2020 is agreeably the most unusual year in recent history. As dreaded as the year and everything it represents can be, the things that made the year not so desirable won’t magically disappear. There are things we have to do and undo to have the best experiences 2021 has to offer.
To move foward, you have to leave the past behind
— Susannah Cahalan
The words of Sussannah’s begs the question “what things should you leave behind in 2020 in order to move forward in 2021?”. In an attempt to answer this question, we found 10 Common Things You Should Leave Behind In 2020

#1. The Pandemic Convenience.
One thing the global lockdown afforded us was a bunch of personal time and the downside to that would be that we picked up so many bad habits, as long as they were convenient. Some of us put up weight, some stopped engaging in mentally challenging tasks, and others of us simply became couch potatoes, we lost zeal.
Now whether you fall under just one, or all of the aforementioned categories, or many more not mentioned, you really want to stop accomodating such self-sabotaging habits. The irony of the pandemic is that it became the eye-opener that so many people needed to take that bold step; start that business, enroll for that degree, join that association, and even lose that body pound.
At this point, you may want to be honest with yourself. 2020 is over, the lockdown restrictions are beginning to get eased, and a new form of normalcy is getting restored to our world. Are you really going to take that step or keep making excuses? hiding under your sheets, waiting for perfect timings, and waiting before you actually start living? We suppose not.
#2. Negativity
This is about the worse place to be in mentally. it doesn’t let you see past the barriers you set in your head. if there’s anything that 2020 taught you, it should be that life is really what you make of it and you can only go as far as you see. STOP being pessimistic, let the failures of the past remain there, and open yourself to new possibilities.
Here’s a little story to back up this point; a young girl once lived in so much self-doubt she couldn’t see her abilities and how amazing they were. During the pandemic, however, she decided to just give a shot to one of her dreams “I mean what’s the worst that could happen.” She enrolled in a competition and came out best. she has never thought twice about giving a shot to whatever she desired, “I realized I could get anything I wanted as long as I worked towards it and believed I would get it. For some reason, I never for one day doubted I would win the competition. That one experience has changed my perspective on life.”
Stop dimming your light with so much Negativity that you should leave behind. You have so many potentials you’re yet to unpack. shake off that imposter syndrome, and breakthrough that self-doubt.
#3. Mediocrity and Complacency.

In life’s journey, we sometimes notice that there is a certain level of success that seems to have become the standard for us or those around us. Sometimes, our minds move into a state of complacency that may result in being mediocre.
If you must move forward in 2021, you have to leave behind the mediocrity of 2020 because you really don’t want to carry that stagnancy over. Our simple advice for you is this; stop settling and start living, start thriving.
#4 Procrastination and Fear
“If you put off everything till you’re sure of it, you’ll never get anything done.”
Norman Vincent Peale
Some of our points may be related to this particular point but that really just proves how indispensable a factor it is. Procrastination is a common self-sabotaging habit and you do not want it to go beyond 2020.
We understand that sometimes, you really want to take your time to avoid any show of incompetence and eventually, mediocrity, but hey, life’s too short to keep waiting for the right timings. Do not let the fear of failure cripple your dreams, go hard, or go home. go home. Don’t forget that you miss out 100% on every opportunity you don’t take.
#5. The Guilt of the Past
What this does is that it keeps you in a place of obscurity and blocks you from seeing past your fault. It can lead to resentment toward self, blur one’s vision about life, cause one to stall at a particular level for a really long time, and even worse, dent one’s perspective of life; thereby limiting one’s productivity. Honestly, no matter the grammatical justification, carrying on past guilt over from 2020 is the worst thing you can do to yourself this year.
It could be hard or even terrible sometimes, but you really want to forgive yourself. The Irony of this is that we mostly let people off so easily yet when it comes to ourselves we become so critical we forget we’re humans too and as such not above mistakes.
A piece of honest advice yeah? it can be anybody making the same mistakes, so put those insecurities aside and treat yourself with grace going forward.
#6. Not Planning or Vague Planning.

We believe that the power of planning is really underrated in today’s world. It’s very convenient to just take up tasks without exactly having a reference or a proper framework that outlines how they should go. what this eventually does is that it makes record keeping almost impossible and that way we may be unable to keep track of events, thereby unable to recognize progress, which are a major source of motivation.
“Plans are nothing; planning is everything.” ―
Dwight D.
Vague planning on the other is a disguise of a setup for failure. You live without balance. Sometimes we have the idea that for things to be executed efficiently, it has to be done by us. That isn’t exactly true, and it can lead you to overhaul yourself. At the end of the day, under planning results in gross unproductivity. The good thing is that you can plan your way to growth in 2021. Start taking a good look at these common mistakes to avoid when setting out your goals.
#7. Unhealthy LifeStyles
From toxic relationships to unhealthy eating habits to terrible choices and being passive when the situation requires a confrontation, this list is really endless. You know what it is for you. Leave it behind in 2020. Stop sabotaging yourself, stop limiting your results. To get the most out of this new year, you’ll have to do away with these common lifestyles and start making better choices.
#8. Expectations of Others
Our society sets our standards most times but one of the easiest ways to bask in stagnancy is to let the expectations of others define our lives. Not only would you keep moving in circles of insatiable and really temporary insights, you may also lose yourself in the midst of all the chaos. This new year, the best thing you can do for yourself is to identify yourself (void of societal influence) and stick to it. Blur out the noise in the background, find yourself, and own it.
#9. Lack Of Inspiration
Usually, we jump on new projects because they are really exciting, and before we know it, we can not even find the motivation to continue in it. We believe that by now, after reading up to this point of this article, you already understand that that can’t go beyond 2020. Henceforth, device means to see through your projects to the end. Look for a source of inspiration and milk it. And this leads us to our last point;
#10. Lack Of Discipline
No, no, no, you can NOT carry this over. It is not permitted here. You know what, how about we do a little retrospective assessment. Look back at all the times you let indiscipline slip away, picture what could have been, and what eventually became. Do you now see why you can’t afford to be indisciplined?
No matter how unconventional or unenjoyable a year proves, a new year is usually introduced with a hint of hope and that can materialize into phenomenal results. It all depends on our willingness to go through with it. The 10 points above are our contributions to you in achieving all you’ve always desired. Though very spot on, these points would not produce any results if you do not dedicate to a high level of intentionality.
We wish you the very best in your endeavours as you leave behind everything that could hinder you from growing.
Happy New Year!!
PS: Plan Your Year with this printable planner designed for you.