What The Jetsons Could Not Teach Me About Living In the Future - Reflections on 2020

Happy New Year! When I was a kid, 2020 was THE year of the future. I can remember a school assignment where we were asked to write about the year 2020. Influenced greatly by The Jetsons, I imagined flying cars, eating pills instead of food, and holograms everywhere. Little did I know at the time that the reality of 2020 is that I would rarely ride in a car (let alone a flying one), I would be eating way too much real food (and taking pills to help me sleep), and attending endless Zoom meetings (which, I guess is pretty close to holograms so maybe I got one prediction right). Thinking about the loss of loved ones, it is hard to think about anything positive in 2020. Yet, I am wrapping up the year with a sense of resilience and growth. Here are some personal lessons and reminders from 2020:

• Have hope for hope: As I think about the family members left behind who are mourning from a loss of a loved one (due to COVID or other causes), I see their deepest heartache and also their deepest strength that helps them get by one day at a time. I once heard author Anna Whiston-Donaldson speak about her book, Rare Bird, a memoir of her 12 year-old son who tragically died in a flash flood near their home. She said something that I’ll never forget. “At the time of the tragedy, I had no hope. But I had hope that I would have hope again someday.” Hope is what gets us through the toughest of times.

 

• Lean in to adversity: In our family, my 13-year old son was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) out of the blue in September. This is an autoimmune disease that you have to manage 24/7, and it was quite an adjustment for our entire family. Through his experience, he uncovered a need and ended up creating an app that other T1Ds could use from day one of diagnosis to make their lives just a little easier. The app, T1D1 (Type 1 from Day 1), went live and has almost 10,000 downloads. He receives letters each day about how he’s improving the lives of others. His resiliency has truly been an inspiration to all! 

 

• Turn challenges into possibilities: Some time this spring, as the reality of working virtually sank in, I had a “oh shit” moment. Building an entire career around experiential, hands-on learning, I thought to myself, “How am I ever going to lead a meaningful workshop again?” Turns out this was the exact challenge I needed to push me to think more creatively and dream up new ideas of what’s possible. I quickly learned the latest technologies and began experimenting with new ways of engaging online. I honestly should be getting a commission from Miro based on the amount of times I’ve showcased that tool and how I’m using it. It brings me so much energy to tap into my creativity and reinvent learning and development in the virtual space. In many ways, the overall learning experience has improved for my clients.

 
I hope you can sift through the hardships and the heartbreaks of 2020 and find some glimmers of hope and happiness. Wishing you and your family all the best.
 
Laura

---