2021 – We Go On
One of my favorite nighttime spectaculars at Walt Disney World was the long-running Illuminations: Reflections of Earth at Epcot. The three-act fireworks show was notable for its message of world peace, human endurance, and optimism for the future.
After the show, as Guests make their way to the exit, a song called “We Go On” plays throughout the park. While the show ended its run in 2019, its lyrics remain powerful even more-so this year.
We go on
To the joy and through the tears
We go on
To discover new frontiers
Moving on
With the current of the years.
It’s easy – and maybe cliche – to be melancholy to be ready to move on from 2020. We decided as a family to celebrate the holidays separately this year, in line with government recommendations. That’s given me some time to reflect and prepare for what lies ahead in what’s hopefully a much less bleak 2021.
Today, I’m taking some time to write about what I’m optimistic for and what I’m preparing for as “we go on” into the new year.
2021: What I’m Optimistic About
Time with Family & Friends
When we made the family call to celebrate Christmas from our own homes this year, it felt as if we were giving the gift of peace of mind. Later, it occurred to me that delayed gratification in seeing my family and friends once it’s safe to do so would make the experience all the more special.
I’m optimistic that at some point in 2021, with continued adherence to face coverings, physical distancing, and millions more Americans being able to get vaccinated, we will be able to gather to make up for time we lost with family and friends in 2020.
It’s the first think on my list, because I’m looking forward to it the most.
Wanderlust
Second up is wanderlust. How many times this year did you see a photo of a bucket-list destination on Instagram, or remember a favorite vacation spot only to swear you’d never take it for granted again?
If anything, this year has accelerated my aspirational travel plans, with the new lens of “why wait?” We’ve had plenty of time in our homes to perfect our routine, and the allure of travel to somewhere new beckons you to take time to break out of the comfort our daily routines provide.
I’m optimistic about booking that first trip. I may start smaller (think NYC at Christmas), but there are definitely some international destinations on my list.
Sparks of Creativity
The third thing(s) I’m optimistic about are the sparks of creativity that both the wanderlust and freedom 2021 will provide. I recognize that I’m engaging in very wishful thinking at this point, but there’s a key difference that I’m hoping next year will bring.
Whereas 2020 provided sparks of creativity out of necessity, for example, “how do we do ‘Y’ because of ‘Z’ restriction,” I’m optimistic that 2021 will spark creativity borne out of our new perspectives.
Even though biologically, little changes when the calendar turns from 2020 to 2021, there’s something inspiring about flipping the calendar to a brand-new, empty page. I’m optimistic it won’t take long for those pages to be filled with projects that embrace the sparks of creativity we’ll find.
2021: What I’m Preparing For
Faster Timelines
If anything, 2020 proved that remote is the future of work, our resilience triggers faster than we expected, and that to be effective, progress is better than perfection. Those lessons are one of the few silver linings 2020 brought.
What this means for 2021, however, is the faster timelines we accustomed ourselves to due to necessity – to explain a company’s health and safety procedures, for example – are likely only going to accelerate. In particular, industries that have suffered the most as a result of the pandemic, such as travel and hospitality, will see a surge of pent-up demand in a post-vaccine world.
This alone will compress timelines for work and continue to drive the creativity of teams that may remain dispersed even after things “return to normal.”
Nascent Resources
Budget cuts, delayed capital spending, workforce reductions. I’m preparing for these lingering consequences of 2020 to remain into 2021, with resources being difficult to come by.
I’m defining “resources” in the broadest sense. Perhaps due to layoffs, it’s difficult to locate the specific person who has accountability for a project you’re working on. Or maybe due to budget cuts, you need to spread out expenses for projects over a longer period of time.
The Unexpected
One of 2020’s lessons was that the unexpected should be expected, and our response to the unexpected is what matters most. Through this year’s experiences, I’ve gotten better at being able to react with compassion and ask more meaningful questions.
It’s looking like vaccine distribution will take longer than expected, and 2020 threw murder hornets and other numerous natural disasters our way.
2021 is the year where I’m preparing for the unexpected by relying on my fine-tuned compassion and questioning skills to get me through.
Great, Big, Beautiful Tomorrow
As the line from Disney’s Carousel of Progress goes, “there’s a great, big, beautiful tomorrow, and tomorrow is just a dream away.”
If one thing helped me be resilient in the face of 2020, it was hope. While you may paint me as Pollyanna in my outlook, I’m ready for 2021 and looking forward to the new challenges and renewed optimism for whatever may be in store.