I think I’m a mostly optimistic person and have a cheery outlook on life. Doing my best to learn from the lows and enjoy the heady highs. To that end, I’m refusing to let a cruel 2020 ruin my optimism and am choosing to embrace the future with open arms. This is a post that revels in my individual hopes for 2021, a love letter to the future.

5 (individual) hopes

Let’s keep this succinct…

Freedom

In 2021 I’m going to keep my faith that we’ll break free of confinement and (responsibly) enjoy life together again. In addition to this I intend to further savour my newly found personal freedom. So I’m hoping for a heady mix of being able to pursue my own interests in a landscape where we are free to explore and adventure.

What could this look like?

I’ve already booked flights for what could be an amazing trip in a few months. Would combine many things I adore - adventure, loads of historical sites, train travel, lots of cultural things to do, amazing food. More of this please. I’d be very happy with 4+ adventures throughout 2021. Likewise, I have a bit of penchant to delve deep in topics/new areas of interest. That has ranged from learning how to invest in stocks/shares to neuroscience. For 2021, I’m going to pick learning how to dance. In the context of 2020 this seems extremely liberating - being close to a dance partner, learning a new skill and getting some great exercise. If you see me in December 2021… ask me to bust a move.

Friendship

With more freedom then it is time to invest more time with those close to me. Many (likely lots of people reading this) have been insanely good to me in the latter parts of 2020 and it’s time to repay everyone with my ears and kindness in 2021. Lots of times we couldn’t see each other face to face but I look forward to hugging them all, listening to their woes and trying to support them (I mean ideally they’d just be blissfully happy and we’d be partying like it was 1999 but just in case I’ll offer my support).

What could this look like?

On the smallest scale, a thorough cathartic chat with a friend while making food together with hugs, high fives and many many laughs. They leave feeling comforted. On a grander scale it would be fab to help build something new with a pal. A little side project to stir the entrepreneurial juices or something completely silly. Likewise, I’m really looking forward to spending more time in the office 2021 to build on remote friendships built in 2020.

Compassion

For 2021 I want to make sure I extend my contributions to society in whichever way I can. There are lots of people out there that could use some support, kindness or help in some way so I want to make sure I am doing my part.

What could this look like?

Over the past few years I’ve been mostly putting my thoughts & efforts into tackling food waste, food poverty and fighting the climate crisis but I’ve got an inkling I’d like to dedicate some more resources and time to alleviating the pains of homelessness (read ‘Evicted’ it is excellent and terrifyingly sad). I hope this means I increase not only my contributions to efforts I feel an affinity for but also get more hands on with some volunteering efforts in 2021.

Being (even more) bolder

Thankfully, I’ve always had a bit of an intrepid streak in me and as I age I have become incrementally more confident in myself. I’m keen to not lose this… and if anything go bigger. When opportunities are sniffed out then I want to pounce on them. Have the capacity to get my hands dirty and see where they take me.

What could this look like?

I’ve had a few ideas floating in my head over the last few years that I could channel this energy into. Could be exciting to try out some stuff/build something. Very possibly I catastrophically fail but the joy is in the creation of something. If I’ve built a responsible, profitable company by December 2021 then erm… I’ve over achieved.

More time for reading, podcasts and mailing lists

Rather flippant but weirdly important to my weekly being. I’m a bit of an addict to cram new stuff into my noggin so learning goals;

• I’m on 6+ weekly mailing lists full of super interesting articles (shout out exponential view!). I’ve been very behind but I’m going to dedicate more time to work this into my schedule. Back to a nice Sunday morning reading activity with a coffee. By the end of 2021 my reading list of interesting articles from mailing lists will be empty.
• I’m going back to my 52 books/novels over the 52 weeks of 2021.
• I also might prune some podcasts but keep up to date with some of the core ones I’ve been enjoying in 2020, shout out to Planet Money!

World

Yes, you world. If I can ask anything of you then a bit more justice, equity and empathy in the world would be swell. Thank you and I look forward to living on you in 2021.