The year 2020 has come to a close.
Start your 80s era slow cap as we usher in a brand new year together.
While many want to push 2020 as far out of memory as possible, it is through our toughest times that we grow and learn the most.
We are here today to to look back at the last year , sharing our top 12 lessons of 2020.
There was a lot of good and light that came from the darkness, silver linings, and strength. We encourage you to take some time to reflect on your own lessons and just how far you have come.
You can read the highlights below, or press play on this workout replay of willPower with Rachele, where each lesson is woven into a 30 minute workout:
Lesson #1: Dream Big
Right now you have opportunity in front of you in the form of a blank slate of a year. If 2020 taught us anything, it is that we can’t predict what may be coming, and to focus on what you can control.
Your dreams are all yours for the chasing.
Go forward and let yourself have those big dreams.
Find something that lights you up and try to soak some of that joy in as often as possible. Do your best to not let the past get you down and not to feel like all is lost.
Keep your faith and hope, and always remember: dreams are for everyone.
Lesson #2: Chase More Sunrises and Sunset
This lesson was personally experienced while I was at a retreat in February with my Todd Durkin Mastermind group. There was a special ‘optional workout’ each morning and the second morning’s workout happened to be a beach sunrise workout.
While it sounded amazing, the ocean is magical, it was also my first time away from my husband and 3 kids – I ad the opportunity to sleep in.
BEEP – the alarm chimes off at 6 am and with blackout curtains doing their thing, there was that voice inside my head that said, “why don’t you sleep in a bit?”.
Thankfully, I didn’t. In my gut I knew that it was going to be a magical workout full of energy, laughter, grit, sweat and the beautiful sun rising over Coronado toward the Pacific Ocean. I can still vividly remember that morning and just how magical the experience was.
At VFit, we always say, “If you beat the sun up, you have already won the day.”
If you aren’t a morning person “yet”, you can start slow and gradually start waking up 5 min earlier each day to create that earlier morning routine. Talk to yourself as if you ARE a morning person.
There’s magical peace in the quiet of the mornings. The early mornings are often the only part of your day you have full control over.
On the flip side, as the days come to a close at sunset, don’t forget to look out, take a deep breath in and look at the sun setting. Some of the most magical painted skies come at sunset and it is an opportunity to honor the day and your 100% record of making it through.
Lesson #3: Be the Coffee Bean
From the book The Coffee Bean by Damon West & Jon Gordon, this lesson we shared all year long at VFit.
The world is a pot of boiling water. Right now the water is boiling and as hot as can be.
In life, you can be three things: an egg, carrot, or coffee bean.
2020 taught us just how needed more coffee beans are in the world.
In the boiling water of life, the carrot gets soft, loses hope and structure.
The eggs harden and gets tougher, loses hope and becomes pessimistic.
The coffee bean, however, when it hits the water, it changes the water.
Even if you are walking into store with mask on, smile! People can feel your energy and one thing we can not lose grip on is hope and faith.
While there is much we can’t control, we will always control our thoughts, reactions and how we treat others. Be the coffee bean!
Lesson #4: Serve More
As humans we have service in our hearts.
When March hit last year and the world around us crumbled, we rose to the occasion and found an opportunity to serve more.
VFit had been open for over 4 years and knew that we could offer help so many were in need of. We pride ourselves on our community, so we opened our doors FREE TO ALL for an entire month with the VFITSTRONG initiative.
Overnight we doubled our class schedule, attendance nearly tripled to our classes, we added kids classes, cooking classes, Spanish, happy hours – we were doing everything in our power to bring light, love, sweat, smiles and shine to others.
Our VFITSTRONG mission tested every system we had built the past 4 years to the max. We could have easily crumbled had it gone wrong, but we didn’t even have time to “what if” ourselves.
Sleep was scarce, fear was high, trainers were working overtime, we were vulnerable, but we were called to serve and lead with our hearts!
We wanted to help create a sense of stability, community and sanity to a world that was just flipped upside down.
While this month of trying to navigate our own home lives being flipped upside down and opening our virtual doors to all, was one of the toughest months of 2020, we wouldn’t take it back for the world.
We stayed true to our mission of purpose, impact, change lives, save lives.
It may not always be at the perfect time, but find ways in your day to open your heart and serve others.
Lesson #5: Ask for Help
A tough lesson, but one we will all need to learn. You may have a hard time with this one too, but the thing is, if you don’t ask for help, no one knows you need it.
In 2020, we learned to lean on others more than ever and often times in more creative ways than ever.
I would have never made it without the help from my spouse, family, in-laws, trainer team, and friends.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Think of a swinging pendulum and don’t try to balance everything all at once. Work to be vulnerable and ask for help when you need it. Others want to serve as well, so you’ll be doing both sides a favor.
Lesson #6: Get Busy Living
It can be so easy to get caught up in fear, anxiety, and paranoia, that we can forget all the parts of our life we do have control over.
Do your best to connect with family and friends more personally. Do things that light you up – whether it’s dancing more, snuggling your pet, or diving into a hobby and passion of yours.
Say yes more and do what feeds your soul. Take the trip down the street, hike that mountain, swim in the lake, unplug more.
You don’t need to travel the world to get busy living. It is about being present and connecting more.
Lesson #7: Who Matters Most
Who are those people that truly matter the most to you? With quarantine, many restrictions and cancellations placed through the pandemic, we all found ourselves at home more.
Some suddenly had more family time than they knew they could handle and others are still counting down the minutes until they can hug their loved ones again.
In 2020, we were shown just who matters most in our life.
Or, perhaps in this last year you discovered that there were those around you that were casting a dark shadow and changing your thought process. You were able to let them go.
Find who matters most in your life and protect your space like it’s gold, because it is. You have the ultimate control over the energy you let in. Your life will be a reflection of the people you are surrounded by.
Lesson #8: Daily Habits Define Your Days
When the world was spinning out of control last year, it was easy to go into spring break mode, let loose and give up on many of life’s daily tasks and activities.
While that’s okay in small spurts, it clearly is not sustainable in maintaining a high quality of life.
Having structure is important.
Ask any VFitter and they will all be singing praises of gratitude for the structure, stability and support of the daily habits we continued to keep in place.
Some days it took every ounce of our energy to just show up, but those times when it is the hardest to show up and you still do – those are the times that build your resilence.
When we lose structure of our strong but powerful daily habits, we start to let our days control us and suddenly a whole month or year may fly by and you can’t remember a second of it.
Habits aren’t always the most fun word in the dictionary, but create good strong ones and you’ll have a lot more time to have fun and thrive in life.
Hone in on your daily habits to help you maintain structure and control.
Lesson #9: The Stick
We all carry ‘the stick’ around with us. The stick is what we use to beat ourselves up with and judge ourselves. Have you ever noticed that the voice in your head is harsher to yourself than you are to everyone else around you?
Stop beating yourself up with the stick.
Instead turn that stick into a back scratcher!
Use it to celebrate a win or compliment and change that mindset.
Same tool, two very different uses, choose wisely.
Lesson #10: Unplug to Recharge
Last year we were all pushed to our max. Oftentimes, this happened over and over and over again.
How do you recharge and get inspired? There were so many times in 2020 when I personally didn’t have inspiration or motivation to get it all done and keep serving with my many hats.
In 2020 I found the best inspiration come back to me when I finally stepped away to unplug. It is now on my 2021 goal sheet to take one weekend a month to fully unplug.
You don’t have to read everything out there and look for outside inspiration all the time.
Your true inspiration is from within.
Quiet your soul and dig into the whispers.
Lesson #11: Simplify to Amplify
2020 taught us, we can’t do it all!
You do not have to recreate the wheel in everything you do. Last year taught us all that there is a simpler life – because so much was taken off our plates.
Less commuting, being away from home, travel, etc. Getting in quality time with your family and things that feed your soul sometimes means simplifying your life and daily calendar.
Be intentional with what you choose to add back in and be sure to keep some of that quiet that 2020 brought to us.
Lesson #12: Community Matters
I am an only child and have worked hard my whole life to build strong communities.
Community is what gets you through.
We all had a story to write last year. We all made it. Don’t compare your story to anyone other persons’ story.
Make sure you are part of a community that TRULY wants the best for you and in the toughest of days they will pull you up.
You also have to lean into it as well and give to your community. Be a team player, share your lessons learned, reach out and offer a helping hand, don’t be afraid to speak up.
Without my family community and the VFit community I am not sure what 2020 would have looked like for me and I am thankful I don’t have to find out.
As human beings we need other’s, make sure to build strong communities in your life.
So that’s a wrap on 2020 – Those are my top lessons. Do you have any you would like to share with us? Let us know and comment below.
And always if you are looking for that team that truly wants the best for you, is there to lift you up, make you smile and keep pushing you forward in your health and wellbeing journey, we have room for more at VFit.
While I know I am reading this blog 1/2 way through the year, it still carries so much truth for both 2020 and 2021. I have been working at home since March 2020 and likely will not be back in the office until March of 2022. Online gatherings during COVID – phone calls, Zoom Happy Hours, Teams Meetings at work, online Zoom workouts and Face Time calls with family have helped me maintain sanity. I did need to learn to develop new habits and get “out of the funk” of just “being” at home. Instead, I have turned my home into a place that can help sustain healthy habits – daily workouts, healthy eating, and daily check-ins with friends and family. The lessons here are true for all of us. We may know them, but it is good to “say them out loud” and be reminded. Thank you!
You are welcome – thanks for reading and sharing with us!