THIS YEAR, honey!

A lot has transpired in this year that has transformed us into different people.

We have taken the good with the bad and the very ugly to make it out of the year better than it started. With unexpectedness on every turn, and trying to catch our breath with every downfall that came our way, we have learned a thing or two this year. From our mistakes, trials, and tribulations, we believe that we can conquer anything the year 2021 bring us! Here are a few things that we are carrying over to the next year:

1. Learn from your past mistakes

We have had to be quick on our feet and make tough decisions at the drop of a hat. And honey, it wasn’t easy! A lot of things didn’t pan out, and we lost out in the end. However, it prepared us for the next phase in our business. The willingness to learn from what was wrong has improved some of our organizational skills and has made us more effective and conscious of our time.

2. Give back

We’re not saying that we didn’t struggle during the pandemic. However, some of us were doing better than most. With that in mind, we wanted to give our time and resources to philanthropic efforts. COVID-19 wasn’t the only thing that was occurring in 2020: The Black Lives Matter movement erupted, educating the world on the social and economic struggles of Black people. A lot of families lost jobs and were furloughed because of the virus. We want to continue to contribute in any way that we can for the betterment of this country.

3. Surrender with grace

Like the rest of the world, we had concrete plans to expand our businesses and do travel events. However, things turned left when the virus swept through the nation. A lot of remained optimistic and thought; eventually, we could succeed through our plans. We went through Plans A-C to no avail. Until at last, we accepted the fact that our hopes and dreams for 2020 weren’t going to be a reality. Instead of being cynical about the drawbacks, it made us revamp our plans for 2021 and be excited about what we can bring to our clients for the upcoming year. We learned to swallow our pride and allow grace to lead us.

4. PAUSE!

I’m sure this year has felt like one big break for some of you, and we couldn’t be happier! Many of us grind and hustle for our business: late hours, early mornings with our two cups of coffee before 10 am, and little to no time with our loved ones. The pandemic has forced us to breathe a little bit and look at what’s around us. Staying at home has made some of us dig deep and find meaning in our values and morals. And realizing how important it is to stay present and be in the moment.

5. Invest in Yourself

For us, we’ve put our money into our work, our businesses, and into tools and equipment that’ll help us grow financially. However, a lot of us did not put that same energy into our self-care. Besides ordering bath bombs and soy candles, we also meditated and relaxed. We created boundaries to allow us to keep to ourselves and not overwork ourselves. We set time constraints to stop working, or put Do Not Disturb on our phones to cancel the noise and settle into our spaces. COO of UnBound Nisreen Hasib said it best, “Preserving ritual in a time when there is a lot that is unpredictable is the greatest form of self-care that I practice.”

Content courtesy of  Lara Ashley, Founder and Editor of Brenley Magazine, Redefining what it means to be a Southern belle; an online magazine that helps women wear their crowns with grace.

CONTRIBUTING AUTHOR, LARA ASHLEY

Lara Ashley is a multifaceted journalist, she obtained her Mass Communications degree at Southern University and A&M College and is obtaining a Master’s degree in Magazine Journalism in the U.K. from Cardiff University. When she’s not watching her fav reality shows (LOVES the Real Housewives franchise), spending her afternoons watching Netflix or with a good book, she’s writing and journaling.

Follow Lara @brenleymag and connect with her on Facebook