Do you feel like you slept in February and woke up in December? If yes, then you are not alone. Many people can easily identify with that feeling. The deeper question however is; why do you feel that way? Actually before someone mentioned it I had not felt that way in any way. Did the question try to make me rationalize the negative side of 2020? Does working from home, changing goals, not travelling as much or changing our work models justify that statement? Has the world conditioned us to equate activity with productivity? Do we have the right measure of living?

Perception is reality. That statement has made many of us perceive the achievements of 2020 as a by the way and not the real goals. If I had a chance to relive 2020 I actually would, maybe without the health effects of Covid-19. We have obviously experienced a downside. Loss of jobs, reduced revenues and loss of loved ones are top on that list. My view however was that this might also be the year that some will remember the most. They may not be ‘Covid millionaires’ but they have created great experiences and memories.

They say a change is as good as a rest. This was however more than just a rest, it was an adventure, at least for me. I emptied out some financial and travel goals from my 2020 list but I also created a whole new bucket list of ‘My Covid goals.’ If you have been following my articles or know me virtually then you can identify with that list. They say in every situation; you decide whether it will happen to you or it will happen for you.

Whatever your situation, December is here. We have to close the year. One of the things they will tell you this month is to finish strong. I agree that we always need to finish what we start. In that spirit I have been trying hard to finish my Covid goals. From writing and publishing a book in six weeks to hiking Mt. Kenya in one day. The beauty of finishing or pushing to hit the end goal is that you realize what you are capable of. Finishing however also teaches you a few things. Top on my list;

1. Be selective on what you embark on – do what matters most to you or are passionate about.
Finishing has taught me not to overcommit. The amount of energy I needed to finish my Covid goals was more than I thought.

2. Estimate the resources that you need – this includes time and energy.

My post Mt. Kenya hike experience almost sent me to bed rest. I had a tough hike in The aberdares the previous weekend. All in preparation for the major hike. I also did not have time to rest after both hikes. As it is Kenyans finally warmed up to virtual trainings. I had long day virtual trainings in between and after the hikes. I then crowned the month with a long drive to see an old friend (This was also part of my covid goals). The experience after that can only be explained by my Knees and my back.

As I write this I am on my second ‘day off’. I know am exhausted if I cannot think and write clearly. Writing means my mind is rested, the body will soon follow. I am also trying to pick on the few items that I may have dropped off during the busy month of November. One of it is a catch up with a friend on my book interview. We were bargaining because it’s almost getting to the festive season. Maybe we need to rest and think more creatively. If anything there is still a lot of other routine work to be done before we officially close for Christmas. As we concluded that conversation she said. “Rosemary, this is not a sprint, it’s a marathon”. That was profound. Since I started running she has been using such terms on me. It hit me right there, the Aha moment like I call it.

Looking at my Covid bucket list it’s not about finishing it’s about keeping up. How do I keep up with my good “covid habits” when the world opens up? How will I keep running, hiking, writing, coaching, swimming, eating healthy and picking many other new challenges when normalcy fully resumes? How will I keep saying No to unnecessary visits and unnecessary financial requests while normalcy resumes? How do I intentionally slow down without a pandemic?

How will you keep connecting with your kids and loved ones when they go back to school and you go back to the office? Do you even need to go back to that office, to that job or business? A teacher who sold me some hair products the other day told me, “I don’t know why I was a teacher in the first place, I am not going back there.”

Maybe 2020 is not about finishing, it’s about keeping up.