Everything I remembered to forget in 2020 is a lesson learned for a reset in the new year
Okay, it has been a year. You know, in fact, this past year has been, well, I am constrained by decency to say what I really want to say. On both a professional and personal level, 2020 has been one long teaching moment. Sure, it might be the longest minute in the history of minutes, but the lessons learned have been duly noted.
I laughed. I cried. I winced. I screamed. I laughed some more. And with each emotion, each second of trying to decipher what the next moment might bring, I learned that no matter what happens, I can stand my ground. That meant something.
If you think about it, you can say the same thing. Here we are on the cusp of another new adventure. A new year. New goals. New promises made. New promises broken. New ways of figuring out how to do what we do.
The biggest lesson? Is that what you want to know? The biggest lesson(s) I learned are as follows:
- I really don’t know everything
- No day is ever the same
- Don’t take anything for granted
- Time either flies by or drags, depending on how you approach the situation
- There’s nothing you can’t do if you put your mind to it
- Embrace every memory
- Follow the science
- Seek the truth
- Be a leader, not a follower (that’s a big one right there)
- Lies are the enemy of faith
- Home-cooked meals are really cool
- Binge watching rules
- Classic sitcoms are the best (“Seinfeld,” “Everybody Loves Raymond,” “King of Queens,” “The Office”…)
- I really miss concerts
- I really don’t miss the crowds
- Dogs really are man’s best friend
- Kids are a blessing
- Alone time is a salvation
- Morning and evenings are equally best for working out
- Long walks are a spiritual gift
As for you, the craft spirit world, there may not be a more spirited, committed, passionate bunch of people. Embracing the New Normal meant finding innovative ways to keep things moving forward. Curbside pickups. New partnerships. Pivots into new and exciting avenues (hand sanitizer anyone?).
Thank you for allowing us to be a part of your journey in a year that none of us will forget anytime soon. Here’s to what 2021 holds for each of us.
Okay, I said my peace about you 2020, now move along.
Story by Michael J. Pallerino, editor of Craft Brand & Marketing magazine. Over the past 30-plus years, he has won numerous awards, including the “Jesse H. Neal Editorial Achievement Award,” recognized as the Pulitzer Prize for business-to-business magazines. He can be reached at mikep@ccr-mag.com.