‘Self care is giving the world the best of you, instead of what’s left of you’. There’s something in this for all of us as we close out 2020.

It’s common to hear people talking about taking a break over the holidays as they navigate the end of year business rush, social engagements, and travel plans. There is always lots to celebrate and look forward to.

Unsurprisingly, the 2020 narrative is a little different. People seem tired, and desperate for the calendar to click over to 2021, as if that stroke of midnight will magically change our current reality.

2020 has taught us that we can’t control everything in our lives. We’ve also learned that humans are capable of amazing resilience. We’ve continued to demonstrate strength, resourcefulness and kindness.

I think of resilience as a cup of water. There are things that fill my cup, and things that drain it. It’s definitely finishing the year a lot emptier than it started, and at times it’s probably run dry. The most important thing we can all do over the holidays is replenish, and start the new year with as much in reserve as possible. We can do this by focusing on 3 things…

1.     Enhance our wellbeing… fill the cup!

“Do your little bit of good where you are; it’s those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.” ― Desmond Tutu

It’s been so good to see the community focus on wellbeing this year. The ‘Wheel of Wellbeing’ has provided a useful framework for individuals, organisations and schools to communicate dimensions of wellbeing:

  • Body: be active
  • Mind: keep learning
  • Spirit: give
  • People: connect
  • Place: take notice
  • Planet: care

 

Getting out for a run or walk each day has enhanced the body, place and people dimensions for me, and has been an essential part of filling my bucket. This great ‘Dear Mind’ resource developed by the Queensland Government, includes an ‘activity deck’ with hundreds of ideas to enhance mental wellbeing across each aspect of the Wheel of Wellbeing. There is something for everyone, so enjoy exploring it!

2.     Declutter… remove the things that drain

“It’s not the daily increase but daily decrease. Hack away at the unessential.”—Bruce Lee

For a couple of years the focus of our customer experience work has been to simplify. Clients and their customers have recognised that too much energy is wasted on things that don’t add value, or worse… drain it. In a business context we willingly embrace feedback and embark on continuous improvement activities to fix this.

This can be applied to any part of our life. 2020 has helped a lot of people focus on the simple things that really matter and identify the things that drain us.

Now is a great time to consider how you can adjust your routines, material possessions, and the people you spend time with to reduce the drain on your energy and resilience. Try a declutter challenge like this one from Brisbane business Mood Design. Test and prototype some new routines over the holidays.

Importantly, take this opportunity to say ‘No’ to anything that isn’t working for you – social engagements, activities, social media… you can always reintroduce it, and it’s OK to put yourself first for a while!

3.     Help others to fill their cup

“Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a harder battle.” ― Plato

Most people have been tested this year. Some have come out stronger than others. Helping others to refill their cup can have an exponential impact on your, and their wellbeing.

A new contact recently sent me this podcast with Brené Brown and Eric Mosley on Making Work Human: How Human-Centred Companies are Changing the Future of Work and the World. It was filled with powerful messages about the role of the workplace as part of our community. One of many comments from Eric that stood out…
“…humans, you put them together, they have fun, they give each other energy, and that produces amazing things, and we need to invest in that as much as possible.”

We’ve spent enough time locked away in 2020. When you’re ready, get out and be kind, be generous, and show gratitude to the people around you. You don’t know how much that investment might impact someone’s day, and it will also have a positive impact on yours.

So think about what you’re going to do in the coming weeks to replenish and refill your cup. We’d love to hear what you get up to!

Let’s celebrate all we’ve achieved in 2020, and bring on 2021!