Can you believe it’s been a year that we’ve been navigating this new way of living? Remember when we thought we’d be out of the office for two whole weeks and didn’t know how we’d make it at home that long?!

For many, last week was the last time they saw colleagues or clients live and in person, sat at a desk in an office building, or went about daily life as if everything was normal.

The year has taken a toll—lives, jobs, identities, freedom—and so much more.

For me, I’ve gained five pounds, struggled to get a small 2-4k steps daily, lost loved ones, canceled international retreats, and eaten far too many Thin Mints, to name a few challenges.

I’ve also enjoyed being with my furbabies 24/7, spending more time with my partner Tim, taking virtual ballet classes, having limited choices (helps with decision fatigue and my tendency to overschedule), and seeing open space in my Daybook.

I read a great piece in Psychology Today titled “Getting the Laundry Done Might Be Good Enough” that touched on how some may have taken on big projects like learning a new language or decluttering their homes and how others may feel like they didn’t do enough. Sound familiar?

The author points out the “dramatic learning we have had to contend with every day just to make it through our pandemic routine—a routine that for many has included homeschooling, endless handwashing, social distancing, Zoom meetings, witnessing an insurrection, and making sense of an avalanche of traumatic news.”

Take a moment to consider all you’ve had to learn in the past year.

How to navigate working at home with partners, pets, kids, etc. How to wear a mask. How to remember to bring your mask everywhere. How to navigate Zoom. How to connect with colleagues and clients without seeing them in person. How to set up a home office. How to manage from afar. How to stay in touch with people in new ways. How to remember not to hug people when you see them.

I mean, it’s A LOT of reprogramming!

The author mentions that since “we’ve been forced to change our behaviors in a significant way . . . because of the effort necessary to create new neural pathways, our brains have gone into self-protection mode and created a kind of unconscious resistance to new habits and ideas. . . Learning within the context of a global pandemic has strained our ability to reflect and take in new insight as we build the proverbial bicycle while riding it.”

Ah, isn’t this SO helpful! When we think back to our grand plans from a year ago, it’s encouraging to understand how we have been learning, doing, and navigating so much change this past year.

Spend time with your journal and consider:

1. What have I learned over the past year?

2. What have been the challenges?

3. What have been some perks of life slowing down?

4. What am I most looking forward to once things normalize?

Wishing you a gentle weekend filled with ease and gratitude for how you’ve handled all you’ve been through the past 12 months. I see light on the horizon and I hope you do, too. Bisous. x