HOW TO LEVEL UP IN 2021

*cue in ciara level up song*

it’s time to chat. I know 2020 has been the year from hell for so many of us and trying doesn’t even begin to describe the times we are living in. It’s been an adjustment on many fronts.  I will be the first to say that it can only get better from here. Can we agree? I wanted to share some ways I plan on creating the life I’ve always dreamed of and this consists of a complete level up. I also think this will be of so much help for you as you plan to also level up this year.
YES, LEVEL UP.

Out with the negativity:

If you do one thing differently in 2020, let it be this: cut out the negativity from your life.
When we’re around negativity, it doesn’t matter how many positive affirmations we’ve told ourselves that morning. Negativity is like an infectious disease and the more we surround ourselves with it, the more it will consume us. If your friends are all people who always complain about their lives day after day and do nothing to change it, why waste energy by hanging out with them?
Surround yourself with people who you can learn from and who you can grow with, instead. A great quote I once read was, “Always be the dumbest person in the room.” That way, you are always learning about how to make better choices, and are not stuck in the same place for a long period of time.

Keep educating yourself:

Whether you prefer book smarts or street smarts (I like a healthy mixture of both), never stop learning. Things are always evolving around us, and it’s beneficial for us all to stay in the know of how the world is changing.
In addition to that, you can always learn from others, too. In today’s day and age, information from other people is so easily attainable, all it takes is for us to go out looking for it.

Plan out your days:

I’m a huge fan of planners and planning out my months. Not only is it good to be organized with whatever it is that needs to get done, but I personally feel like putting words to pen and paper is much more efficient than writing things down on my phone.
Something about physically writing out goals and desires, especially in a place where we can see every day, makes them so much more attainable and easier to reach.
Plus, a little organization never hurt anybody!

Invest in yourself:

A great way to level up in 2021 is by investing in yourself.
If you’re someone who has a 9-5 job but would like to maybe branch out and start doing something more creative for work on the side, this is your year.
After all your bills have been paid, take some of the money you make monthly and invest it into whatever it is that you’d like to start or grow.
For example, if you want to keep your 9-5 job but also do freelance makeup on the side, building up your makeup kit month after month is going to help you build a better income for yourself in the long run.

Mind your business:

A great way to level up in 2021 is by keeping to yourself and minding your business. Gossiping and talking ill of others is never a good look, and it never makes a good impression.  If you’re ever around someone who is talking about somebody else in a not-so-nice way, there’s nothing wrong with changing the subject. Especially to a more positive one. It will make you feel better and you won’t be labeled as a gossip queen by your peers.

Make self-care a priority:

In the midst of all the hustling that we all do, making self-care a priority should be something you aim for in 2021. When our minds and bodies are constantly working, it’s only a matter of time before they go into shutdown mode. Take breaks when you need them. Even if a 20-minute break is all you can manage a day, that’s fine. As long as you are taking some time to work on quieting your body and mind, that’s all that matters.

Learn about finances:

Something I wish they would start teaching in schools is finance. No, not the kind you need in order to get a job in finance, but real-life finances that would be used by ordinary everyday people.

Alas, since that’s not something we can learn about in school, it is up to us to learn about finances on our own.
Thankfully, there are a ton of resources and books on the topic of money out there. How to make it, how to get out of debt, how to invest.. you name it- there’s a book for it out there.

MENTAL HEALTH:

This past year has done a number on everyone’s mental health. Whether you would like to admit it or not we all have been faced with various types of anxiety depression and so much more. Now is the time to take control of our mental health and address some of the issues that we have been hiding in plain sight. Please ask yourself.
1.  Did the isolation from Covid affect you negatively or positively?
2. Why or why not?
3.Do you feel a sense of anxiety when you leave your home?
4. Are you comfortable with being alone?
5. What are some positive ways you can shift your mindset to overcome your mental struggles?
These are the types of hard questions we must ask ourselves in order to level up our mental health in 2021.