It’s December! One more month left in 2020. Soon, we’ll begin 2021 together.
While we want to be optimistic in December, the realities of 2020 are still with us, and we are going into 2021 with many worries. There’s the likelihood of another recession, the as-yet-still-unconceded Presidential election, and of course, the worry of COVID19 becoming a permanent spectre in the United States until a working vaccine has reached all corners of society.
As we plan ahead for 2021, we should not fear making plans. We need to get on with our lives. But we also need to make our plans scalable and thoughtful about our current uncertainties, with room to pivot where we need to.
For instance: this is a terrible year to have a wedding. Big family gatherings are death traps for the vulnerable. But there are bound to be terrible losses to people who plan big events and then have to cancel them due to legal concerns of COVID19.
And not everyone can stall a wedding for a year or two. Life goes on, and we have to find a way to have our rituals within the limits of what we CAN do. Smaller, more intimate weddings are already a trend. Virtual weddings may begin to become the next big trend in weddings.
This is the kind of thinking we need to take as we look to our lives in 2021. We must take vacations. We work very hard, and often in our home spaces, now. We need to learn to take vacations closer to home, in places with smaller crowds. Figure out what you want from a vacation. Is it getting back to nature? Is it just getting out of the house itself? There are stays in fancy hotels, or in a lodge at a National Park. Ways to still seclude your family but to do it away from home, at least long enough to miss home.
It’s the right time to invest energy into your family. Now more than ever, we need each other to get through the rough times and the depression of losing out on big crowd events. But we can still go out. Why not plan monthly events and competitions the whole family can enjoy? Like a family Olympics, with events tailored around what your family loves to do best, against your cousins and extended family members?
It’s also a good time to consider taking some action to repair your home and your vehicles. You are seeing a lot of your own home now, and it is likely feeling the strain of people being active inside it for longer each day. Look into paint and maintenance work you can all do as a family. Consider doing a yard sale clear-out to raise funds to hire a contractor for the work you need done. And remember your car, too, which sees less of you now. Check on the battery. Take it in for an inspection twice a year, just to see how it’s aging.
If you still haven’t replaced the air filters in your cabin and engine yet, don’t forget that the smoke and ash of the past few months make it a must-do item. You can click on this embedded link to schedule an appointment. Or feel free to call us at (949) 238-6633. We’re located at 25721 Taladro Circle Unit A, Mission Viejo, CA 92691, and we're open Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM until 5:00 PM.