Towards the end of 2019, I was so looking forward to the 2020 year.  I looked at 2020 as being a new year that was supposed to be filled with such opportunity. I had been looking forward to this year for several years. After all, 20/20 is supposed to be good vision! I was hoping that 20/20 clarity would be something to strive for in the year 2020! I taught about this in seminars to get people to wake up and really identify what their “2020 – clarity of vision” would look like and what that year would mean to them in their life that year!

With good clear vision, how would they design their life? What would they like to accomplish in it? Where would they go? Whose lives would they or could they touch and impact? How could they change their lives and those around them?

For me, in the year 2020, things would be much better. I would get more of what I was going after. Better health; better goal achievement; better relationships; helping more people achieve their dreams of health and prosperity; looking forward to different travel plans; enjoying my life with my wife, our kids & grandkids. I was changing directions, and discovering new and old paths of significance. I was placing more importance on what I felt that my Lord and God was directing me to do!

And then boom!

Then it seemed like everything fell apart in our world! The COVID19 Pandemic hit the world and everything seemed to come to a stop! Well, at least a great slow-down. We were limited on what we could do and where we could go. School was changed; events were canceled; travel restricted; church attendance changed; “Essential” became a new paradigm in our worlds! 66% of the world was in lockdown! This was new! None of us living had ever experienced such an event. This produced much fear in our worlds.

As the year progressed, many people were affected by COVID19! Many were not. Many felt like it was a scam, many not! Many became infected, many not! Some had minimal affects, many had more severe affects. Many recovered, some not.

Government politics seemed to take over our lives.  Social Distancing; Constantly washing hands; Cleaning surfaces; & Mask wearing, all became the new norm! It seemed like fear then became the norm! This led to more discussion, more debate, more disagreement, more anger and resentment, more research, vaccinations and their significance, and more searching (self-evaluation) was something we all went through. We had to decide what we thought was “right” or “important” in our own lives!

A lot of what was the “normal” was now gone. The focus (20/20) became more clear; for some of us, we began to appreciate what it is that we “Do” have instead of what we “Did not” have.

Then more political debate. Then the elections. Then the quandary of the outcome. The fatigue! The lack of income. The Stress! The Pressures! When will it all end?

Now here we are at the years end. I am sure that you have heard the expression: “Out with the old and in with the new.” Or it has been said that every “End” marks a “New” beginning.

Well this year end, it seems like we want ALL of 2020 to end, to be gone & we want to be done with it once and for all! It is as if we are saying and thinking: “Whew, at least this year is over, now we can get back to our normal lives! Let the New Year begin!”

Well hold on there!

Who says that all of the bad of 2020 is over? Will the “bad” carryover into 2021?

How about all the “good?” Will it carryover into 2021?

What will happen in 2021 regarding COVID? The Presidency? The Government? Society? Healthcare? Vaccinations? The Economy?

No one really, truly knows! We all have our thoughts, our concerns, our guesses, and our opinions.

To me, this does provide us with a few other “old saying” considerations.

When looking at the end of one year and the beginning of a new year, here are a few good ones to consider:

• We are supposed to “let go of the past” of the old year and “start off new” in the new year!
• We are supposed to forgive all those who have hurt us and be opened to building new relationships, or repairing old relationships with open arms.
• None of us can go back in time to change what has happened – good or bad; we need to work on our present and future to be able to create a more compelling life to go after!
• We are supposed to show and give love instead of bitterness and resentment. Afterall, unforgiveness only hurts us and not the other person! We need to give love to be more loving!
• We are supposed to be reminded that as we end this year, we are to look at the lessons we have learned in this year and start the New Year with that knowledge of what we learned and let that help propel us into the new year.

I am of the nature to believe that some “New Year” metaphors are paramount in our daily lives and not just at the beginning of a New Year. For example: at any given point in our lives, we are a story book being written. Some would say that the New Year is a blank book;  the story of 2021 has not yet been written. Others may think that they do not have the power to write in their book, that someone else has the power to write in their book.

I believe that each one of us has the “Pen” that is used to write in our own book – to write our own story; and it is up to us as to who has the power to write in our book. Think of your daily journal (you do have one right?), you are the one to determine what is written in that journal!

Each page is blank! You have the God given ability to write Your words in that book! What will You write? This is Your opportunity to write and record Your story! You decide if it is beautiful or horrific! Each Day is a New Day and You have this available opportunity! The pen is in Your hand! What will You write?

Some people may think that it is too late for them. I would Emphatically disagree with that statement. It is never too late to begin to write something New! It is never too late to strive to become who and what you really desire! What is it that You desire? Write it down! Establish the steps to become that and then begin towards it! Record your results!

Your pathway is different from other peoples pathways. This is Your path to success. The main thing is to always be looking ahead! If so, even with all of the zigging & zagging, you will reach your specific and written destination – if you do not stop! Remember, failing does not mean you have failed, it simply means that with your specific inner resilience to succeed, the failing moment is simply a stepping stone towards success! When you fail on a step, that means that you have discovered a false step in moving your life towards your specific and written goal or outcome! You must learn and thereby profit from that step.

It has been said “I will never fail; I will Win at each step or Learn from it!” For most people, when they are at the moment of feeling like giving up, their victory is always within their reach. They must simply keep moving forward. If you fall, at least fall forward as this places you 5-6 feet closer to your goal!

Establish within yourself the dogged determination to keep your head up, your hopes up, your spirit up, and the unshakeable determination that no matter what, you will accomplish your dream, your goal, your story that You desire to do!

Keep the Faith! Keep the Courage! Keep on Trucking! Establish the Discipline and You Shall Achieve ALL your Dreams!

In the essence of the 2021 New Year; I encourage and challenge you to begin to write Your story!

2021 will give each of us the chance to start new, to set things right, to begin a new chapter in our lives!

Will You do it? Will You accept the challenge? Or at least continue Your Story the way You want?

For me, if I do the above, then no matter what happens in 2021, I am filled with the Brighter Promises of Tomorrow, with the Renewed Hope of Better Things in my Life, with the Anticipation of having another Great Year to add to My Story!

I do pray that You and Your Family have an Awesome and Wonderful New Year!

Dr. Ben Bowers