RE-Solution(ing): 20 take-aways from 2020
2020 has been quite a year and, while we’re all pretty ready to leave it behind, I’ll look back thinking of these things that I am grateful for, and will carry into 2021 and beyond.
1. Entrepreneurship and intrapreneurship. Recessions lead to innovation. With the world shaken up with the unexpected, necessity drives us to innovate. This particular shake up left us reaching for new ways to access goods and services, touching nearly every aspect of our life and clearing fertile ground for fast-paced, entrepreneurial thinking. Trends accelerated across industries and pushed us further into a time when omnichannel is a necessity, in-home healthcare essential, remote learning the new normal, and digital communities more sought after than ever. I’ve been thrilled to watch and guide from the sidelines as businesses like SimpleHealth, Supergreat, Italic, and Mlkmn move more quickly than ever to adjust to new consumer behaviors.
2. Focus on our health and self-care. Re-centering wellness as our top priority was long overdue. The ever-present reminders of masks, social distancing, and Purell stations keeps self-care front of mind as it should be. Companies like Oura, Levels and Vessel have launched us into an age when we are empowered to optimize our health.
3. Being grateful. It’s much harder to overlook how lucky we are for our health and loved ones amidst a global pandemic. I hope I continue to bask in gratefulness — from the big things all the way down to the little ones.
4. Prioritizing what and who is most important. Effort required for social interaction is far greater during Covid and has quickly made me realize what’s worth going the extra mile. While our social bubbles have gotten smaller, they are stronger and telling of what endures regardless of circumstances or distance. Likewise, the activities we continue to prioritize in this Covid world reveal what matters most.
5. Embracing the phone. I had always hated the phone, finding it too easy to get distracted and not feeling able to connect to the same extent as an in-person discussion. Suddenly, calls are welcome opportunities to connect with family and friends, and picking up the phone in real time rather than scheduling work meetings are often the most efficient way to get things done.
6. Simplifying life. I have learned the many things that I can do without, and the freedom of simplicity. With many things off limits, my schedule was forcibly lightened and I was freed of my tendency to over-schedule myself.
7. Making time to be thoughtful. I have always loved giving thoughtful gifts, writing unexpected notes, and even gift wrapping — finding ways to make others smile and laugh. In 2020 I (and we) needed this more than ever. I needed the feeling of connection and reminder of community, and indulged myself into something each day to feed myself and others with an act of thoughtfulness.
8. Family first. We have always known that family is everything, but Covid 19 intensified the percentage of time with our nuclear family. No matter where we were living, our unit felt like home. It was empowering to know that no matter what happens, the foundation we have built is enough.
9. Enjoy the family time without going crazy. The above makes it sound like it was easy, it most certainly was not, but I learned where I needed to set boundaries for my own time and saw that when I did, I was better able to be the mom and wife I wanted to be. Working on my self-awareness and relationships has become the active process that it should be.
10. Rediscovering hobbies and the outdoors. I’ve always loved running outdoors, but its meaning has been refreshed as an escapist, me-time. Other hobbies I’ve rediscovered — making playlists, paintings, writing poems even, reading books, hiking, baking and tennis took monotony out of the day-to-day, and let me care for myself, and feel more myself. These were things I love that I hadn’t even realized I missed amidst my busyness and hustle.
11. Loving where you live. Walking more vs public transit has let me fall in love with NYC all over again. Less traffic has meant that a trip uptown is quick and feasible, outdoor walking meetings have led to me to new neighborhoods and memories. More than NYC, I have loved my home itself and worked to make it something I enjoyed spending each minute in — from the home office lit with candles and my favorite photos and quotes, the right ergonomic desk setup, to the holiday décor I have rotated each season and small touches that I relish surprising my kids with. Closet clean outs, organization and decorating are something I look forward to spending time on and, of course, to the result. They have made me feel in control at a time where we are anything but.
12. Loving work. When 3 kids, home schooling, housework and cooking suddenly take over — in addition to being restricted away from an office environment, I quickly appreciated the sense of freedom that work enables. I reclaimed work as something I chose, not as a chore but something that drives me each day to feel and be my best self, independent from the family that I also love and care for. At times, diving into work has even felt selfish, but more so empowering to feel truly good at something and enjoy it — all as my own.
13. Fashion for you. The first 9 months of quarantine I, like most others, quickly converted my wardrobe to sweats and loungewear — the line between PJs and day wear was non-existent. When I ventured back to NYC and took some outdoor meetings, it was time to up my game. Putting an outfit together was never so fulfilling. I felt like myself again, and from then on resumed the daily ritual of getting dressed and putting on makeup. The reason I Co-Founded Rent the Runway was realized all over again — fashion is fun, it makes you feel and act more confident, lets you express yourself and indulge in appreciating YOU each day. Pretty soon, as my Rent the Runway packages began rolling in, my kids joined in the fun, and together our evening runway shows became a new part of quarantine routine. Getting dressed up is actually one of the things that remains fun and delightful throughout our lives — being able to play make believe, step into who you want to be that day and take on the world. For this reason, fashion will never die — watch out 2021, Rent the Runway is ready.
14. You’re never fully dressed without a smile. My favorite quote from Annie resurfaced when many, many people didn’t recognize me with my mask on — my smile takes up about half of my face and is how I connect with people. With smiles hidden behind masks, my main tool of connecting fell flat. I appreciate the act of smiling even more now, but without this trusted tool, I began saying more nice things to people — even those I didn’t know. These actions made others happy, and it made me feel good to put nice things out in the world and reestablish ways of building connections with people in my neighborhood — cherishing each chance to connect now more than ever.
15. Teachers are heroes. I thought this before, but there is nothing like home schooling and being isolated with 3 kids to show you the extent. Sending my kids back to school was a breath of fresh air and reminder to appreciate these daily heroes that not only tolerate my kids at this “special” age but also help them learn, laugh and grow each day. Meanwhile, remote school has taught me so much more about how my kids learn and their education, and given them many technical tools of independence.
16. The beauty of Covid health rules. In scrubbing hands, wearing masks, distancing, and being more thoughtful about germs, we have been fortunate to skip over the typical seasonal colds and fevers.
17. Rediscovering your inner child. From snowball fights, charades, making fires and s’mores, having tea parties, family field days, playing pranks on each other, playing dress up, trying the slip and slide and more, I’ve been a kid myself more than ever this past year and catch myself laughing with glee at silly things I enjoyed years ago and rediscover alongside my kids. Creating moments of magic for my kids is infectious and the best distraction.
18. Loving music. I have sifted through some old favorites and discovered some new picks, making music a bigger part of my life than ever — while sharing it with my kids. From watching them discover Tiffany’s ‘I Think We’re Alone Now’ and The Bangles’ ‘Walk Like an Egyptian’ to crafting Tik Toks with my kids to “Doja Cat,” music has kept us going and smiling.
19. Appreciating travel. We finally took a family trip after several cancelled ones and 10 months at home. I didn’t realize how much I missed it and how special it is for family time, perspective and reset. Always make time for vacation if possible!
20. Surviving not thriving. It was easy to slip into moments of wishing that the day would end, or at least hit 5pm cocktail hour, and that kids would finally go to sleep, etc… but mentally reframing each day as a choice of how to view the time we are spending, to take it by the reins and choose to thrive rather than just survive is something I hope to live with each day and pass onto my kiddos.
Peace out 2020 — you’ve challenged us and made us stronger — bring it on 2021!
