Forward Motion

I thought 2020 was an odd and different year. I’d say 2021 had its moments as well. There are times when I wish there was a crystal ball to see what is going to happen and have the ability to prepare or make shifts so something different comes about. Yet, life does not work that way, and in all actuality, I am grateful for that. Preparing or making shifts may lead you to believe that you know what the outcome is going to be, however you can never stay a step ahead. So, being determined to take whatever comes my way and make the best of it was what I needed in 2021.

In 2021 my mother and father turned 75 and I was determined to see them both for their birthday.

I was able to completely surprise my mother. In January, I made it to Florida without her knowing and spent a long weekend celebrating her. One of the best parts was my brother was in on the surprise and helped me work it all out. The last time my mother, brother, and I were together was when she turned 50 (yes, 25 years, we have a crazy life, but it works for us).

In June it was time for a road trip with my daughter to Texas to celebrate with my father. This was a combination of a birthday and Father’s day trip. This was not a surprise, but a relaxing fun time was had by all. 

I am very thankful for the health both of my parents have. Our world is topsy-turvey and there are never any guarantees which is why I was determined to continue to live my life and see my parents for their milestone birthday.

While I did not have a milestone birthday I did take some time for myself and went to California in September. This trip just solidified in every fiber of my being that I belong at the beach. I absolutely love being in Colorado and having the beauty of the Rockies to explore and be one with nature. But the ocean, sand, and sun…that is where my soul belongs. Someday, if not on a permanent basis, then at least for weeks or months at a time I will be at the beach.

Even though it had been a crazy year of teaching during 20-21, I decided to teach summer school. My thinking was the determination to have money to purchase flooring for my house. Well, that determination took a twist and I ended up creating my own version of If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, I called it If You Give a Girl a Paint Roller.  This is how my story went…If you give a girl a paint roller to paint a small bathroom then she’ll want to paint the cupboard and change the light fixture. Now because she had to use a gray that was different from the rest of the walls she will need to paint the other gray walls to match the new gray walls. The grays have to match throughout the house. Then she’ll look in the kitchen and be frustrated with the cabinets and want to give them a makeover to match the pretty walls. So, the cabinets become white with added nobs and handles that had never been on the drawers and doors before. As she reflects on how lovely the kitchen looks with the gray and white she realizes that the doors and jams throughout the house would look better white, to match the kitchen, so all those have to be painted before the walls. Then seeing the gold/brass colored hinges and door nobs makes her realize that with the white and gray that just doesn’t work so she will replace all those. All the new brushed nickel handles just really clash with the outdated light fixtures. So, she will put in new light fixtures around the house as well. Then she will look around at what is left of the horrid green carpet and with a determined mind pull up the last of the carpet and paint the subfloors. Word to the wise – be prepared for changes, major changes If You Give a Girl a Paint Roller. Oh, as for the flooring that hasn’t happened, yet, but hey, when it does the house is ready!

A DETERMINED mindset can lead in many different directions. I continue to learn that I am able and as ready as I can be for what comes my way. Life is interesting and while a crystal ball may seem like the route to go, being determined to take what comes your way and make the best of what you have is what life is all about. So thank you 2021 for showing me that I am determined.

Welcome, 2021. While I realize that moving into a new year will not make everything right that felt wrong, however, it is a chance to reset to bring about what is wanted.

As always, my one word found me back in September. When it came to me I wasn’t really sure and as the year continued the word continued to come back, which is the sign – that is my word – DETERMINED. 

The definition from Websters that feels right with my word is using it as a transitive verb to mean resolve. Finding a Bible verse with the meaning of DETERMINED brought me to Luke 21:19 “Stand firm, and you will win life.” I added a piece this year from a book, given to me by a badass friend, Badass Affirmations – The wit and wisdom of wild women “I can do what has never been done before. I am unlimited. I fight for my beliefs.” (p. 179).

Here we go 2021 – I don’t know what is to come, but I do know I am DETERMINED to make the best out of whatever comes my way.

As for just about everyone on the planet, making it through 2020 was an all-around different experience than anything I have been through before. While I realized after my word found me and placing the year in with the graphic I made FOCUS 2020 was a really poor pun, however, I can’t change my word once it finds me. If ever I needed to FOCUS this was the year.

I’m not always sure of the reason behind a specific word-finding me, yet, for 2020 I had to FOCUS; at least January through May. I was finishing up a principal licensure program through the University of Denver. The program was intense and I needed to FOCUS to complete the program. I am happy to announce that I successfully completed the program in May. Due to COVID, our final project was a 5-minute presentation explaining our Leadership Journey. 

As with the rest of the United States, March brought on a whole new challenge and need to FOCUS. Being thrown into the world of remote working was taxing, demanding, and challenging. Learning how to navigate teaching five to eleven-year-old children via a remote setting, “going into” their homes, and really working with nothing was the biggest challenge I had undertaken in my career. However, a great deal was learned, by adults and children. Due to our learning, rethinking, and tenacity, we are able to approach remote teaching and learning at a higher level and it is better, not easier, but better. I was excited to head back to face to face teaching, even with all the restrictions, in August. Having a new skill set and knowledge base with remote teaching and learning made it much easier to move to remote when needed. Here’s hoping that we are able to get back to face to face teaching and learning while keeping all individuals safe as soon as possible in 2021. 

Having more time to FOCUS on me, my family, and my overall health were positives from this crazy 2020 year. Early in January, I had signed up for a challenge through the Under Armor app entitled “You vs. the Year 2020”. The goal was to walk, hike, run, bike, etc. 1020 kilometers in the year. On March 17th, I started really getting out to walk, jog, or hike in earnest. Prior to March 17th, I had logged 39.34 miles, I hadn’t accomplished much; that all changed. By December 30th I had logged 175 workouts for 856 kilometers (532.4 miles).  

I also got out and hiked more than I ever have. From June to December I went for 17 hikes. Making it out to many different locations than I have been on before. I love being in the mountains, and having the time to focus on whatever my brain is needing to process through is a relief.

In July my family life took a turn. My daughter came home in June from going to see her boyfriend, who is in the Army, stating they were going to get married. They needed to wait for base housing to come through. Well, the Army moved faster than any of us expected, and three days after submitting paperwork they were told they had a house and could move in July 15th. Which meant they had to marry before then. So, July 7th I gained a son-in-law, and on July 17th, I moved my daughter to a different state so she could be with her husband.  I am proud of them, they are learning to working their way through life, just like the rest of us. 

2020 has been a year of firsts, some cherished and others that caused stress, but this is life. I have learned through my year of FOCUS that I need to care for myself, to really cherish friends and family, and that best-laid plans can disappear in a heartbeat. Yet, we can make it through as long as we focus on the here and now because, in the long run, that is really what matters. 

I have been on this journey with My One Word for a decade now. I started back in 2010; the last 10 years of words: Healthy, Inspire, Move, Embrace, Cherish, Action, Patience, Ignite, Restore, and Balance. Some years have been better than others, but I have worked to stay true to the word that found me for the year. As 2019 started to wind down I was feeling a bit stressed out that My One Word for 2020 had not found me. I thought I had found a word, but that was the problem, I found the word. You see, My One Word finds me, I don’t find it. I was reading someone’s tweet and My One Word found me. It was almost like a face plant of “Duh, here I am!”. 

While creating the graphic for FOCUS I realized that focus and 2020 are really a pretty bad pun on one another. Yet, it really does mean more to me than that. Through the last 10 years I have worked to RESTORE (2018) myself, I did EMBRACE (2013) what was happening in my life, and I have worked to CHERISH (2014) what is going on around me yet, I really haven’t set a true FOCUS on myself. I’m beginning to realize that through self-love, acceptance, and honesty for myself I can and will be better for everyone in my life as well. 

As always I want to connect the meaning of My One Word to a verse in the Bible and use a literal definition to help with the direction the year may go. I’m not always able to find a Bible verse with the exact word, yet one that has a connection of meaning. The connection is through Proverbs 4:25 “Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you.”, while the definition is an intransitive verb form “to concentrate attention or effort”. 

Here’s to a new year, a new decade, and a new FOCUS on life! Happy 2020 everyone, may you find what you need in the coming year.