Grateful in 2021

E16: For a future I didn't expect but hoped for

A Future I didn’t expect.

As a futurist, I’m looking back to see forward. In a new slant to an old exercise, in January 2021 I videotaped a message to my future self. It contained so many dreams and expectations for 2021 and was a hoot to watch when it popped into my mailbox last week! What were my surprises, you ask? Here are a few of my twenty-one as 2021 washes away.

• Vaccinated. What was a hope and a dream in December 2020 became reality. We did not know if or when we would have access to the newly announced vaccines. Now I am double vaxxed and boosted! With vaccines came freedom. Not freedom as defined by the constitution, but a very personal version of it. To touch. And travel. And meet in person. And never did it taste so sweet.

• Author. Yes. I published a book in 2021! My first. “Contours of Courageous Parenting - Tilting Towards Better Decisions” is now available as an ebook and paperback. It was a steep learning curve - in discipline, editing and publishing, and imposter syndrome. It has led me to learn more about the art of placing words on paper - and launching this newsletter for example.

• Dishwasher. Ours had sprung a leak last December. We finally got a working one in April. We often wonder nostalgically about the “old days” and a simpler life. But technological advances also have their place. I enjoyed spending hours listening to Barack Obama read me his book “Promised Land” elbow deep in warm sudsy water. But boy! so much gratitude for the imagination of those whose designs make life easier for others. Whatsapp. Vaccines. Dishwashers.

• Capacity. Two classes revolutionized how I organize myself. Faced with a gathering tsunami of facts, I worried about drowning in data. So the idea that I could create a second brain to track all the trivia and reserve my brain to translate wisdom out of data has been a major takeaway this year. Never too old to change.

• Connecting. This was my word for 2021. Connecting ideas. Connecting places. But the biggest thrill was connecting with people. Across the globe. Mostly virtually. And occasionally IRL. I am an extrovert. People who give generously with their hearts and ideas are my fusion fuel. My world is bigger and fuller and more inspired because you are in it. Thank you.

There was the year I planned. And the year that was. In a year when so much was shut down, I have grown immensely. My full list of 21 reflects that gratitude and hope. I took advantage of some opportunities that waved out to me - and those changed my trajectory.

Same me. Same goals. Different direction.

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Tilting the future is about how we respond to the changing landscape in front of us. We set our direction by setting goals. The start of a new calendar year is a convenient moment to do that.

But we are also responsive to the journey. New ideas and information can change the way we attain our goals. Looking back on the past year allows us to see where we shed identities that were weighing us down, and caught an upstream current that helped us move faster towards our purpose.

Look back to move forward.

See you next year. Here is hoping 2022 will surprise me and you as much as 2021 did!

Karena

PS. I wanted to end the year with a story that brought a broad smile to my face - and has a lot to do with language. Stay kind to others!

Would you be able to take my bins out please? 💗