A COVID Christmas - How to master your mindset for the holidays

The holidays are usually a festive time when the air is filled with excitement and joy. This year it feels different. It seems like the general mood is one of restlessness, discontent, and exhaustion. People are tired of living in a mediocre reproduction of Groundhog Day where the thrill of working pantsless has lost its zest.

Typically, the new year approaching creates a sense of anticipation for the changes that the year to come will bring. January 1st has always been a fresh start, a new beginning. With more shelter-in-place orders rolling out as COVID numbers continue to rise, 2021 is looking like it will be a continuation of the never-ending 2020 turd tornado we’ve endured so far.

For many, the holiday spirit and New Year excitement seem to be missing this December.

2020 flew by like a drunken pterodactyl–completely unexpected and surreal, making us question our reality as it blurred past our disbelieving eyes. We were tasked with one of the most difficult lessons of learning how to function in the midst of massive and constant uncertainty. We experienced grief for what we lost, whether that be a loved one, a job, a dream wedding, or simply life as we knew it. It may have made us feel out of control and like we were barely getting by but the fact that we made it to December shows our resilience and strength.

In honor of the fresh start so many of us desire, I’d like to propose a change in thinking. I ask that you read on with an open mind because what I have to say might be the opposite of what you believe to be true. Try not to get your tinsel in a twist. Instead, just sit back, sip some nog, and relax as you join me on this journey.

Something we can all agree on is that 2020 was nuttier than squirrel shit. The majority of what happened was completely outside of our control. We were at the mercy of the moment and just trying to adapt as quickly as possible. Nothing we could have done would’ve stopped what took place. The choices we made were correct because we felt they were the best thing to do at the time.

Because everything that took place did in fact happen, regardless of our attempt to control or change it, could mean that it was meant to occur. Think about how many thousands of years went into the making of this very moment. All of the decisions your ancestors made, the choices you made, the interactions that took place and wove together to build into the next, and the random life events that transpired, each played a crucial role in creating this exact moment. An infinite number of things had to happen in order for this very second to turn out exactly as it is.

Now think back on your life and all of the painful, challenging, and difficult things you’ve experienced. So many thousands of years and choices had to come together for those events to take place. They hurt like hell at the time, but if you follow the trajectory of where they ended up leading you, are you able to see how they caused some good or some growth in your life? Did they lead you to meet new people? Did they force you to test the limits of what you thought you were capable of? If you really dig deep and actively choose to focus on the good that came from it instead of the pain, you will be able to find it.

Instead of trying to fight reality because it’s not what we expected it to be, what if we started to accept it? What if we saw it as thousands of years coming together exactly as they should?

In every moment of every day, we have a choice. We can choose to see life as something that is happening to us or something that is happening for us. What we choose makes all of the difference in whether we survive or thrive.

The year we just experienced can be seen as a nightmare or as a gift. It comes down to our mindset and the questions we ask ourselves.

Is life full of unfair suffering and pain or is it comprised of learning opportunities so we can grow and become better?

Spend a moment reflecting on 2020 and ask yourself what you learned. Search for the hidden gift. Sometimes the benefit is buried deep but if you commit to viewing life as though it’s always happening for you, it’s much easier to find.

In just a few weeks we will be sporting pointy hats and sipping champs, perhaps in groups or perhaps while wearing matching PJs with your crotchety cat. What if you took a different approach to New Year’s resolutions and instead committed to living this year with an empowered mindset? Each day, choose to see the good and actively seek the lesson that a problem is trying to teach you.

You may not be able to control the external aspects of your life, but when you control your mindset you’ll realize that you don’t need to. You know that whatever comes your way was meant to and it’s now your job to accept it as a reality and understand how it is happening for your greatest good and growth.

Let’s resolve to switch our narrative of the past year so that we can take 2021 by the tits and thrive.