER 18, 2020
Well this year has been dreadful, hasn’t it!
Coronavirus has really done a number on us. Whether it’s family, relationships, finances or many other areas, all of us have been affected by this pandemic in one way or another.
In the world of Yearly Themes, it crashed over Myke Hurley as well, necessitating a mid-year change.
Following Myke and CGP Grey’s Theme System, let’s reflect on and evaluate my theme for 2020 – The Year of Commitment – and set my theme for 2021.
How Has My Year of Commitment Gone?
It’s been a mixed bag.
On the one-hand, my commitment to Living North led to my best results since starting there, and my commitment to this blog led to a fantastic opportunity with Always Wear Red that I’ve grasped with both hands.
On the other hand, I’ve experienced the breakdown of a long-term relationship, and my commitment to my own self-care has fluctuated wildly throughout the year.
Let’s break down the goals of my Year of Commitment and delve into the details.
Work Life
My Year of Commitment meant aspiring to the following in my work life:
- Bringing up/acting on ideas, rather than creating a list
- Becoming less unsure and putting my full weight behind a project – within reason
- Dedicating more regular, stringent working hours (regarding starting, and continuing, new side projects)
In my Mid-Year Review, I mentioned having got no further in researching the feasibility of my ideas. Since then, I feel I’ve made some progress by narrowing my focus, particularly in the realm of this blog. Whilst there’s still ideas I’d like to play around with, I have committed to developing my skills through this blog, and continue to discover what works for me and what doesn’t.
Earlier in the year, I found my time management and self-discipline to be improving. I’ve now fully embraced this – perhaps further than I desired. My latest State of Play dealt with overwork, and whilst it’s certainly true that I have dedicated time scheduled every day for everything I would like to accomplish, I need to pull the reigns a little and find some balance.
The regularity of uploads to this blog, plus my recent work with Always Wear Red, has certainly led to strong out-of-office discipline and a strict work ethic. Whilst this isn’t a side-project in the nature I was referring to when I set my Yearly Theme, I couldn’t be happier with the progress of both this blog and of my role at AWR.
Personal Life
In my personal life, I wanted to achieve the following:
- Being ready and willing to try new things (managing nerves)
- Becoming a better companion
- Being more actionable and less wishful
With two lockdowns in the UK rather limiting my ability to try new things, I have made some progress, but nowhere near as much as I would have liked. I have put myself out there, in situations and with people I couldn’t have imagined at the start of the year, and it has certainly led to a lot of opportunity. However, there’s still times when my nerves dictate what I am able to do.
With being a better companion… I have to be honest and say I think I’ve gone in the opposite direction. Whilst I was there for my ex-fiancée through some very difficult times, my focus on my work and other interests did make me neglect my relationships with those close to me. In recent weeks, I’ve tried to reconnect with old friends and create some new ones. It’s taken a pandemic and the breakdown of a long-term relationship for me to realise, but I understand now more than ever that I need to focus on developing quality relationships with the people around me, as the friendships you make are the most precious things in the world.
On to a more positive topic – in recent weeks, I’ve found myself saying “I will!” rather than “I wish I could…” a lot more often, so I certainly feel that my propensity for being actionable is developing. As the world hopefully opens up on the other side of this pandemic in 2021, I certainly want to continue saying “I will” and grasp the opportunities around me; in work, in leisure, and in friendships.
Goals & Outcomes
I wanted to achieve the following goals/outcomes through my Year of Commitment:
- To have ‘discovered’ more of myself
- To have a continuing side-project
- To have become more action-oriented
In the last few months, I’ve found out much more about myself than in several years prior; I can be unnecessarily negative, I find it difficult to keep on top of my own self-pressure, I come across as quite cold and shut-off to colleagues – these are just a few that I’ve realised, and can now work on. After stopping finger-biting two years ago, I finally stopped cheek-biting this year – eliminating another physical manifestation of my stress. I feel that, in all areas, I’m making realisations and changes that are helping me become the person I want to be. It’s a long road, but each day is a step closer to finding me.
In terms of a side-project – you’re reading it! As already stated, my work with Always Wear Red, whilst not my own project by any means, has satiated my thirst to put my ambition into practice outside the 9 to 5.
As put above, I’ve be able to apply myself better this year by putting ideas into action, and I am driven to continue this development through the following year.
Has My Year of Commitment Been A Success?
In short – yes.
The year has had its up and downs, but keeping commitment in mind has allowed me to make the right choices, has driven my personal development, and has got me into a position where I am more at ease with who I am than twelve months prior.
Prior to this year, I had never chosen a theme to live an entire year of my life by, but the power of the concept – if you have the willpower to stick to it – is quite incredible. I would unequivocally recommend everybody to give it a try. It might not be for everyone, but for me, it gave me an increased sense of purpose and focus that has got me through a very difficult year.
Now, it’s time to look ahead…
My 2021 Yearly Theme
For 2021, my theme is The Year of Growth.
In my work life, this means the following:
- Growing and developing both my hard and soft skills
- Growing my level of responsibility, both in employment and elsewhere
- Further developing my self-understanding, allowing me to better cultivate my work-life balance
In my personal life, this means the following:
- Growing and developing my interests, leisure activities and experiences
- Growing my understanding of the world and the things that interest me
- Strengthening my current relationships with those around me, whilst also growing and developing new friendships
My ideal goals/outcomes for this year would be:
- To be a more well-rounded young adult
- To be a better a better friend and colleague, and to show gratitude and reciprocity on a more regular basis
- To understand myself better; what makes me tick, what I like, what I’m good and not good at, and what I want my contribution to the world to be
Midway through 2021, I will review my progress thus far, and at the end of 2021, I will reflect on and evaluate the success (or not!) of my Year of Growth, and will set a new theme for 2022.
Published December 18, 2020.