As we farewell one decade and welcome another, it is timely to look forward to what might be. What possibilities and opportunities may present themselves. 2020 saw us enter into an outlandish realm of uncertainty. Covid 19 cast a shadow which has obscured the light. For many, it has been hard to see many positives in this darkness.

The events of 2020 hit us hard and many were challenged with our new “normals” of living through a pandemic: isolation, quarantine, working from home, mandatory wearing of masks and continuous disinfecting. We may have felt that all hope was lost and succumbed to ever growing (and somewhat irrational) fears which only made the darkness appear more intense. As these fears took hold, they obscured our ability to see clearly and we became unbalanced.

“We’ve all got both light and dark inside us. What matters is the part we choose to act on,” (Sirius Black, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban). This quote draws attention to how we can either feed the lightness or darkness through our actions. Light and dark are constantly duelling with one another and we must be mindful to keep a balance between them. During the exceptional and disconcerting moments we find ourselves facing, we need to remember that “…happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light” (Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban).

I read somewhere that the size of any obstacles is dependent on your state of mind. From this point forward, I choose to nurture and strengthen the light and reduce the shadow poised over us during these unprecedented times. I choose to see beyond and realise the potential of a new year. I will take definitive action and move forward.

For this reason, I have chosen the word forward as my word for 2021 (oneword365.com). My aim is to move forward and achieve more from my life. I will adapt and forge ahead by concentrating on the light to diminish the darkness of the negativity. Forward is my direction in both thought and deed. 2021 is the year I will keep moving forward.