Dreaming Ahead: 7 Questions for 2021

One of the things that I have liked least about 2020 (like there’s only one thing?!?) is the fact that it has been next to impossible to plan ahead.

Back in the good old days, I used to plan a year ahead, a quarter ahead at least. Now, it feels like getting through the day is a monumental accomplishment in the year that is 2020. Getting through a week? WINNING!

As a marathoner and not a sprinter, I found this alarming. So, I took a mental health day from work, and instead of just getting through the day of 2020, I decided to think and dream ahead to 2021 — when maybe, we’ll be free from masks, distancing, and grounding from airplane rides. I’m calling this Friday the 13th — my Dreaming Ahead to 2021 Day.

This is what I’m going to ponder today:

1. Where do I want to go in 2021? I am hopeful we will have a vaccine sometime in the first half of 2021, and then that frees us up to get back on planes and travel again. So, where do I want to go, and what do I want to see? And for someone who goes out of the country at least once a year — where do I want to take my Passport next year?
2. What meetings do I want to participate in and/or speak at for 2021? Something stuck from me at She Podcasts last fall that I spoke of recently on another podcast where I was the guest, which is this: you need to find at least one event each year to attend and support where you are the ONLY in the room. What do I mean by that? Example: be the ONLY pharmacist in a room full of ____ other professionals. Maybe that’s accountants, or dentists, or veterinarians. Whatever. Just make sure you’re attending one meeting a year where you’re the ONLY. If you constantly hang with people just like you, there’s the drinking the Kool-Aid syndrome of groupthink. That’s not always a good thing if you really want to expand your mind.
3. What do I want to learn in 2021? One good thing out of this hot mess of a year is all the online learning that has taken place — either for free or on huge discounts this year. So, I assume when everything opens back up, I’ll need to be a little more focused on what I want to spend my time on.
4. Who or what causes can I support in 2021? I’ve already signed up to work with ASPL for the next 2 years, which is awesome. But what other causes/non-profits do I want to be a part of in the new year?
5. What’s my ONE BIG EXPERIMENT for 2021? Every year, I like to try something new, even beyond my own professional development. “Inaugural” is a big word in my life. So, what will be my one big experiment in 2021?
6. What big habits do I want to START or STOP in 2021? Always good to ponder.
7. Who will be a part of my Squad in 2021? Who’s on your team, and who will you support in the new year? Can you collaborate with them? I’m very careful these days about who I collaborate with and often say No more than Yes. But who will I say yes to, and what collaborations can I dream up?

Suggestion box: maybe take a day out of this 💩 year and dream ahead like me. Sometime before the new year. It doesn’t cost you anything except a little time and headspace…good luck. And may all our 2021s be BETTER!! 🙌