The words “20/20 Vision” have been popping into my head over and over again for the past few months. Oftentimes when we are going through something, we can't truly see it for what it is, but in highsight it all becomes perfectly clear. Looking back on certain circumstances in my life, I can now see where I've veered off course, or indeed chosen to ignore the various warning signs. However, I have chosen to forgive myself for past mistakes as I know that I did the best that I could with the knowledge that I had at the time. As Maya Angelou said “Do the best that you can until you know better, then when you know better, do better”.
From the moment we were quarantined, I had no choice but to slow down. This was challenging as I'm so used to the rush of adrenaline that comes from moving from one project to the next, checking things off the to-do list and coming up for air only when absolutely necessary. But in hindsight, it’s clear that in this slowing down, it allowed the people and things that truly matter to quietly rise to the surface.
At this halfway point through a year packed with so many curveballs and challenges, it can be overwhelming to look back, and it certainly feels challenging to see the hidden gifts when we’re in the midst of so much turmoil, grief and loss. One of the major gifts in this year for me has been the realisation that so much of what I thought was important, really isn't. What has been so clear for me is that my family, close friends and good physical, emotional and mental health are all that really matters. That is where I plan to put all of my focus moving forward.
So before I rush to put 2020 in the rearview mirror, I plan to take the last half of the year to honour what we’ve learned in the first half and integrate it into the life that I truly want to live, to step into the best version of myself, both for myself and for those in my life that know and value the gift of love and connection.
There is an inherent gift in the clarity of hindsight. This year in all of it's pain and discomfort, offered me a gift that I didn't realise that I desperately needed, the gift of “20/20 Vision”, the clarity to discern what really matters most.
