While I celebrate 2020 now being in the past, I send you best wishes for a successful 2021. May we all have toilet paper, hand sanitizer, hope, and optimism in abundant supply in this new year.
Last year was the year that was broken, in many cases. It was the year of broken concert tours and sports schedules. It was the year of broken communities due to political unrest and cultural divisiveness. It was the year of broken plans for milestone celebrations. It was the year of broken commitments at work and broken engagements in life. But, I hope having survived a broken year will give us a greater awareness of our ability to recover from setbacks. While 2020 may be the year when things broke, let’s make 2021 the year when things heal.
We must heal as individuals and assist one another to heal as a community. We have lost loved ones. We have lost motivation. We have lost jobs and direction. We did not lose ourselves. We still have our core strengths and our ability to laugh. We have family, friends, and coworkers in abundance. We have a right to happiness, so we shall pursue bliss. We have the ability to recover, so we shall heal.
When we have a broken bone, our bodies know what to do for the most part. But, we may have to wear a cast for a while to guide the broken bone to heal in the right direction. With enough time and consistent corrective measures, that broken bone will heal correctly and be strong once again. So, let’s put our attitudes in a cast in Q1 of 2021. Make sure the plaster and gauze in our attitude cast are tight and that corrective measures are taken when our thoughts stray to the negative. Provide a negative opinion less. Judge less. Accept more.
When you suffer a setback and find yourself saying negative things or having pessimistic thoughts, correct yourself immediately. Keep that attitude cast firmly in place for three months to ensure your mind is given the guidance it needs.
By Q2 of 2021, we should be able to remove the attitude cast we built and transition into the next stage for most broken bones, which is physical therapy. Exercise your new positive attitude. Practice charity, and more charity, and do it physically. Walk the walk, and talk the talk. Invest your time and energy in worthwhile pursuits, and talk about them. Others are trying to heal as well. Find them, and share your positive thoughts and actions.
Interact more with people and organizations who can benefit from knowing you. You could volunteer at an animal shelter. Drop off a bag of groceries at a food pantry. Have a heart-to-heart discussion with a friend where you only speak 10% of the time. Write an article for the church newsletter. Clean up your HOA playground. Send a check to a battered women’s facility. Give more of you. Expect less for you and yours. Hone a spirit of charity, and exercise that charitable spirit regularly as you would need to perform physical therapy after breaking a bone.
By Q3 of 2021, having a positive attitude should be a habit. But, we need to feed that habit good things and keep the bad things at bay. The act of giving to others is like taking an antibiotic. While you’re healing from a broken bone, antibiotics kill, slow, or suspend the growth of infectious bacteria. So, while you are healing from a broken 2020, write yourself a prescription for a benevolent spirit and refill it regularly throughout Q3 for good mental health. Only think positive thoughts. Let go of the stuff that can invite the disease of negativity into your attitude.
Get a booster shot for your mind and spirit by taking a trip with a friend. Where is your happy place? Go there for 48 hours by yourself or with a loved one.
By Q4 of 2021, we should be in a place of maintaining good mental health and consistent positivity. And, with toilet paper, hand sanitizer, hope, and optimism now in abundant supply, we will celebrate being healthier inside and out.
If you have questions regarding HOA law, please contact any of our attorneys at 303.432.9999 or at [email protected]. Altitude Community Law P.C. is here for your communities. If you have questions regarding professional operations or need to speak with someone about management, please contact me directly at [email protected]. I’m here for you.