Oh man! Where do we start? Do you feel like your 2020 goals were a bust? It may surprise you to hear, that I actually think it was a very good year. (Perhaps that is my eternal optimist speaking).
Yes, it has been extremely difficult. Yes, I have had personal grief. I am highly concerned about world events these days, both for today and the future. However, I am of the mindset that I also have A LOT to be grateful for.
The year 2020 has brought us introspection, perhaps more than we want. Quiet to the streets. Time spent at home. It has made us reevaluate our priorities. Family, inner peace and time spent wisely has been the name of the game in our home.
So with all that said, here’s a quick recap of 2020 and then what you can expect to see on the blog in early 2021!
Skip ahead!
A Look at 2020
Wow! So much happened this year! Wasn’t it crazy?! I’m sure you feel the same. The upheaval of 2020 has been beyond anything we could imagine.
I remember in late December of 2019 complaining on the phone that nothing is going on in the world. The only thing I read about in the middle of the night during my pregnancy insomnia is some coronavirus…Ha!
So let’s get down to it…in my personal life I:
- Had a Baby while in quarantine with little kids
- Oversaw Zoom School at Home
- Left New York City
- Road tripped across the USA to Austin, Texas
- Immersed our kids in nature!
- Began Unschooling
Travel-wise, we:
- Visited Houston and Austin
- Explored some far flung parks in Brooklyn (social distancing, yo!)
- Finally went to the One World Observatory!
- Took a Weekend Trip to Philadelphia
- Checked out the Museum of the City of New York
- Took a Road Trip from New York City to Texas
- Started Hiking all over Austin, Texas
- Spent a Weekend in Port Aransas and another in San Antonio
And here on the blog:
- I recapped our 2019 trip to Mexico: our itinerary and the Yucatan beaches (still missing a couple more recaps on Ruta Puuc and Puerto Morelos)!
- I recapped some of the things we did in Israel like Gordon Beach, Sharon Beach Nature Reserve, and Udim Nature Reserve. Again I have some pending recaps 😉 .
- I ended up talking a lot about food: How we use our CSA, the GAPS diet, and doing GAPS for Halloween. Also, how to unclog your kitchen sink, if all the pandemic cooking has you with a sink that won’t drain properly. Way more food talk than I generally write about. Then again, these posts don’t account for even the tip of the iceberg of how much cooking I actually did this year. So much cooking! You too, right?
What You Can Expect in 2021
Google tells me that travel guides are where it’s at, so you can definitely expect more information on travel with kids. And, [optimist again] I do believe we will be able to travel again in 2021. Maybe not as before, but there will be travel. But also…life. Life with kids: always learning and growing to be better parents and humans in the world.
New York City
I will attempt to complete all of my city guides for family travel to New York City. My computer is literally exploding with pictures waiting to be shared to help you plan your trip to NYC with kids!
Mexico
In my typical fashion since having baby number two…oh just seven years ago…I am always behind on recaps. Not my best quality but I’m rolling with it. I’m hearing from you guys that these guides are helpful for planning trips to Mexico with kids, so I’m excited to dig in to the details with you!
Texas
Still getting used to saying it, but we’ve been in Texas for half the year now, so I am accumulating information to share! Keep your eyes open for weekend trips to Port Aransas, San Antonio, and wherever else we end up while we’re not flying!
Life with Kids
I still owe you a birth story for our littlest Baby N! Also, I’ll be talking babies for the first time in a while. Routines? Let’s call it a rhythm…and I’ve been meaning to take notes on what that’s like with four kids around!
It’s likely you will also get some totally random posts! Seems I do that fairly regularly. Maybe I’ll share some DIY building projects. Perhaps an organizational tour…haven’t done that in quite a long time. I also have not shared any gift guides in a long time. But check out our current gear– it’s updated here!
Setting Goals for 2021
Are you looking to set goals for 2021? I wrote a really detailed post on the method I use to set my personal goals. If you have big dreams or are looking to make progress on goals or resolutions, then goal setting is where it’s it.
Here’s an excerpt from that post:
SMART Goals are goals that are fit within these parameters: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time bound. Here’s a very short explanation for those that like to geek-out on this stuff (like me).
Specific goals state exactly what you intend to do. So no vague “get healthy” going on here. I like to use the same general categories from year to year in coming up with my goals, though the specific tasks change.
Measurable means that goals should be quantified in some way. That means there is a way to see if they have been achieved using some sort of metric. Either yes/no, or a certain quantity can be attached to each goal.
Attainable, is something that is within my capacity to actually do. No pie in the sky here. I do have three kids to take care of and they are my first priority time wise, so I always keep that in mind.
Relevant, along the same lines as attainable, this is something that would actually work with my current lifestyle.
Time bound, means to specify when you intend to complete a goal, or hit certain benchmarks. In some years I have designated specific months for certain goals.
Me, personally, for the first time in a decade, I am not setting SMART goals, or any detailed goals this year! I do have a small goal-ish to-do list. But my focus is elsewhere. Ok, that’s not true, it’s January 1st and I am totally setting goals!
My goals for 2021 can are broken down into health and wellness goals, personal learning goals, business goals, and family social goals. Much like the circles of goals I talked about here. In turn, each goal is broken down into sub goals with metrics, and time windows.
Tip for Parents
My time windows are designated by month, and I leave the summer with no goals at all. I have learned that summer is for traveling, enjoying time with the kids, and getting inspired by new experiences.
- Winter is best for getting a major push, even a head start!
- Spring is best for accelerating momentum and building habits that can be at least partially maintained in the summer.
- Fall works out as a time to re-focus and wrap up anything that has fallen by the wayside.
In addition to all that practicality, this year I will be leaning into my intuition, listening to myself and thinking big. Dreams. Energy. Flow. That’s where I’m at.
So instead of looking at the rocks in front of us, let’s look up! Right there at the top of that mound is that gorgeous structure with a door of opportunity.
*Pictures in this post are from Sayil on the Ruta Puuc in the Yucatan. Details to come!
What else would you like to know? How was your 2020? What are you looking forward to in 2021?
