2021 | A Year of Transition
Before I started writing this, I looked through my past blog posts to see if I wrote a goals/word of the year post for 2020. For some reason, it felt strange working my way into this one. Looking back, I didn’t write one, so maybe the missing year has made me rusty. Or maybe it’s the months-long break I took from my last post. I usually apologize for my sporadic posting, but I don’t think an apology is needed now or really ever. Strange, but it took the craziness of the pandemic to make me come to terms with the fact that it’s ok to not always be on top of everything.
Some people enjoy having resolutions or goals for the new year. I’ve tried that in the past, but I find them a bit stifling and often set myself up to feel bad for not completing them. Choosing a word gives the year a theme that you can focus on. For example, if you chose “focus” you could “focus” on getting a new job or take it another direction by learning meditation and “focusing” inward. You get the drift. I enjoy choosing a word because they’re open to multiple interpretations. This gives you flexibility when life comes at you fast and suddenly it might not be possible or reasonable to expect yourself to read 100 books or something.
I chose “transition” as my word this year. There will be a ton of change coming. It’s my last attempt at the Olympics and with that comes my retirement from track. I’ll be looking for a job related to my off-track career (social media, writing, marketing, etc.) and (hopefully) moving back to Boston, too. I’ve spent the last 10 years running track. I took the last 9 of those years seriously. It will be a huge shift.
On one hand, I’m terrified. I’ll be in the “real world” figuring out what to do with the rest of my life and making actual roots somewhere. But I’m also excited. I can give my body a break and find a new way to stay fit and healthy. I can relax on counting macros for every meal. I can make long term plans or even take mini-vacations with friends (when it’s safe, of course). I’m excited about the new chapter that’s coming. Change can be scary, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it will be a bad thing.
Last week I read a short interview of Bevy Smith on The Cut. Her take on fulfillment really struck a chord with me:'
On fulfillment:
One habit that we must break is feeling beholden to what other people perceive as “dream” anything: dream job, dream relationship. If in your spirit it doesn’t serve you, if it doesn’t make you happy, if it’s no longer fulfilling to you, you have to examine that for yourself. You have to pay attention to that little nagging feeling in the pit of your stomach, centered around something that perhaps was once a dream of yours, something that you once worked very hard toward. I spent 20 years going from a little receptionist to becoming this grande dame over at Rolling Stone, so imagine arriving at that and feeling empty. Listen to your gut and to your intuition. And that can mean simply looking at yourself and looking at your habits.
I’m definitely steering away from that “beholden” feeling she described. I talked about retiring pretty early in my career. Tokyo was always going to be my endgame. I know for sure I could keep going. I probably have some years left in me. But it’s no longer fulfilling me in the way that it used to. And it’s taken me a bit to really internalize that it’s okay to move on and change. It’s okay for dreams to change and shift. And while it might not make sense to those around you, as long as you’re happy with it, then change and transition is the way to go.
I’m sure 2021 will have its fair share of highs and lows, but my true hope is that I make the best of whatever comes my way.
I’d love to know if you made resolutions or chose a word this year. I’m always inspired and motivated to hear what people are aiming to do. I wonder if that’s just me?
