Here we are, more than halfway through a year with a number I would never have imagined when I was a teenager – 2020.

And what a year it ha been so far – a winter that never seemed to end, a global pandemic and months of lockdowns, rumours of murder hornets, plagues of locusts, sex crimes and videotapes, the horrific death of George Floyd and violent law enforcement tactics, Black Lives Matter, smack-your-head political shenanigans, economies in tatters, the rise of Karens and Kens everywhere being called out for bad behaviour.

Back in the Sixties, we didn’t spend time thinking that far ahead. But now that I’m a decade older than sixty, every year, every month, every day has a special meaning. I have to make the most of what I have! A few months ago, I made resolutions for this year. Looking back from this perspective, they seem simple and a bit naive. But still valid.

  1. I’m going to do more to stand out from the crowd, in a good way. Make my mark. Write more. Publish more. Promote the heck out of my debut novel, Kenora Reinvented. Finish my knitting and sewing projects and enhance that feeling of accomplishing something tangible. Get a solid start on the big writing project I’m partnering wit my friend Sandra on – it’s called Not Done Yet and it will be fantastic! The only question is, will we be allowed to travel to Australia and New Zealand next September to complete our interviews?

2. Keep up my new habit of working out and doing yoga at Body Positive Fitness. I started training with Jenna Doak in February of 2019. Back then, I could not lift my bum out of a chair and complete a seated squat. She’s a marvel – patient, knowledgeable about the human body and quick to suggest accommodation to standard exercises. Now I hold a heavy weight and complete dozens of chair squats in a sequence.

Once we weren’t allowed to get together in the workout studio, Jenna pivoted to offering virtual classes via Zoom. That was so convenient during the winter – I could roll out of bed, grab a quick bite and head to my office/gym downstairs. And it’s been easy to attend two classes a day. I miss our local crew of amazing women, but I ‘see’ them online and during the outdoor classes we’ve been doing lately.

As of today, I’ve done 297 classes – BoPo Move, BoPo Lift, yoga, Zumba, Stretch & Mobility. I’m feeling strong and fierce and grateful. And even though I still ache from time to time, I know it’s temporary.

3. Stop hanging out with people who don’t make me laugh or who don’t enrich my existence, even in a small way. Try to ignore the ones I can’t avoid, or at least not let them ‘get’ to me.

Contemplate big-picture things beyond what I already know. Hug more. Keep learning new stuff. Be more daring and less impatient with myself and others. Regularly tell those I love, that I love them.4. Stop listening to radio and television news because the words hurt my ears and disturb my mind – explosions, flood, murder, political and corporate corruption, the eroding of democratic freedoms….

Avoidance, yes, but no one says I have to flagellate myself with sorrow. I’ll still read several newspapers every day, but when I spot an article I don’t like, I’ll simply turn the page and not obsess. 5. My time is precious, and the bank of hours I’ve been given can’t be refilled. I’m going to keep learning new things, solve more puzzles, laugh until my belly hurts. Have more fun.

6. Write my life story, so my grandchildren can know their ancestors and their history, and understand where they fit in this confusing world. Visit more countries and have more adventures.7. Be a better human being. Laugh more and brood less. Visualize serenity, contentment, joy. Live the very best life that I can.8. Pay attention to things I can change rather than those I cannot. Focus on the good. Do my very best. Be more generous.

Already the days are growing shorter. I still plan to squeeze every juicy drop from every day, so that when I lay my head on my pillow to sleep, I can say a fervent prayer of thanks for my multitude of blessings.