hey 2020
new year, new decade, new chapter
Happy new year!! So crazy to think that it’s 2020. That we’ve moved past the awkward teen years of this century. That we’ve reached another election year (2018 seems like just yesterday, but 2016 feels like a lifetime ago).
Sure, we go through this every year. The end of the year is all about looking back, reflecting, remembering (which, if you ask me, is too exhausting for any of us to afford these days). And then the turn of every new year is a socially constructed obligation to reinvent yourself, a fresh start, a new beginning. From a marketing perspective, it’s the perfect time for aspirational messaging, cultural alignments with goal-setting and productivity. And we as consumers buy into this season. After all, it’s great to plan. To have a vision. Harder to follow through. But regardless, a new year, a new decade, deserves a little bit of goal-setting.
2020 is a turning point. We’re solid into the 21st century now. Millennials are having families, increasing purchasing power. Gen-Z are growing up, having their voices heard, pushing culture forward.
This year, I’m done looking back. Digging through my journal, there was one point (2017), when I decided to map memorable moments from my personal life that year, against major news events that year. I dug up a site that gathered a bunch of year in review articles. Had dozens of tabs open. Poured over the year in news. It was a terrible idea. Do not recommend unless you’re a fan of closing out the year dejected and anxious.
So let’s look forward. 2020 is going to be a year of commitment and investment. To be curious, to be creative, to continue what I started, and grow towards what may come. In 2019, I consumed a lot. I never spent more than a couple months in one place, and made it my business to tune in to the scenery around me. But I also created a lot. I redesigned this site. I crafted a strategy that was sustainable and fulfilling to that creative itch without being overwhelming. And now that I’m finally caught up, I can’t wait to see what 2020 brings.
a couple tangible goals for the new year:
1 / Get back on social. I took a long break from Instagram. And it was good. After spending years deep into the social space, working in social, maintaining a personal presence on social, trying to sustain a creative outlet on social… it started to feel like a chore. So I took a break. One month turned into two… which turned into 8 and counting. But with a clearer path forward, I’m ready to plug back in.
2 / Launch Taiwan Guides. So some time late 2018 (wow I can’t believe it’s already been a year), I realized that @taiwanguide was an open handle on Instagram. So I got super excited, and grabbed it. And I did exactly what I hate when people do. I sat on it. Untouched. Empty. Useless. BUT I am determined to put it to use this year. Not sure exactly how it’ll pan out, but I am determined to make it damn good and worthy of its handle. So stay tuned.
As of today, the first day, there’s a lot that’s still up in the air for this year. But I can’t wait to see where the year takes me. Happy new year!