Happy New Year!
If you are reading this, you survived 2020. It’s a sad fact that many people did not. Let's honor those we lost by being the best we can be this year. 
So, how to prepare for 2021? I have a few ideas, and they are a bit mellower than my normal New Year plans.
1 – If you are recovering from Covid, that is your priority. Do everything you can to get proper nutrition, and build back up to regular exercise. Take your time and be kind to yourself.
2 – If you are grieving someone that you lost to Covid or natural causes, that is your priority. It seemed to me that an unusual number of people died from non-Covid causes this year.

• Take time to journal regularly. Just write a page or more every day – it doesn’t matter what you say.
• Make a list of all the things you learned  from your loved one, and the things that made them unique. Those are things that can’t be taken away from you.
• Think of something you can do or make that will honor your loved one.

3 – If you are looking for work, create a schedule and a plan for that. Be sure to include stress relieving activities such as walking and breaks for mindfulness. Contact me for some personalized ideas just for you. Or take a look at my Work from Anywhere page.

4 – If you are still working, but from home, own it. Make sure you have a chair that is good for your back, and place your screen where your head can be in a normal position, where your eyes can look straight ahead.  If you use your smart phone a lot, make sure to hold it up, or put it on a tripod, to relieve your neck. Consider adding a standing desk, or set your laptop up higher so you can stand for a while. If this is going to go on for a long time, create a space that you enjoy spending time in. One trick I learned a long time ago – at the end of each day, clear your desk, put things away. It makes such a difference to come into an organized space in the morning.

5 – If you are responsible for making sure your kids follow their education at home, get them involved in your New Year’s plans. Get new calendars and planners or time management apps, and let them participate in organizing their schedule and school working space. Be sure to plan fun activities they can look forward to.

6 - If you are working in your regular workplace, still take time to dream and plan what this year could hold for you.

End of Year Assessment
My husband, Mark, and I like to take a day around New Year’s for a planning retreat. We go over the past year and write down accomplishments, challenges, and note any goals that were set aside for whatever reason. It is often heartwarming to realize that we actually accomplished something when it seemed like such a crazy year. After that, we take time to dream.
Dreams and Plans
Think about what you would like to accomplish in the next year - in your work, your family life, in personal growth, whatever category is important to you.
Think about where you would like to be in the next 5 years. I say this only because it is traditional “wisdom” to plan ahead. Most of us learned that no amount of planning or dreaming can stop a pandemic from upending your life. But still, it is a known fact that people with goals end up accomplishing more.
Let’s Talk
I hope these ideas give you something to go on. If you are having trouble thinking through this on your own, I would be happy to brainstorm with you. Just choose a time on the Appointments and Solutions page, and we can have a real conversation.  Let’s get going on this New Year with HOPE. 
Happy New Year!
​Donna

Where I live in San Diego, we just started 3 more weeks of lockdown. That's after 8 months of mostly locked down, with a few windows of opportunity when we could at least gather outside. So I looked up an article I found when this all began that has helped me cope. I hope it will benefit you as well. 

Here are some suggestions from Dr. Thompson to help us get through this challenging time:​​

1. If possible, change your location of work in your home. This may be challenging, but different physical locations within your home over time gives your body the awareness of movement by virtue of being in a novel location.
2. When possible, stand while doing work, especially when using a screen. This practice enables your body to work even while being less mobile.
3. As you are able, limit the number of people on videocalls to three or less. This may sound unreasonable, or impossible. But the fewer people your brain—and body—has to keep track of, the less tired you will be. This may simply sound like common sense. That’s because it is.
4. Greet as many people as you can whenever you are able. There is little cost to acknowledging the presence of another person, and we need to be acknowledged even by strangers. Not only will your thinking mind give and receive it, your body will as well.
5. Plan for daily singing/worship while standing. Sing along with your most loved YouTube worship video as a means to use your body to tell your mind and soul that you are quite alive—and that you are not alone.
6. Talk about your anger. There may be nothing more important than having a close friend or counselor validate that your anger is real and isn’t crazy. Not to mention that talking to someone about your feelings connects you to another person, which in and of itself will reduce your irritability and give you a greater sense of agency.
7. Practice contemplative prayer. This form of prayer, especially while standing, strengthens your capacity to live in the present moment which protects against the irritability that emerges in the face of immobility.

Make it a practice to take at least three 5-10 minute walks every day. Shorter, more frequent movement not only extends your body’s movement over the course of the day, it also gives you something to look forward to throughout the day, thereby reducing your anxiety along with your irritation. Our bodies are hard at work. And although we are in a season in which we are asking them to work differently and harder than usual, know that you are not alone, and your work is not in vain.​

​Are you stuck at home? Need to find something to make some income in between teaching your kids? Here you go...

Our motto of Work from Anywhere - Wellness for All says it all. That's what we are about. Watch this video, then contact me to get a personal tour of how you can be part of this fun, supportive community.

This is the only way I have found to be part of a real community from a distance. I have been doing this for 25 years, so it is nothing new. Except it keeps getting better. There are so many new, innovative tools for getting a business started with just your smart phone or laptop - it's fun just learning how it all works.

Contact me and let's set up a time to chat. You can click on the Appointments & Solutions button to find a meeting time. Or if you are the DIY type, just go HERE.
Stay safe and well,​
​Donna Turner