Looking back at my 2020 wishes for you, one for every month

What a hairy, upside down, gnashing of teeth kind of year it’s been.  I started off 2020 sending you 12 wishes, one for every month.  Before I share my wishes for you for 2021 in my next post, let’s put up our feet and take a look back shall we?

From my corner of the globe to yours, from my heart to yours, a meeting of the minds, a refreshing of the spirit as we take a look back and then a deep breath as we turn the page on 2020.

January – Motivation

• Did you enter 2020 with vim and vigor, with the motivation that matches your tempo and temperament? There was lots to do, lots to change, much equity to restore, peace to achieve and possibilities to explore.  That takes grit and grace. And motivation. My wish was that motivation be yours in spades. 
• Which one of these 6 motivators drives you and why it’s important to know

February – Learning

• The solutions to our pressing social, socio-economic, environmental and other problems are not going to be solved by the thinking of yesteryear. We all need to open our brains, hearts, and souls to learning.  And lots of it. Seeking out learning at every opportunity is key, plus curating, sharing, extending and contextualizing that learning. Chockablock learning was my February wish for you. Was your 2020 chockablock packed with good learning?
• Your how-to for building a vibrant learning culture (brought to you by the letter E)
• Plus here’s your link to join my monthly Learning and Development Roundtable – join me for intriguing topics that push the boundaries of learning while flexing and seeking solutions.

March – Access and Inclusion

• There’s room for everyone at the table – and what’s more, everyone brings their own unique flair, learning and contributions. I wished you a full, diverse, accessible and inclusive table dear one. Did you make room, especially this month as it marked International Women’s Day? 
• 10 examples of how to make learning more accessible for everyone

April – Tolerance for ambiguity

• We have more fear of ambiguity than risk I learned from one of my favourite books Nonsense by Jamie Holmes.  I also learned what a dramatic, important effect it has on us if we can increase our tolerance for ambiguity.  We make better decisions, are more open-minded, more tolerant and more creative for starters. For April I wished you comfort with ambiguity, especially in this big, beautiful chaotic world of ours. 
• What’s your tolerance for ambiguity? (And why it’s key to know)

May – Creativity

• If you’re a living, breathing human then you have access to deep wells of creativity and innovation.  No matter that our institutions tend to distill it out of us, creativity is rampant and needed and necessary – to keep up with our ever-changing contexts, to resolve urgent social issues and to be fully human.  For May I wished you time and space to dip into your pools of creativity and expand them, draw on them and share them. 
• Ramping up your creativity with a dog, a fence and a spoon

June – Don’t get hung up over silly conflicts (like window wars)

• We all have the same number of days to the week and hours to the day. I wished you the inner stillness to be able to determine the difference between what deserves your attention and what doesn’t, the difference between what is a shiny object pulling you away from what really matters. The world needed your discernment, especially this month, which includes World Environment Day.  
• The most silent (and silliest) war ever; you won’t believe your eyes

July – Struggle

• Some days, weeks and even months pass by like big fluffy clouds in an azure blue sky, while other periods are full of struggle.  When it’s hard to do even the simplest of tasks, I wished you ease and faith that tomorrow will come, and along with it, the clouds will peel back and reveal the sun.  And, even though it’s hard to believe this in the dark moments (hmmm pretty prescient looking back on this one), the benefit of struggles are real and true.
• What we can learn from a butterfly’s struggle to escape its chrysalis

August – Appreciate the little things and small wins

• August included World Humanitarian day and for that, my wish was that you fortify yourself with appreciating the little things and small wins so you can go onto the big issues and big wins.  They’re there when we look. Always. No matter the circumstances.
• What I learned from visiting the pearly gates

September – Trust

• No woman is an island and to effect social change we need to create community and community requires trust.  Some come to that easily, while for others it’s a whole lot harder. May you have placed and continue to place your trust in those who deserve it.
• Ten top criteria for team trust; how many do you have?

October – Your change personality

• Love it, hate it or somewhere in between, change is a fact of life.  But you have options. If you know your change personality you can handle change more adeptly and adroitly.  My October wish was that you seek out the change you are creating in a way that fits you.
• What’s your change personality? Take this 3-question survey to find out

November – Tough topics

• It can be wildly tempting to turn away from tough topics, to stay with ease and swim on the surface. And of course, sometimes that’s completely necessary (enter your favourite mindless pursuit, whether it’s reality TV, trashy novels or other) but it shouldn’t displace digging into difference, to difficulty.  I send you November wishes for the confidence and grit to face tough topics when they arise, as they inevitably will. You got this.
• A primer for creating a safe space for sensitive questions

December – Celebration

• It’s so important to keep our motivations up for digging in and doing the hard work.  What helps is pausing to celebrate you and your wins. My final 2020 wish for you is tempered time to reflect and celebrate all that you are and all that you do.  You deserve it.
• Celebrating you, yes you, with a special gift!

Now go on and learn, laugh and lead

Learn

• Click on the resources for the wishes above that call to you
• Download all 12 wish cards for inspiration

Laugh

• I have faith in you. I really do.

Lead

• Thank you for your commitment to learning, laughing and leading.  Pass on your superpowers, share your strengths, maintain hope and curiousity, rest, relax and approach 2021 with vim, vigor and curiosity.