2020 It’s a Wrap! 5 Valuable Lessons Learned
I’m wrapping up 2020 with this final blog of the year by sharing with you some of the most valuable lessons I learned during the course of 2020.
Valuable Lessons Learned
Flexibility
Some of you may know that I love to dance and am a competitive amateur ballroom dancer. As such, I exercise and stretch almost every day. I am limber and very flexible which helps me tremendously when I dance.
This year one of the valuable lessons I learned was to be very flexible in my planning. Initially, I had planned to visit my son and his sweet family in Seattle once a quarter in 2020. My first visit was planned in March. Of course, that didn’t happen, and I was bitterly disappointed. We pushed that visit back to June, again to September, and now I’m scheduled to visit in March 2021. I’m sure many of you had to change your plans also.
I also became more flexible in my work with my organizing clients. Sometimes we worked together organizing a space, reducing clutter, setting goals, and improving flow while being appropriately distant and masked. Sometimes we worked virtually. Productive organizing work can happen in person or virtually.
Patience
Generally speaking, I am a patient person with other people but have limited patience with myself. I often set very high standards for myself while giving the rest of the world grace to make mistakes.
2020 taught me to be more patient with myself as I grappled with the restrictions with which we were presented as a result of the pandemic. I allowed myself to take more time completing projects and gave myself permission to just be. This was hugely important as it was difficult for me to come to grips with the loss of freedom.
I often council my clients to give themselves grace. To be more understanding and patient with themselves as they work to become more organized. It was high time that I took my own advice. This was a valuable lesson learned.
Live in the present
I was watching a Hallmark movie the other evening and heard an actress say this about the present. The lines go something like this; yesterday is gone, tomorrow has yet to be. All we have is now. Today is a gift and that is why we call it the present.
Another valuable lesson I learned this year was to stop thinking and re-thinking about things that have come and gone. These things are over and done. I can’t change what happened or didn’t happen. I also can’t predict what will happen. All any of us have is now. All any of us can do is our best in the moment.
I accept that I am doing my best and that those with whom I choose to spend my time are also doing their best. You know that there are times when you can do better and there are times when you won’t be as terrific as before. As long as an effort is made and you are truly present that’s all anyone can expect or ask.
To let things go
I just shared that I hold myself to high standards and this includes following through with some household maintenance organizing routines I have set in place in my home. There have been times over the past many months that I haven’t felt like doing some of these tasks. The valuable lesson learned here is that it’s just fine to let things go from time to time.
Having a household maintenance routine is a key component to keeping a home well-organized and running smoothly but it is perfectly ok to skip a task here and there. I know this and happily share this information with my clients.
I experienced it for myself this summer when I let go of a couple household maintenance routines and then picked them back up.
Computer skills
My website has, in the past, been managed and updated by someone else. I took lessons in 2020 and will continue them into 2021 to learn how to update the content. That was so empowering. I love being confident that I can go into the back end of my website and tweak the content on the various pages. Now, while my computer skills have improved enormously, I know there are some things that I will continue to hand off to my webmaster and that’s just fine. Click here to learn more about my fabulous webmaster; Jeff Wells with Kapp Koncepts.
What valuable lessons did you learn?
I know we have all endured a difficult year. A year unlike any other but I venture to point out that it was not all bad. Having said that, I’m not wishing for more of the same, but I am suggesting that when you take an honest look back you might find out that you learned some valuable lessons also.
As 2020 comes to an end, I want to challenge you to look back through the 12 months of the year. What are the valuable lessons you learned? Please share those lessons in the comments! Click here to read more articles on Be a Better You.
Diane N. Quintana, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, is a Certified professional organizer, a Certified professional organizer in chronic disorganization, an ADHD organizing specialist, a hoarding specialist, a blogger, and author. Connect with her on her website: DNQ Solutions.com or Facebook at Ask the Organizers: Diane and Jonda.
